Yusuke Yachi saved the best for last.
On the Bellator 237 postliminary portion of the card that took place after Saturday’s main event, it was the 29-year-old Japanese fighter who stole the show at Saitama Super Arena with a third-round soccer kick KO of Hiroto Uesako in the card’s last bout.
Yachi, who holds wins over Japanese legend Takanori Gomi and UFC veterans Daron Cruickshank and Diego Nunes, already appeared to have the match in hand after catching Uesako with a lightning-quick one-two combination, but he put the finishing touches on his performance with a ground kick that looked straight out of the glory days of PRIDE.
With the win, Yachi snapped a three-fight losing streak and improved his pro record to 21-9. This was the RIZIN lightweight’s first fight under the Bellator banner.