Pettis beats Bandejas in main event of Bellator's return

Sergio Pettis defeated Ricky Bandejas via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) in the Bellator 242 main event at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

The fight was primarily a striking affair, with Pettis outworking Bandejas in every facet. He used pressure to pick apart his opponent and avoided many of Bandejas' shots. Pettis damaged Bandejas' leg with calf kicks early in the contest. And by the end of the fight, Bandejas' offense had diminished and Pettis had taken over.

Bandejas had a few solid moments, including a takedown in the first round. He also showed off his toughness by staying in the fight despite the damage to his leg. But Pettis defended well on the ground and kept the fight in the stand-up department from there on out, where he was clearly the superior fighter.

With the victory, Pettis is expected to challenge for the Bellator bantamweight belt against the winner of the Juan Archuleta versus Patrick Mix vacant title bout. That fight will happen at a to-be-determined date, according to the broadcast.

Pettis, a former UFC contender, is now 2-0 as a Bellator fighter. The 26-year-old, who's the younger brother of former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis, debuted in January.

With the loss, Bandejas saw his two-fight winning streak come to an end.

This was Bellator's first event since Feb. 22. The promotion shut down operations when the coronavirus pandemic hit in March.