Valentin Moldavsky is the new Bellator interim heavyweight champion and has guaranteed a position to unify the title with Ryan Bader. With Bader absent to defend his crown due to his participation in the light heavyweight grand prix, Moldavsky (11-1 MMA, 6-0 BMMA) picked up the interim strap in Friday’s Bellator 261 headliner when he beat Tim Johnson (15-7 MMA, 3-3 BMMA) by unanimous decision at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The scores were 50-45, 49-46 and 49-46. “I thought the fight was going to be a little easier,” Moldavsky said through an interpreter post-fight in his interview with John McCarthy. “It is what it is.” The fight started out with a bit of a feeling out process, but then Johnson started to pick up the pace and pressure Moldavsky with his combinations. He found solid success backing Moldavsky up and forcing him to exchange, but the Russian was able to absorb the blows throughout the first round and slow Johnson down with some late clinch work.
See the rest here: