BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Former Bellator heavyweight champion Vitaly Minakov bounced back from the first defeat of his mixed martial arts career to finish last-minute replacement Timothy Johnson in the co-main event of Bellator 225 and move himself one step closer to a shot at the gold. Minakov (22-1 MMA, 6-1 BMMA) made light work of Johnson (12-6 MMA, 0-2 BMMA) to earn the 20th stoppage win of his career and make amends for his uncharacteristically sluggish performance in defeat to Cheick Kongo in his last outing. And, speaking to the press after his win, Minakov said there was no reason to celebrate after picking up a valuable victory, saying: “For now, I’m not going to celebrate anything because it’s just a regular fight. It’s another step to get the title. I will celebrate when I get the title.” Minakov explained why he was so out of sorts in the Kongo fight as he revealed he had contracted an infection in the lead-up to their matchup at Bellator 216 back in February.
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