Bellator 285
Bellator 285: Henderson vs. Queally was a mixed martial arts (MMA) event produced by Bellator MMA that took place on September 23, 2022, at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland.[1] The event marked Bellator's second appearance in Dublin in 2022 and featured a main card headlined by a lightweight bout between former UFC and Bellator Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson and Irish fighter Peter Queally.[2] In the main event, Henderson defeated Queally via unanimous decision (49-45, 49-45, 49-45) after five rounds, showcasing superior grappling and control to secure the victory.[1] The co-main event saw former UFC Middleweight Title Challenger Yoel Romero knock out Melvin Manhoef with elbows in the third round at 3:34, marking a dominant performance that highlighted Romero's wrestling and striking prowess.[1] Other key bouts included Leah McCourt's unanimous decision win over Dayana Silva in a women's featherweight clash, Mads Burnell's unanimous decision victory against Pedro Carvalho in featherweight action, and undefeated Irish prospect Ciarán Clarke's third-round submission of Rafael Hudson via rear-naked choke.[1] The event drew significant attention for its international flavor, with multiple Irish and European fighters on the card, and was broadcast live on Showtime in the United States.[3] Overall, Bellator 285 featured 13 fights across prelims and main card, underscoring the promotion's commitment to global expansion and high-level matchmaking in the MMA landscape.[4]Event details
Date and venue
Bellator 285 took place on September 23, 2022, at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland.[4][1] The event marked Bellator MMA's eighth visit to Dublin and its first in the city since Bellator 275 in February 2022, underscoring the promotion's ongoing commitment to the Irish market as part of its international expansion.[5] The 3Arena, with a capacity of approximately 9,000 for MMA events, was configured in an end-stage setup to accommodate the cage and create an intimate atmosphere for the sold-out crowd, which set a promotional attendance record at the venue.[6][7][8]Broadcast information
The main card for Bellator 285 aired live on Showtime, beginning at 4:00 p.m. ET, as part of the promotion's ongoing partnership with the network.[9][10] The preliminary bouts were streamed for free on both the official Bellator YouTube channel and Pluto TV, starting at 1:00 p.m. ET, providing accessible entry-level viewing for fans.[9][11] For international audiences, the event was available via streaming on Paramount+ in select regions, expanding reach beyond the primary U.S. broadcast.[12] Production for the broadcast featured play-by-play announcer Dave Farrar alongside color commentator John McCarthy, delivering analysis throughout the event.[13][14]Background
Event announcement
Bellator MMA officially announced Bellator 285 on March 22, 2022, revealing plans for the event to take place on September 23, 2022, at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland.[15][16] The promotion positioned this as a key fixture in its international calendar, with tickets going on sale shortly after the reveal to capitalize on strong local interest.[15] The initial promotion centered on Irish talent, confirming lightweight Peter Queally and featherweight Sinead Kavanagh for the card, though their opponents were not specified at the time.[15][16] Queally, coming off a title challenge, and Kavanagh, fresh from a decision victory, were highlighted as marquee attractions to draw crowds.[16] This event marked Bellator's continued push into the Irish market within its 2022 schedule, following the February 25 Bellator 275 in the same venue and representing the promotion's first year with two Dublin cards since 2019.[15][16] The announcement underscored the organization's resumption of full international operations post-COVID-19 restrictions, which had halted events in Ireland during 2020.[16] The overarching theme emphasized showcasing local Irish fighters alongside potential international matchups to blend national pride with global appeal, aiming to solidify Bellator's foothold in Europe after pandemic disruptions.[16]Bout changes and promotions
The bout between Yoel Romero and Melvin Manhoef, originally scheduled as the co-main event for Bellator 280 in May 2022, was postponed after Manhoef suffered a hand injury while intervening in a burglary attempt at his home, during which he punched through a car window to chase down the intruders.[17] The matchup was rescheduled for Bellator 285, positioning it as a high-stakes light heavyweight clash featuring Manhoef's announced retirement fight against the former UFC title challenger Romero.[18] In the bantamweight division, James Gallagher withdrew from his scheduled bout against Brett Johns in August 2022 due to an injury, leading to Jordan Winski stepping in as a replacement opponent for the preliminary card.[19] This change shifted the narrative from a heated Irish-Welsh rivalry to Johns facing an American newcomer, while Gallagher later accepted Johns' post-fight callout for a future matchup.[20] Promotions for Bellator 285 emphasized contrasting narratives to build excitement, particularly in the main event where former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson's extensive veteran experience—spanning over 40 professional fights—was highlighted against Peter Queally's role as a local hero in Dublin, backed by the passionate support of the 3Arena crowd to fuel a potential career-defining upset.[2][21] The co-main event leveraged Romero's comeback story as a 45-year-old Cuban wrestling Olympian seeking to reclaim momentum after UFC setbacks, clashing with the 46-year-old kickboxing legend Manhoef in a "legends collide" billing marketed as a potential swan song for the Dutch striker.[22][18] At the official weigh-ins on September 22, 2022, all 26 fighters successfully made their contracted weights with no misses or penalties reported, ensuring the full card proceeded as planned; headliners Henderson registered at 155.4 pounds and Queally at 154.2 pounds, while Romero came in at 205.9 pounds opposite Manhoef's 205.7 pounds.[23][24]Fight card
