Top Reasons to Catch Bellator Champions Series 3

Champions with staying power are a rare breed in mixed martial arts and one to which Jason Jackson wants to prove he belongs.

“The Ass-Kicking Machine” will defend his undisputed Bellator MMA welterweight crown for the first time when he faces Ramazan Kuramagomedov in the Bellator Champions Series 3 main event this Saturday at 3Arena in Dublin. Jackson, 33, steps back into the spotlight with the wind of an eight-fight winning streak in his sails. The Kill Cliff Fight Club standout last competed under the Professional Fighters League banner on Feb. 24, when he cut down Ray Cooper III with a leg kick and follow-up punches in the second round of their encounter. Jackson has not tasted defeat in almost five years. Kuramagomedov, meanwhile, boasts a perfect 12-0 record. The 27-year-old Russian last suited up at Bellator 301, where he disposed of Randall Wallace with a second-round rear-naked choke on Nov. 17. Kuramagomedov appeared on Season 3 of Dana White’s Contender Series in 2019 but failed to procure an Ultimate Fighting Championship contract with his three-round split decision over Jordan Williams.

In addition to the Jackson-Kuramagomedov showdown at 170 pounds, here are three other reasons to catch Bellator Champions Series 3:

First Impression

The rubber soon meets the road for Paul Hughes, as the former Cage Warriors Fighting Championship titleholder makes his promotional debut opposite Bobby King in the lightweight co-main event. Hughes carries an 11-1 record into the cage, buoyed by a five-fight winning streak. The Irish prospect last appeared on April 6, when he buried Fabiano Silva with a knee strike and follow-up elbows at Cage Warriors 170. Hughes has delivered eight of his 11 career victories by knockout or technical knockout. On the other side of the equation, King answers the call to arms on the heels of back-to-back losses. The 40-year-old Duane Ludwig protégé has not fought since he wound up on the wrong side of a unanimous verdict against Aalon Cruz at Bellator 295 more than a year ago. Eight of his 12 wins have resulted in finishes.

Seven Years to a Sequel

Neither Sinead Kavanagh nor Arlene Blencowe appear to have too much time left on their competitive clocks, which makes for a compelling dynamic ahead of their women’s featherweight rematch. They first met some seven years ago at Bellator 182, where Blencowe escaped with a split decision over the SBG Ireland mainstay. Kavanagh has carved out a 5-4 record in nine outings since, her victories over Maria Casanova, Olga Rubin, Katharina Lehner, Leah McCourt and Janay Harding offset by losses to Leslie Smith, Cristiane Justino, Sara Collins and the aforementioned Harding. Blencowe, meanwhile, has suffered back-to-back defeats. The 41-year-old Jackson-Wink MMA export last strapped on the gloves in April 2023, when she dropped a unanimous verdict to 2004 Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann at Bellator 294.

Hungry Hungarian

Norbert Novenyi Jr. has put himself in position for a potential breakthrough. Having leveraged his 7-0 record into an assignment on the main draw, the 24-year-old Hungarian prospect toes the line against Dalton Rosta in a three-round middleweight showcase. Novenyi operates out of the same London Shootfighters camp that has produced a number of accomplished mixed martial artists, most notably Michael Page. He last competed at Bellator 297, where he wrecked Kamil Oniszczuk with punches just 46 seconds into the first round of their June 16, 2023 pairing. It was Novenyi’s third straight first-round finish. On the other side of the docket, Rosta looks to bounce back from his first defeat as a pro. The American Top Team rep fell from the ranks of the unbeaten on Aug. 11, when Aaron Jeffery outpointed him to a unanimous decision at Bellator 298.