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BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – After suffering a two-fight skid against a pair of bantamweight contenders, Ricky Bandejas is back in the mix at 135 pounds.

The native of Brick, N.J., claimed a first-round knockout victory over Ahmet Kayretli in his Bellator 225 preliminary card bout to get him back into the win column after recent losses to Juan Archuleta and Patrick Mix. And the 27-year-old said that his recent losses meant the taste of victory was particularly sweet this time around.

“It felt good, man,” he told reporters backstage after his victory. “I trained really hard for this one and it meant a lot to get that win, especially in that fashion.

“I knew he came in wild like that and ducked his head, big punches, so I was looking for knees, teeps, quick right hand and it worked out right to gameplan.”

Bandejas (12-3 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) has been given no easy outs in his Bellator career to date. Thrust into the spotlight against James Gallagher on his promotional debut, Bandejas scored a highlight-reel knockout. But subsequent losses to Archuleta and Mix led to a change in approach and a change in camp. Bandejas admitted it was a big decision to make but, after his win over Kayretli (8-4 MMA, 0-2 BMMA), he said he is happy with the path he has chosen.

“Yeah. It was questionable, but now I did it, I’m very happy with the decision,” he said. And that was only a three-week camp down there. So I can’t wait to get down there and train months and potentially years and see where it takes me.

“(After) those two losses, that was just a decision I realized I had to make a change in my life, whether that’s train more or different gym, whatever it was. I sat down the family came to (the decision to) maybe going to a new gym.”

And the presence of Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal in his corner, and in his training camp, has been a real boost for the rising bantamweight prospect, who says he is already benefiting from the former Bellator champion’s input and experience.

“Since I’ve been there he’s been giving me a lot of help,” he said. “He’s a great guy (and) has a really good fight I.Q. And in the ring he was just straight away telling me what I need to do better and things I need to tighten up. I’m all about that. I want to become the best fighter I can.”

The victory saw Bandejas pick up another highlight-reel finish to sit alongside his finish of Gallagher, and he admitted his new-found penchant for eye-catching knockouts is something he is still getting used to, and even revealed that he isn’t confident and comfortable with his knockout power yet.

“It’s crazy. My first 10 fights, it was all wrestling, all takedowns,” he said. “It’s only recently, since I signed with Bellator, that I’ve been knocking guys out.

“(I) never had confidence (in my hands) you know? I probably still don’t have confidence,” he laughed. “So I can’t want to get confidence in my hands.”

With his two-fight losing skid now halted, Bandejas says he wants to return to the Bellator cage as compete under the lights as often as possible as he looks to build his resumé at 135 pounds and work his way to the top.

“I feel like I got the sour taste in my mouth (after the two losses), and I think this is definitely the beginning of multiple more wins and finishes,” he said.

“Anywhere, wherever Bellator wants, whoever. It doesn’t matter to me. The last three fights were just the best guys in the division. If Bellator lets me I would fight 10, 15 times a year. Every other week, as long as I can. I do like staying active.”