Ryan Bader’s bid to reclaim light heavyweight gold came up short in the semifinals of the light heavyweight grand prix, where he suffered a 51-second technical knockout loss to Corey Anderson in the Bellator 268 co-main event on Saturday night.
Despite fighting in front of a hometown crowd at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Ariz., the former Arizona State University All-American wrestler was unable to get going against Anderson. Bader was floored by an overhand right early, and though he tried desperately to defend himself against the ensuing hailstorm of follow-up ground-and-pound, his opponent would not be denied.