Bellator 235 results: Toby Misech upsets Erik Perez by KO in makeshift headliner

Toby Misech didn’t know when he arrived at the arena Friday that he would be closing the show at Bellator 235, but in the end, he delivered a memorable moment for his hometown fans in Honolulu.

After the original main event of Josh Barnett vs. Ronny Markes was canceled just hours before it was set to take place, Misech (12-7 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) had his fight promoted to the top of the card. He made the most of the opportunity, upsetting Erik Perez with a stunning first-round knockout. The time of the stoppage was 54 seconds.

The catchweight bout (Misech came in overweight for what was scheduled as a bantamweight fight) was the Bellator 235 (“Bellator and USO Present: Salute the Troops 2019”) main event at Neal S. Blaisdell Center. The main card aired on Paramount and streamed on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.

The fight was short and sweet. The athletes took a few moments to feel each other out and gauge distance on the feet, then Misech, who was a nearly 4-1 betting underdog, loaded up on a right hand that caught Perez (19-7 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) clean on the chin and sent him crashing to the canvas. Misech pounced on his fallen opponent with a pair of follow-up shots, forcing referee Mike Beltran to step in and save Perez from taking more damage.

The crowd went wild, and Misech reveled in the biggest moment of his career.

“I’m always the underdog,” Misech said in his postfight interview with John McCarthy. “I had so much doubters and this is our town, this is my home and we ain’t losing in here.”

Up-to-the-minute Bellator 235 results include:

• Toby Misech def. Erik Perez via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 0:54
• Alejandra Lara def. Veta Arteaga via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
• Alejandra Lara def. Veta Arteaga via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
• Tywan Claxton def. Braydon Akeo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Joey Davis def. Chris Cisneros via TKO (punches and elbows) — Round 1, 3:55
• Hunter Ewald def. Brysen Bolohao via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 1:42
• Joseph Creer def. Ty Gwerder via via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-26)
• Cass Bell def. Pierre Daguzan via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27