Bellator 237: Lorenz Larkin outpoints Keita Nakamura on feet, earns unanimous nod

SAITAMA, Japan – Lorenz Larkin’s crisp striking was on full display Saturday night.

At Bellator 237, Larkin (22-7 MMA, 4-2 BMMA) outpointed Keita Nakamura for the majority of three rounds, defeating the Japanese fighter by unanimous decision, 30-27, 30-26 and 30-26.

For three rounds, the fight was contested on the feet. Like clockwork, Larkin stayed on the outside. Utilizing the distance, Larkin was able to pick apart Nakamura (35-11-2 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) with leg kicks, jabs, and punches.

As the fight progressed, the momentum swung further and further toward Larkin. Midway through Round 3, Larkin came close to finishing the fight. As Nakamura shot for a takedown, Larkin landed hard elbows Travis Browne would be proud of. A durable competitor, the bloody Japanese fighter hung tough and survived.

With the win, Larkin extends his winning streak to four. Prior to the Nakamura fight, Larkin defeated Fernando Gonzalez, Ion Pascu, and Andrey Koreshkov en route to Bellator 237.

As for Nakamura, the defeat lands him back in the loss column after a win in his previous fight against Marcos Yoshio de Souza in October. Since his UFC release in mid-2018, Nakamura has gone 1-1.

At Friday morning’s weigh-ins, Larkin exceeded the welterweight limit by 2.5 pounds. The California-based fighter tipped the scales at 173.5 pounds and had to forfeit 20 percent of his purse to his opponent.

The welterweight bout was the thurd bout on the Bellator 237 main card, which took place at Saitama Super Arena. The event aired on Paramount and streamed on DAZN.

Up-to-the-minute Bellator 237 results include:

• Lorenz Larkin def. Keita Nakamura via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
• Kana Watanabe def. Ilara Joanne via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 4:39
• Goiti Yamauchi def. Daron Cruickshank via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:11