Bellator 185 results: Gegard Mousasi gets past Alexander Shlemenko – and hears it from the fans

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – It was a pretty rough Bellator debut for Gegard Mousasi, who had to survive a badly damaged right eye in the first round to take a unanimous decision from former champ Alexander Shlemenko.

Mousasi (43-6-2 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) took a trio of 29-28 scores from Shlemenko (56-10 MMA, 12-4 BMMA) in the headliner, and instantly heard it from the fans in the arena – who appeared to side with Shlemenko.

The middleweight bout was the main event of Bellator 185, which took place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The main card aired on Spike following prelims on MMAjunkie.

Mousasi took the center of the cage and kicked early, including a teep that pushed Shlemenko backward. Shlemenko tried a pair of spinning fists, but Mousasi steered clear of them. But when Mousasi drove in for a takedown, Shlemenko caught him with a punch, then went after a guillotine choke when Mousasi tried to drop down to recover. He couldn’t hold it, though, and Mousasi found himself sitting on top of Shlemenko against the fence working punches.

Shlemenko worked back to his feet 90 seconds in, but it wasn’t for long. Mousasi took him down easily, then worked for a rear-naked choke. He cranked Shlemenko’s neck without being able to get under the chin right away, but had nearly three minutes to work with the former champ tied up in a body triangle. With two minutes left, it looked like Mousasi might finally have enough to finish, but Shlemenko continued to fight. And with 70 seconds left, Shlemenko got back to his feet and stormed after Mousasi for a moment. A left hand did some serious damage to Mousasi’s right eye. But Mousasi put him right back to the canvas and punched him in the face. Another takedown came with 30 seconds left, but Shlemenko worked out of it and dropped some big punches on Mousasi before the bell.

Ten seconds into the second, Shlemenko threw a huge spinning back fist, and Mousasi ducked just under it. Moments later, Mousasi slipped to the canvas, but Shlemenko let him back up not wanting to be on the ground. Shlemenko continued to work spinning attacks, perhaps hoping Mousasi might not see one coming given his damaged right eye. Ninety seconds into the round, Mousasi put Shlemenko against the fence and looked to tee off. But he let him out and the two went back to the center. There, Shlemenko nearly landed a fight-ender.

But midway through, Mousasi dropped down and tried to again take Shlemenko to the canvas. He couldn’t get it done and found himself on the wrong end of a spinning attack, but he stayed upright and soon after took Shlemenko to the canvas. With 90 seconds left, Mousasi worked from side control and threw short punches and knees and tried to pass. He took Shlemenko’s back again and had a minute to work. With 40 seconds left, Mousasi threatened with a choke, but once again Shlemenko survived it to go to the third.

Shlemenko came out in a hurry in the third with kicks to the body and hard punches. Punches to the body and a knee to the body followed, and a minute in a spinning back fist just glanced off Mousasi’s head. When Shlemenko continued to make Mousasi uncomfortable in the standup game, Mousasi again was forced to look for a takedown two minutes into the round. But after working for it, it was Shlemenko who took Mousasi down and tried to take advantage of what appeared to be a fading fighter. WIth two minutes left, they returned to their feet, and Shlemenko landed a big left hand and started backing Mousasi up. Again, Mousasi was forced to go for a takedown, then dropped back into guard and hoped Shlemenko would go to the canvas. He did not, except for to land punches. With 45 seconds left, he locked Mousasi up in a headlock, then let him back to his feet with 30 seconds left. Shlemenko wobbled Mousasi with 10 seconds left and threw punches down the stretch and appeared to steal the fight.

Official Bellator 185 results include:

MAIN CARD (Spike, 9 p.m. ET)

• Gegard Mousasi def. Alexander Shlemenko via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Neiman Gracie def. Zak Bucia via submission (neck crank) – Round 2, 2:27
• Kristina Williams def. Heather Hardy via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) – Round 2, 2:00
• Ryan Quinn def. Marcus Surin via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Lisa Blaine def. Ana Julaton via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

PRELIMINARY CARD (6:30 p.m. ET)

• John Lopez def. Billy Giovanella via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-26)
• Kevin Carrier def. Jose Perez via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Vovka Clay def. Frank Sforza via submission (gulilotine choke) – Round 2, 1:17 – 150-pound catchweight
• Don Shainis def. Matt Denning via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 4:50 – 150-pound catchweight
• Jordan Young def. Alec Hooben via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 2:44 – 195-pound catchweight
• Costello Van Steenis def. Steve Skrzat via submission (strikes) – Round 1, 2:52
• Joaquin Buckley def. Vinicius de Jesus via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Pete Rogers def. Timothy Wheeler via technical submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 0:37
• Dean Hancock def. John Beneduce via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 3:38

For more on Bellator 185, check out the MMA Events section of the site.