Former Bellator bantamweight champion Darrion Caldwell’s maiden title defense during his 135-pound title reign was a memorable one, as he submitted Brazilian contender Leandro Higo at Bellator 195.
Caldwell (14-3 MMA, 11-2 BMMA) captured the bantamweight title in October 2017 with a unanimous decision victory over Eduardo Dantas, but his first victory as champion was a much more decisive one, finishing Higo via guillotine choke at the midway point of the opening round in Thackerville, Okla.
Caldwell’s submission victory has been ranked at No. 10 in Bellator’s top bantamweight finishes list, and “The Wolf” joined MMA analyst Robin Black to deep dive into the circumstances surrounding that matchup and his finish of Higo as the American registered his first successful defense of the 135-pound strap.
Caldwell now has his sights set on glory at 145 pounds in the Bellator featherweight grand prix, where he will take on undefeated contender A.J. McKee in the semifinals. The bout was originally scheduled to take place at Bellator 244 on June 6, but the bout was postponed when the event was scratched due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Check out Caldwell’s breakdown with Black via the video above, and check out the full top-10 rundown below.
