When it comes to pioneers in the MMA world, names don’t come much bigger than Tito Ortiz and Stephan Bonnar. Ortiz was one of the sport’s first real superstars in the UFC, and Bonnar participated in the first must-see network-television fight against Forrest Griffin in the finale of the first season of The Ultimate Fighter.
The two men have since departed from the UFC. On Saturday, they will do their part in extending the brand of Bellator. The promotion is in a new era under Scott Coker, and each pay-per-view is crucial for establishing momentum. Next on the Bellator pay-per-view schedule is Saturday night’s Bellator 131 card from the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, California.
If the hype is any indication of the spirit in which the main event will be fought, fans are in for a barn burner.
To put it plain, Ortiz and Bonnar can’t stand each other. Many combatants try to embellish their disdain for an upcoming opponent, but something feels authentic about the malice between Ortiz and Bonnar.
Here’s a sample of the barbs the two men have traded during the buildup to the bout. Per Todd Martin of The Los Angeles Times, the two main event attractions were in fine form.
Bonnar said this after the two men engaged in a shoving match at a pre-fight press conference:
“Tito should be thanking me for turning him baby face. I made him the good guy…. I don’t care. I’m not trying to get people to like me. I don’t like him…. And I wanted to show that regardless of if it cost me fans.”
Ortiz didn’t back away from the drama. He said:
“I’ve always been fueled on emotion. It makes me who I am. I like the situation. It gives me extra fuel when I’m training so I’m able to push the tempo.”
Fans can only hope Ortiz and Bonnar fight with the same emotion that they trash talk. The Bonnar-Ortiz bout is the headline, but it’s only part of what could be the best Bellator show of all time.
Michael Chandler will have the opportunity to regain his lightweight title from Will Brooks. Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal faces Joe Vedepo, knockout artist Melvin Manhoef meets Joe Schilling and Mike Richman takes on another former UFC fighter in Nam Phan.
Here’s a look at the entire card with predictions for each bout. Just beneath the table is a closer look at the predictions for the top-three bouts.
Manhoef Will Make Quick Work of Schilling
Let’s keep it real. Manhoef is on the main card because he’s an all-action fighter with mammoth power and a recognizable name. He’s in the Bellator middleweight title picture, but this bout is a joke.
Schilling actually has a losing record at 1-3 and his experience level obviously pales in comparison to Manhoef who has had 41 professional fights.
Schilling will be lucky if he lasts 41 seconds. Manhoef will win by KO.
The Fight of the Night
Chandler and Brooks collided for one of the more memorable fights of the year in Bellator back in May. It ended in a split decision and Brooks dethroned Chandler.
It’s possible Chandler took Brooks a little lightly because it appeared he had his sights set on another shot at Eddie Alvarez, whom he had lost to in his previous bout. If he was looking past Brooks, he paid dearly.
Brooks’ athleticism and grappling were the biggest difference in the fight. Now that he’s established respect with Chandler as a grappler, it will open up his striking game. Chandler is a bit desperate. He’s lost his last two fights and his title.
That desperation won’t render good results.
I expect him to put constant pressure on Brooks, but at some point, he’s going to run into a big shot. Though he’s known for his toughness and he’s never been stopped in his professional career, Chandler will find himself in deep trouble in this one.
Brooks will pounce on him for the TKO finish or rear-naked choke after stunning Chandler.
In the process, he’ll retain his title.
Ortiz’s Grappling Will Lead to Submission Victory
Bonnar hasn’t been in the cage in two years. The last time he was, he was stopped by a well-placed knee to the midsection from Anderson Silva. There’s a legitimate question as to whether he still has the fire to deliver the type of spirited performance he has earned a reputation for.
He’s 37 years old. Two-year absences are tough to rebound from for young fighters, let alone those pushing 40.
Ortiz shook off his two-year layoff and a three-fight win streak back in May when he dominated Alexander Shlemenko. Ortiz used his size and power to submit the smaller man in a cross-division superfight. That advantage was huge and could have hidden some cage rust.
He won’t have as big of a size advantage against Bonnar, but the result will be the same. Ortiz’s grappling skills are still formidable. We saw that against Shlemenko.
Against a fighter nearly as old as he is (Ortiz is 39), the Huntington Beach Bad Boy should have little problems having his way on the ground.
Many fans would love to see the two rivals slug it out in a stand-up brawl, but Ortiz will make the fight much easier for himself by taking Bonnar down and submitting him.
Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter. I dig boxing and MMA.
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