Matches to Make After Bellator 214

JUST LIKE THAT!!!! @RyanBader with the HUGE KO against Fedor Emelianenko!#Bellator214 pic.twitter.com/7fm2XFY1zh

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) January 27, 2019

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When they write the final account of Ryan Bader’s stellar mixed martial arts career, this figures to be the centerpiece of the story.

“The Ultimate Fighter” Season 8 winner became the first simultaneous two-division titleholder in Bellator MMA history, as he obliterated Fedor Emelianenko with punches in the first round of their Bellator 214 headliner on Saturday at The Forum in Inglewood, California. Bader brought the final of the heavyweight grand prix to a rousing conclusion 35 seconds into Round 1. Already the promotion’s light heavyweight championship, he now finds himself in possession of the heavyweight crown, as well.

The shopworn Emelianenko was made to look like little more than a prop. Bader circled briefly and then floored the Russian icon with a lead left hook. Emelianenko hit the deck and was in no condition to defend himself, as his opponent shoveled a devastating standing-to-ground right uppercut into his face. Referee Mike Beltran arrived on the scene an instant later to prevent further carnage.

In the aftermath of Bellator 214 “Fedor vs. Bader,” here are four matches that ought to be made:

Ryan Bader vs. Vitaly Minakov-Cheick Kongo winner: Bader now has the toughest job in MMA, as he must defend territory on two fronts as a multi-division champion. What comes next -- another turn as a heavyweight or a return to 205 pounds -- remains to be seen. Bader, 35, has strung together seven straight wins, five of them finishes, since his ill-fated encounter with Anthony Johnson in January 2016, driving his stock within the organization through the roof. Nevertheless, challenges abound, even as he looks very much like a piece around which Bellator can build. Minakov will put his perfect 21-0 record on the line against Kongo at Bellator 216 on Feb. 16.

Henry Corrales vs. A.J. McKee: The resurgent Corrales wiped out Team Bodyshop’s Aaron Pico with punches in the first round of their featherweight co-main event. Pico met his end 67 seconds into Round 1. Corrales withstood a savage right uppercut from the hyped prospect, gathered himself under fire and lured his 22-year-old adversary into close quarters. Punching out of the single collar tie, the former King of the Cage champion froze Pico with a blistering right hook and caught him with two more punches as he collapsed to the canvas. Corrales has rattled off five consecutive victories and emerged as a serious threat at 145 pounds. McKee last appeared at Bellator 212, where he improved to 13-0 with an anaconda choke submission on Daniel Crawford on Dec. 14.

Juan Archuleta vs. Darrion Caldwell: Archuleta took what he hopes will be the final step toward a shot at Bellator gold with a unanimous decision over Ricky Bandejas in a three-round bantamweight showcase. All three cageside judges scored it 29-28 for “The Spaniard,” who extended his winning streak to 17 fights. Archuleta pushed a merciless pace, darted in and out with punches, chewed up clock in the clinch and executed a few takedowns. Bandejas had his moments -- he cracked the former King of the Cage champion with a beautiful counter knee strike in the third round -- but could not match the output his counterpart brought to the table. Caldwell, the reigning Bellator bantamweight champion, last fought at Rizin Fighting Federation 14 on New Year’s Eve, when he submitted to a third-round guillotine choke from Kyoji Horiguchi.

Ricky Bandejas vs. Shawn Bunch: Though he saw his six-fight winning streak grind to a halt, Bandejas can hold his head high after a unanimous decision loss to the aforementioned Archuleta. The former Cage Fury Fighting Championships titleholder remained competitive throughout the 15-minute affair, as he stung Archuleta with a head kick in the first round and stunned him with a counter knee strike in the third. Bandejas’ effort -- when coupled with his dramatic knockout of previously unbeaten SBG Ireland prospect James Gallagher in in August -- showed once again that he has the goods necessary to become a fixture in Bellator’s 135-pound weight class. Bunch last fought at Bellator 210 on Nov. 30, when the American Kickboxing Academy export struck Joe Warren into submission in the first round.