TEMECULA — Talk about reversals of fortune for Cat Zingano.
The top-ranked featherweight turned the tables on four Leah McCourt takedowns and delivered enough damage to win a unanimous decision in a hard-fought Bellator 293 co-main event Friday night at Pechanga Casino Resort.
The judges scored it 29-28, 30-27, 29-28 for the former UFC bantamweight title contender, who fights out of San Diego.
The entertaining scrap appeared to be a No. 1 contender bout – and Zingano said she wants to be champion while taking a jab at the current titleholder.
“I mean, right now it sounds like the belt is vacant half the time,” Zingano said, taking a shot at featherweight champion Cris Cyborg, who has embarked on a boxing career while awaiting an opponent and accusing Zingano of ducking her.
Cyborg responded to a tweet asking for comment: “Ask her who’s picture is hanging in @BellatorMMA champions row. Who’s on the posters in her locker room?”
Ask her who’s picture is hanging in @BellatorMMA champions row. Who’s on the posters in her locker room?
— CrisCyborg.Com (@criscyborg) April 1, 2023
Zingano outstruck McCourt 48-44, and McCourt scored four takedowns to Zingano’s one. But it was Zingano’s ability to escape from the ground, as well as bruise and bloody McCourt’s face, that helped get her hand raised.
McCourt (7-3) appeared to control the opening round, but she emerged from it with a significant welt under her left eye. Felicia Oh, however, scored all three rounds for Zingano (14-4).
The 40-year-old Zingano, giving up 10 years to the taller and seemingly bigger Northern Irish 145-pounder, grappled effectively to negate McCourt’s efforts and displayed domination on the mat in the second round. The scorecards reflected that, with all three judges scoring it for Zingano.
“I’m hard to keep on my back. I’ve heard that before,” Zingano said. “She’s really tall and really strong and a lot of body. I’m not used to that, still, at this weight class. Yeah, I knew it was going to be a tussle with her, and it was going to be a lot of work.
“What I do know is I know how to cause damage and a lot of it. I think the damage made up for some of the transitional periods, and here we are.”
McCourt scored an early takedown to open the third round and held the position for half the round. Zingano scored her most important reversal, possibly saving her the fight.
As they rose against the cage, Zingano drove a knee to McCourt’s face and busted her open. Oh and Michael Bell scored the round for Zingano, while Chris Crall gave it to McCourt.
what a cut pic.twitter.com/mk3w8MxDCt
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) April 1, 2023
In other main card fights …
James flattens Golm: Heavyweight Daniel James opened the third round by flooring Marcelo Golm before calling out champion Ryan Bader.
The Chicago big man wound up on an uppercut and landed flush. A left and well-placed right sent Golm (10-4) stumbling and onto his face for the finish just 26 seconds into the round.
𝗛𝗘'𝗦 𝗢𝗨𝗧! 👊💥@djames1981 storms out of the gates in round 3 and gets the KO!#Bellator293 | Watch LIVE on @SHOsports pic.twitter.com/3RYahPnsTV
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) April 1, 2023
In his postfight interview, James (15-6-1) respectfully asked for a title shot. Bader, who was in attendance, rose to his feet and appeared to welcome the challenge.
Salter goes out on top: John Salter (19-6) put an exclamation point on his 14-year MMA career by dominating Aaron Jeffery for a unanimous-decision victory.
All three judges scored it 30-27 for the 38-year-old middleweight, who announced he was retiring after the win, in which he often grappled successfully and worked for submissions on Jeffery (13-4).
Colgan cracks Montalvo: In a battle of unbeaten lightweights, Archie Colgan continued to lay a claim for stiffer competition after his first-round TKO of Justin Montalvo. Colgan (7-0) dropped Montalvo (5-1) with a right hook and later followed with eight punches to the downed 155-pounder before the fight was stopped at 3:33 of the opening round.
Trainer taps Cauley: Luke Trainer (7-1) needed just 2:58 to tap out Sullivan Cauley (5-1) via rear-naked choke. The British light heavyweight afterward proposed to his girlfriend in the cage.
