Bellator MMA is set to welcome back its welterweight champion as Yaroslav Amosov is making his much-awaited return to the ring. Amosov will make his long-awaited return to action as he faces off against current interim champ, Logan Storley in the main event of Bellator 291 on Feb 25.2023 in Dublin, Ireland.
Amosov won his title in Bellator 260 as he dominated former champ Douglas Lima. He was set for his first title defense against Michael Page, but he opted out as Russia invaded Ukraine and Amosov went to defend his country.
Due to that, Page faced off against Storley for the interim title in Bellator 281, which he won in a split decision. This will be the second meeting between these two superstars as Amosov defeated Storley in Bellator 252. This win put Amosov in the title fight which he subsequently won.
Yaroslav Amosov and Logan Storley met in a highly anticipated Bellator welterweight bout on November 12, 2020. Both fighters entered the fight with impressive records and unique skill sets, which promised an exciting and competitive matchup. In the end, it was Amosov who emerged victorious, dominating Storley with his well-rounded game to secure a split-decision victory.
The First meeting between these two stars
Yaroslav Amosov and Logan Storley faced off in a highly-anticipated welterweight bout at Bellator 252 on November 12, 2020, and the fight took place at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, with no fans in attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fight promised to be an intriguing clash of styles, with Amosov’s striking and grappling skills pitted against Storley’s formidable wrestling background.
Yaroslav Amosov came into the fight with an impressive record of 24-0, having won all of his previous professional MMA fights. He had already made a name for himself in Bellator, with wins over some of the promotion’s top welterweights, including David Rickels, Ed Ruth, and Mark Lemminger. Amosov’s background in combat sambo, a Russian martial art that combines elements of wrestling, judo, and sambo, gave him a well-rounded skillset that he had used to great effect in his fights.
Logan Storley, on the other hand, had a professional record of 11-0 and was making his Bellator debut in this fight. Storley had made a name for himself in the regional MMA circuit, with wins in organizations such as LFA and RFA. He was known for his wrestling skills, having been a two-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler at the University of Minnesota. Storley had also trained in boxing and kickboxing to supplement his wrestling skills, making him a well-rounded fighter.
The first round began with both fighters cautiously feeling each other out, looking for openings to strike. Amosov was the more active fighter in the opening minutes, throwing a variety of strikes, including leg kicks and punches. Storley, on the other hand, was content to stay on the outside, looking for opportunities to shoot in for takedowns.
As the round progressed, Storley began to find some success with his wrestling, shooting in for takedowns and securing top position on the ground. However, Amosov showed great defensive skills, quickly getting back to his feet and keeping the fight standing. Amosov also began to find success with his striking, landing several hard punches and kicks that visibly shook Storley. He also had a great chance where he could have ended the match as he had Storley in a choke and he nearly submitted.
The second round saw Amosov begin to take control of the fight. He continued to land hard strikes, including a beautiful spinning back fist that stunned Storley. Amosov also began to find success with his grappling, taking Storley down and looking for submission opportunities. Storley showed great resilience, however, and was able to survive the round.
The third and final round saw Storley come out aggressively, looking to make up for lost ground. He was able to secure a takedown early in the round, but Amosov quickly got back to his feet. Storley had the biggest moment of the round when he got Amosov on a choke but the Ukrainian swiftly exited from there. From there, Amosov took over, landing hard punches and kicks that visibly hurt Storley. Storley showed great heart and continued to fight back, but it was clear that Amosov was in control. The fight ended with both fighters trading blows in the center of the cage. The judges scored the fight a split decision in favor of Amosov. Storley was visibly disappointed with the decision but Amosov had landed a significant number of punches and he had shown excellent takedown defense as well.
How have the two fighters fared since then?
After the win against Storley, Amosov’s stock shot up, and was quickly in talks for the title. And in Bellator 260, Amosov got his shot against Douglas Lima. The Ukrainian dominated the matchup with his diverse skillset which proved to be the difference, as he was able to keep the fight standing and land hard strikes, while also showing excellent defensive skills. He won by unanimous decision and became one of the biggest stars in Bellator
He was set to fight against Michael Page in London in 2022. But after seeing his country being invaded by Ukraine, Amosov quickly gave up his MMA career and went to join the military. Sometime later, Amosov posted a viral video on social media, showing him picking up his championship belt from the rubble. He is back in the ring after a long absence but the champion will be up for the task.
The victory over Storley have Amosov the position as one of the best welterweights in the world. The win also showed that he was not just a one-dimensional fighter, and had the ability to dominate a wrestler like Storley on the ground. He had also shown improved striking, which made him a dangerous opponent for anyone in the division.
The judges’ scorecards confirmed what was evident in the arena – Amosov was the winner by unanimous decision. He had successfully defended all of Storley’s takedowns and was able to use his striking to great effect. It was a dominant performance by Amosov, who had passed his toughest test yet in the Bellator welterweight division.
But Logan Storley has also bounced back quickly from that loss as he won his next fights against Dante Schiro and Neiman Gracie. After Amosov pulled out of his fight against Grey, Storley replaced him and got his shot at the Interim title and he won via split decision. Now the two stars are back in action for their second meeting in what seems to be one of the most exciting matchups on the card.
Even though Amosov has not fought in a long time, he is still the favourite. When you check the UFC odds or Bellator odds, there are a lot of bets riding on Amosov who is on the 26 match winning streak. Will he continue his impressive streak or will Storley exact his revenge and win the title.
