Rivalries: Karl Moore

Hailing from Twinbrook, Northern Ireland, No. 4-ranked Bellator MMA light heavyweight contender Karl Moore discovered his ardor for combat sports amid the rugged arena of street wrestling. Inspired by professional wrestling icons like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, he immersed himself in the world of mixed martial arts, enticed by its unbridled intensity. He trained diligently at the Fight Academy Ireland Gym starting at the age of 16, balancing multiple jobs, grappling with meager finances and even resorting to sleeping on gym mats.

As he steps into the arena to take on Corey Anderson for the vacant light heavyweight championship in the Bellator 302 main event this Friday at the SSE Arena, a look at some of the rivalries that have helped shape his career to this point:

Rimantas Pukas

The Irishman started his professional journey in 2011 against Pukas at Battlezone Fighting Championships 4. He would get his first taste at championship glory, recording a first-round triangle choke submission to lay hands on the company’s light heavyweight championship.

Josh Clark

Cage Warriors Fighting Championship 81 witnessed the crowning moment of a new champion, as Moore secured a unanimous decision victory over Josh Clark in the main event. Moore employed a composed strategy built around counterstriking and effective ground control. Clark displayed resilience, defending against rear-naked choke submission attempts in the first and second rounds. Despite his opponent’s resurgence in the later rounds, Moore’s strategic takedowns and Clark’s late point deduction ultimately sealed the win for the Irishman. The judges scored the bout 49-45, 50-44 and 50-42.

Karl Albrektsson

Moore snuffed out the flame of Albrektsson’s four-fight winning streak at Bellator 285. In the opening round, “King” applied relentless pressure on Moore, who was returning after a three-year hiatus. A vicious elbow from Albrektsson nearly spelled the end for Moore. However, the momentum shifted in the second round. As the round progressed, Moore seized an opportunity to secure his opponent’s back and executed a strong face crank, signaling his victorious resurgence on the Bellator stage after a protracted absence.

Alex Polizzi

The SBG Ireland standout picked up his fourth straight win under the Bellator banner in his last outing against Polizzi at Bellator 297. Moore battled through three rounds to secure a unanimous decision win over his opponent. That win seemingly warranted his shot at the light heavyweight title next after Vadim Nemkov vacated the divisional throne.