BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Yaroslav Amosov’s 22nd consecutive victory came with a nice milestone attached.

Amosov (22-0 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) became the first to submit David Rickels (21-6 MMA, 15-6 BMMA) in MMA competition when he locked up a second-round choke in the 175-pound catchweight fight, which took place at Webster Bank Arena.

“It was not my first and not my last submission,” Amosov said after the fight. “Thank you to my coaches and my sparring partners for preparing me for that.

“I’m looking forward to fighting the winner (of Rory MacDonald vs. Douglas Lima at Bellator 232). That is my goal.”

Amosov tried to take any semblance of momentum out of Rickels from the opening seconds of the fight. He wasted little time shooting in for a takedown that grounded his opponent on the mat, and it took a while for Rickels to get up. Amosov kept position, but did little in the way of damage. Rickels managed to stand back up in the closes stages of the round, but couldn’t accomplish anything meaningful.

The gameplan of Amosov did not change going into the second. He threw a few strikes in Rickels’ direction, but within 30 seconds clinched up and maneuvered into a single-leg takedown. Amosov was able to impose himself from thereon out. He kept inside of Rickels guard and worked ground-and-pound, and Rickels seemed content to throw short punches and elbows from bottom instead of scrambling to his feet.

Amosov would eventually pass Rickels’ guard and methodically work his way into a tight D’Arce choke. It looked at first as though Rickels could get through it, but Amosov’s squeeze was too tight and he got “The Caveman” to give in to a submission for the first time in his career.

Complete Bellator 225 results include:

• Yaroslav Amosov def. David Rickels via submission (D’Arce choke) – Round 2, 4:05
• Tyrell Fortune def. Rudy Schaffroth via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 2:08
• Nick Newell def. Corey Browning via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 1, 3:15
• Connor Dixon def. Kastriot Xhema via submission (armbar) – Round 3, 2:08
• Jon Manley def. Thiago Rela via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 4:47
• Chris Disonell def. Mike Kimbel via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:54
• Ricky Bandejas def. Ahmet Kayretli via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 1:21
• Austin Vanderford def. Joseph Creer via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) – Round 2, 5:00
• Sabah Homasi def. Micah Terrill via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 0:17
• Aviv Gozali def. Eduard Muravitskiy via submission (heel hook) – Round 1, 0:11
• Khonry Gracie def. Oscar Vera via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 2:50