Bellator 256 results: Cat Zingano shows slick ground game in armbar submission win

Cat Zingano is on a roll in Bellator and looking for gold.

Zingano, a former UFC bantamweight title challenger, picked up her second promotional win in as many fights Saturday night, submitting Olivia Parker with an armbar at Bellator 256. The finish came at the 2:56 mark of the first round.

Zingano (12-4 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) didn’t waste time looking to take the fight to the mat, shooting for a takedown after throwing a head kick in the opening 10 seconds. After some clinch work against the cage, she eventually got Parker (4-2 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) down and immediately started to display a slick ground game.

Zingano transitioned from taking Parker’s back to securing full mount to securing her back again before Parker managed to reverse the position. But even then, Zingano remained poised and smooth, and she quickly seized on an opening to lock in an armbar as she went belly down.

“I’d love to get a shot at the belt over here in #Bellator.”@CatZingano gets the W tonight at #Bellator256.

We are LIVE NOW on @SHOsports.
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— BellatorMMA (@BellatorMMA) April 10, 2021

The finish was the first submission win for Zingano since October 2012 when she defeated Raquel Pennington by rear-naked choke at Invicta FC 3.

Now with back-to-back wins, the 38-year-old Zingano made her intentions clear with a looming women’s featherweight title fight between champion Cris Cyborg and Leslie Smith next month.

“I am in a run for gold,” Zingano said. “I know who’s the best. I’d love to get a shot at the title here in Bellator.”

Up-to-the-minute Bellator 256 results include:

• Cat Zingano def. Olivia Parker via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 2:56
• Dan Moret def. Goiti Yamauchi via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
• Dalton Rosta def. Tony Johnson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Talita Nogueira def. Jessica Borga via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
• Jornel Lugo def. Cass Bell via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
• Cody Law def. Nathan Ghareeb via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Jaylon Bates def. Jeffrey Glossner via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 2, 1:27
• Nainoa Dung def. Izzy William via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Diana Avsaragova def. Tara Graff via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 0:29
• John Douma def. Will Smith via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)