JAMES GALLAGHER RECORDED an impressive first-round victory in the headline Bellator bout at the 3Arena on Saturday night.

The Strabane native dispatched Kansas City’s Steven Graham with a rear-naked choke to get back to winning ways after suffering the first loss of his professional career last August.

The 22-year-old Straight Blast Gym fighter finished the bout on the 2.30 mark of the first round after dominating his opponent from the outset.

That victory now brings his professional record to 8-1.

💪🇮🇪😳@StrabanimalMMA is victorious in his return to the Bellator cage with a rear naked choke at #Bellator217.

Watch the main event in the 🇺🇸 at 9/8c on @ParamountNet & simulcast on @DAZN_USA. pic.twitter.com/NgYWT2AsgI

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) February 23, 2019

Fighters from the Straight Blast Gym camp featured in all four bouts on the main card, including Richie Smullen and Peter Queally.

Queally fought in the co-main event of the evening, where he lost out to Myles Price after a tight contest which resulted in a narrow win for Price via split decision.

Meanwhile Smullen and Kiefer Crosbie both earned victories in their respective bouts.

Smullen out-gunned Adam Gustab in the opening fight of the main card while Crosbie overcame Daniel Olejniczak with a rear naked choke.

Bellator is widely regarded as the second-largest MMA show behind the UFC.

Bellator 217 Dublin results:

Main card

• Bantamweight Main Event: James Gallagher def. Steven Graham – Via round 1 RNC submission
• Lightweight Co-Main Event: Myles Price def. Peter Queally – Via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
• Welterweight bout: Kiefer Crosbie def. Daniel Olejniczak – Via 1st round RNC submission
• Featherweight bout: Richie Smullen vs. Adam Gustab –  Via unanimous decision (30-27×2, 30-26)

Preliminaries 

• Middleweight bout: Charlie Ward def Jamie Stephenson – Via 1st round KO
• Lightweight bout: Paul Redmond def. Charlie Leary – Via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
• Welterweight bout: Richard Kiely def.Mickael Bucher – Via 1st round KO
• Welterweight bout: Walter Gahadza def. Ruben Crawford – VIA 1st round TKO
• Flyweight bout: Ryan Curtis def. Luis Gonzalez – Via round 1 TKO
• Women’s featherweight bout: Leah McCourt def.Hatice Ozyurt – Via TKO (doctor stoppage) after round 1
• Women’s featherweight bout: Olga Rubin def. Iony Razafiarison – Via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
• Middleweight bout: Will Fleury def. Shaun Taylor – Via 2nd round RNC submission
• Welterweight bout:Alfie Davies def. Daniele Scatizzi – Via unanimous decision (30-27, 2×29-28)
• Lightweight bout: Chris Duncan def. Sam Slater – Via 1st round TKO
• Featherweight bout: Dylan Logan def. Andrew Murphy- Via 1st round armbar
• Swing bout: Featherweight bout: George Courtney def. Ian Cleary – Via 3rd round guillotine

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