Matches to Make After Bellator 294

😱 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗟𝗟@iamgirlrilla weathers the storm to submit @DeAnnaDBennett in Round 4️⃣.#Bellator294 | LIVE NOW | @SHOsports pic.twitter.com/RbmtEeTskA

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) April 22, 2023

Bellator MMA will host events in Hawaii on back-to-back nights, with the first being Friday's Bellator 294, headlined by a women's flyweight duel between champion Liz Carmouche and DeAnna Bennett. Carmouche is a pioneer of women’s mixed martial arts, being involved in the very first women's title fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship against Ronda Rousey in 2013. In her last UFC appearance, she challenged then flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko, losing via decision. She was surprisingly released, and despite being 35 years old at the time, has looked better than ever in Bellator, with better striking and an especially potent top game. She has gone a perfect 5-0 in Bellator with four finishes. That includes a stoppage over previously unbeaten Julianna Velasquez to win the Bellator women's flyweight crown under controversial circumstances and then defending it against Velasquez with an emphatic arm-bar, leaving no doubt in the rematch.

One of the other opponents she stopped during that run was DeAnna Bennett, who was challenging her again in the main event. Bennett has won three in a row since being tapped by Carmouche in Round 3 back in 2020, with unanimous decisions over Alejandra Lara and Justine Kish twice. Bennett missed weight and it may have helped, as she shockingly took Carmouche down repeatedly in the first three rounds, with only the second one being close. Yet, despite being down 1-2 or even 0-3 on the cards, Carmouche never gave up, showing the heart and will of a champion. When she got top position against Bennett in Round 4, she took full advantage, advancing through a series of dominant positions and finally finishing matters with an arm-triangle late in the frame.

In other significant results, Danny Sabatello came back with a vengeance after losing a split decision against Raufeon Stots for the interim Bellator bantamweight championship, tapping talented Brazilian Marcus Breno late in Round 2 with a rear-naked choke. Highly talented Georgian striker Levan Chokheli proved that he can handle good grapplers in grinding, back-and-forth affairs, as he clearly bested the very tough Michael Lombardo.

Here are several interesting Bellator matchups that come to mind after this event:

Liz Carmouche vs. Winner of Ilima-Lei Macfarlane-Kana Watanabe

This is obvious matchmaking, as MacFarlane-Watanabe is the co-main of Saturday's Bellator 295 event. The winner will be the clear choice to challenge Carmouche. On the one hand there is Watanabe, who Carmouche bludgeoned with punches back in 2021 in just 35 seconds, spoiling her undefeated record. However, Watanabe looked terrific and much improved in submitting Denise Kielholtz in the second round. With her getting better and Carmouche feeling her age at 39, a rematch may go very differently. As for MacFarlane, she was Bellator's first flyweight champion, with an impressive four title defenses, as well as a former training partner of Carmouche. This would be one of the biggest women's matches Bellator could make and would be a very worthy main event, especially if it also occurred in Hawaii.

Danny Sabatello vs. Magomed Magomedov

Sabatello was the No. 5 ranked bantamweight prior to his victory and Magomedov is No. 4, coming off a loss to Patrick Mix. Not only is a showdown natural due to their rankings, but their styles complement one another well, as both are outstanding grapplers with endless cardio. And judging by how fun Sabatello's win against Breno was, another fellow grappler, this could be another treat for the fans.

Levan Chokheli vs. Sabah Homasi

Chokheli is an excellent striker but has had trouble with skilled grapplers. After early losses earlier in his Bellator tenure to Kyle Crutchmer and Goiti Yamauchi, Chokheli may have turned the corner against Lombardo. Why not match the 26-year-old Chokheli, who is getting better and better, against another explosive striker who has some grappling ability in No. 10 ranked Sabah Homasi? Additionally, this will show if Chokheli has what it takes to climb the welterweight rankings, which may be Bellator's deepest division.