Dan Hardy discusses Corey Anderson's 'dominant' Bellator light heavyweight championship win, highlights 'moral victory' for Karl Moore
Dan Hardy recently weighed in on Corey Anderson's light heavyweight title win after he earned a unanimous decision over Karl Moore in the main event of Bellator Champions Series: Belfast.
The event officially ushered in a new era for the promotion as it was their first under the PFL banner. The main event was intriguing as the countryman looked to overcome the odds and defeat 'Overtime' for the vacant light heavyweight championship in what was the ex-UFC star's third title attempt.
Despite some promising moments for Moore, Anderson utilized his wrestling to secure a number of takedowns and control on the ground. While speaking to journalist Peter Carroll on The Craic, Dan Hardy shared his thoughts on the main event and highlighted an important moral victory for the Belfast native. He said:
"I think Karl [Moore] had some fantastic moments. Of course, the head-kick in the first round was a big one. The armbar attempt was very very close. He had some real standout moments. And of course, the moral victory to sweep and get back to your feet and stuff, they're all things that are gonna relive the crowd and give you that, 'Oh, he might've just taken that round', but it was a pretty dominant performance from Corey Anderson I think."
It will be interesting to see who will challenge Anderson in his first Bellator light heavyweight title defense as former champion Vadim Nemkov is unlikely due to his move up to heavyweight.
Fabian Edwards earns rematch against Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen
In addition to the title fights, Bellator Champions Series: Belfast also featured a middleweight title eliminator between Fabian Edwards and Aaron Jeffery, with the winner earning a title shot against Johnny Eblen.
Both fighters had promising moments, but Edwards' significant strikes and strong third round secured a unanimous decision win after the judges scored the bout 29-28. With the win, he will now get an opportunity to run it back with Eblen and avenge his loss.
Bellator announced the dates for their upcoming Champions Series events, so it remains to be seen how soon the middleweight title bout will be scheduled.