Main card
The main card of Bellator 285 featured five bouts broadcast on Showtime, headlined by a lightweight clash between former champion Benson Henderson and Peter Queally.[1] Ciaran Clarke vs. Rafael Hudson (Catchweight 150 lbs)In the main card opener, Ciaran Clarke defeated Rafael Hudson via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:50 of Round 3.[25] In Round 1, Hudson rocked Clarke with right hands and secured top position, landing ground-and-pound elbows while Clarke was warned for strikes to the back of the head. Round 2 saw Hudson stagger Clarke early with more rights, but Clarke reversed to take top control and delivered punches and elbows from mount. Clarke then turned the tide in Round 3 by tripping Hudson to the mat, advancing to his back, and locking in the rear-naked choke for the tapout.[25] Pedro Carvalho vs. Mads Burnell (Featherweight)
Pedro Carvalho outpointed Mads Burnell via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds.[25] Burnell controlled Round 1 with multiple takedowns and dominant top position, stifling Carvalho's offense on the ground. In Round 2, Burnell continued his grappling pressure, though Carvalho managed late reversals to land elbows from top. Carvalho shifted momentum in Round 3, securing his own takedown, maintaining top control, and landing short elbows to secure the victory on the judges' scorecards.[25] Leah McCourt vs. Dayana Silva (Women's Featherweight)
Leah McCourt earned a unanimous decision victory over Dayana Silva (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) in a three-round bout.[26] McCourt dictated Round 1 with sharp head kicks and knees in the clinch, ending strong by taking Silva down for late ground control. Silva found her rhythm in Round 2, landing cleaner punches and pressuring McCourt against the cage with strikes. The third round featured Silva connecting with heavy rights and clinch exchanges, but McCourt's overall volume and control edged her the win.[25] Yoel Romero vs. Melvin Manhoef (Light Heavyweight)
Yoel Romero stopped Melvin Manhoef via KO (elbows) at 3:34 of Round 3.[26] Romero opened Round 1 with a low kick and quickly transitioned to top position after a scramble, raining down elbows from mount. In Round 2, Romero absorbed early strikes but stuffed a takedown attempt, countering with a flying knee and additional punches to maintain dominance. Romero sealed the finish in Round 3 by slamming Manhoef to the canvas and unleashing ground-and-pound elbows from top position for the referee stoppage.[25] Benson Henderson vs. Peter Queally (Lightweight)
The main event saw Benson Henderson defeat Peter Queally via unanimous decision (49-45, 49-45, 49-45) over five rounds.[1] Henderson controlled Round 1 with leg kicks, clinch elbows, and a late takedown for ground strikes. A point deduction for a low blow affected Round 2, but Henderson still dominated with multiple takedowns and elbow work from top. Round 3 continued Henderson's pressure, featuring knees to the body and another takedown sequence. In Round 4, Henderson dropped Queally with a slicing elbow and followed with sustained striking output. Henderson closed Round 5 by defending a late submission attempt while landing kicks and punches to cruise to the decision win.[25]
Preliminary card
The preliminary card for Bellator 285 consisted of eight bouts streamed on YouTube and Pluto TV, showcasing a mix of submission finishes, a knockout, and several decision victories, with several Irish fighters securing wins in front of their home crowd at the 3Arena in Dublin.[9]| Weight Class | Result | Method | Round/Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light Heavyweight | Karl Moore (Ireland) def. Karl Albrektsson (Sweden) | Submission (rear-naked choke) | 2 / 3:36 |
| Bantamweight | Brian Moore (Ireland) def. Arivaldo Lima da Silva (Brazil) | Unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) | 3 / 5:00 |
| Bantamweight | Brett Johns (Wales) def. Jordan Winski (USA) | Unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26) | 3 / 5:00 |
| Lightweight | Darragh Kelly (Ireland) def. Kye Stevens (England) | Unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26) | 3 / 5:00 |
| Lightweight | Kane Mousah (England) def. Georgi Karakhanyan (Armenia/USA) | Unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) | 3 / 5:00 |
| Featherweight | Kenny Mokhonoana (Ireland) def. Alex Bodnar (Slovakia) | Technical submission (guillotine choke) | 1 / 2:42 |
| Featherweight | Asael Adjoudj (France) def. Jordan Barton (England) | TKO (head kick and punches) | 1 / 2:39 |
| Welterweight | Luca Poclit (Moldova) def. Dante Schiro (USA) | Technical submission (modified arm-triangle choke) | 2 / 4:31 |