Bellator 297 results: Vadim Nemkov routs Yoel Romero; Pettis retains title

Bellator is hosted one its biggest cards of the year when it touched down in the windy city for Bellator 297 in Chicago.

The main event featured a light heavyweight title scrap between reigning champion Vadim Nemkov and UFC veteran and fan favorite Yoel Romero. Nemokov dominated the fight, earning a unanimous nod as all three judges scored it heavily in his favor.

Elsewhere on the card was a 205-pound title eliminator bout between Corey Anderson and Phil Davis. Duking it out for the next shot at the champion, Anderson maintained his top spot with a split decision victory over Davis.

But, perhaps the biggest storyline was in the co-main event, where Sergio Pettis returned from a long layoff to defend his title against Patricio Pitbull Freire, who was looking to make history by being the first man in a major MMA promotion to win three titles across three divisions.

Pitbull’s ambitions for a third title – and the fourth championship that he mentioned pre-fight – will have to wait. Pettis looked good in his return from the layoff with all but one judge scoring every round in his favor.

Pettis remains the Bellator bantamweight word champion, while Pitbull’s featherweight championship was not on the line.

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Bellator 297 main card results

• Vadim Nemkov defeated Yoel Romero via unanimous decision (49-46 x3) – to retain the Bellator light heavyweight championship
• Sergio Pettis defeated Patricio Pitbull via unanimous decision (49-46, 50-45, 50-45) to retain his Bellator bantamweight title
• Corey Anderson defeated Phil Davis via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
• Gokhan Saricam defeated Daniel James via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Bellator 297 preliminary card results

• Gadzhi Rabadanov defeated Pieter Buist via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Ramazan Kuramagomedov defeated Jaleel Willis via knockout (knee, punches) – Round 1, 1:24
• Norbert Novenyi Jr. defeated Kamil Oniszczuk via KO, Round 1, 0:46.
• Archie Colgan defeated Emmanuel Sanchez via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
• Jordan Newman def. Matthew Perry via submission (Americana) – Round 1, 4:20
• Cody Law defeated Edwin Chavez via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Bellator 297 Postlims

• Wladmir Gouvea (2-0) defeated Gabriel Sayeg (1-2) via KO (strikes) at :20 of round one
• Kyle Crutchmer (10-2) defeated Bobby Nash (12-5) via TKO (strikes) at 3:42 of round one
• Mike Hamel (11-5) defeated Shamil Nikaev (10-1, 1 NC) via majority decision (28-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Karl Moore (12-2) defeated #5-Alex Polizzi (10-3) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Timur Khizriev (13-0) defeated Richie Smullen (10-3-1) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)