UNCASVILLE, Conn. – It was deja vu for Mike Kimbel on Friday night – but this time, John Douma had other plans.

In a scenario that played out very similarly to Kimbel’s pro debut a year ago this weekend, he found himself fending off a triangle choke from Douma. To defend, he tried to slam his way out of it – but unlike in his pro debut, Douma (4-1 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) didn’t let off – and Kimbel (2-1 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) had to tap.

Kimbel was more than a 4-1 favorite in the fight and was fighting in front of his home fans in Connecticut.

The bantamweight bout was part of the main card of Friday’s Bellator 215 event at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The main card aired on Paramount and streamed on DAZN following prelims on MMAjunkie.

Kimbel came out flashy, but Douma avoided being another six-second victim like Kimbel had in his second fight. Douma circled outside while Kimbel looked for an opening with a kick. Douma tried to work a left jab, then pushed forward with a right hand that Kimbel slid away from.

A pretty spinning back kick from Kimbel nearly found the mark, but Douma ducked under it and clinched up. About two minutes in, Kimbel dragged Douma to the canvas and already was in his longest fight as a pro. Midway through the round, he scooped Douma up for another slam, then worked ground-and-pound.

But when Douma got Kimbel in a triangle choke, Kimbel tried the same thing that worked for him in his pro debut against Geoffrey Then – in the same arena a year ago at Bellator 194. He slammed Douma onto the back of his head and neck – a move that could have seriously gone awry for Douma.

But Douma kept the choke on, unlike Then a year prior, and Kimbel was forced to tap at the 2:51 mark of the round.

Douma got back on track after the first loss of his pro career. Kimbel suffered his first pro setback.

Up-to-the-minute Bellator 215 results include:

• John Douma def. Mike Kimbel via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 2:51
• Austin Vanderford def. Cody Jones via submission (arm triangle choke) – Round 1, 4:49
• Billy Goff def. Ryan Hardy via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Zarrukh Adashev def. Ron Leon via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
• Matt Probin def. Ali Zebian via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Pete Rogers def. Jason Rine via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 0:50
• Steve Mowry def. Darion Abbey via submission (kimura) – Round 1, 1:27
• Amanda Bell def. Amber Leibrock via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 3:52
• Lindsey VanZandt def. Tabatha Ann Watkins via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:25
• Pat McCrohan def. Jason Markland via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 1:11

For complete coverage of Bellator 215, check out the MMA Events section of the site.