The lineup of the main card bouts for Bellator 134 is one of the best in the promotion’s history. It’s being billed as the British Invasion and its main event would be a major bout in any organization, including the UFC. Light heavyweight champion Emanuel “The Hardcore Kid” Newton will defend his title against the 6’6″ undefeated Englishman Liam McGeary.
Newton has successfully defended the strap twice and won seven fights in a row. Due to McGeary‘s physical stature and unblemished record, a third defense and eighth straight win will be a tall task for the champion.
The English keep the pressure on in a battle of welterweight veterans. Native Londoner Paul “Semtex” Daley faces Andre “Chatuba” Santos.
This fight was supposed to be a title shot for Daley, but 170-pound champion Douglas Lima had to withdraw due to an injury. Perhaps Daley will take out his frustrations on the replacement. Possibly, Santos will come away with the improbable win.
In a light feature fight, another London-born fighter will perform in the Bellator cage. Linton Vassell, who lost his attempt to win the 205-pound title via submission against Newton in his last fight, will face the talented but underachieving Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou.
Also on tap is a heavyweight superfight between the popular Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal and longtime UFC veteran Cheick Kongo. Lastly, there’s a welterweight bout featuring Brennan Ward and Curtis Millender.
The viewing information for the event is in the table below along with predictions for each bout. Just below the table is a closer look at the main event and the two most compelling fights on the card.
King Mo Will Chop Down Kongo
Despite giving up four inches in height and a still-to-be-determined amount of mass, King Mo will stop Kongo. The fighters aren’t known for their stamina, so it would be a shock if this one lasts longer than 1.5 rounds.
While Kongo has great size and an intimidating presence, his chin has never been his strong suit. The 39-year-old has been stopped by TKO/KO three times. Make no mistake about it, Mo is the naturally smaller man, but punching power won’t be a major issue for him.
He’s an accomplished wrestler, and his punching power is good enough to make Kongo respect him. By the middle of the second round, Kongo will be doing more than respecting King Mo; he’ll be bowing to him. Look for King Mo to score the second-round TKO victory.
Daley Will Punish Santos
You might see a frustrated Daley in the cage on Friday night, and that could be bad news for Santos. Semtex is one of the toughest and most gifted strikers at 170 pounds. He’s captured 26 of his 35 professional wins via KO/TKO. Get ready to see those numbers climb.Santos has been around the block in his career, but he hasn’t faced a talent like Daley.
To have success, Santos has to take the fight to the mat, but the more explosive Daley will catch him with something big before Chatuba can get the bout on his terms. This one will end quickly and violently and in favor of Daley.
McGeary Will Dethrone Newton
Newton has been an excellent fighting champion for Bellator, but he’ll be in the cage with a different type of opponent on Friday. The length, grappling and submission attacks that McGeary possesses will puzzle Newton. The Hardcore Kid likes to fight in an unorthodox manner.
He wants to lull his opponents to sleep while enticing them to follow him around the cage. Newton has used this strategy to pile up points from significant strikes. He’s also struck like a cobra with unpredictable attacks like the spinning backfist that did in King Mo and Joey Beltran. Even with those weapons at his disposal, Newton won’t be able to solve McGeary.
Because he is longer and more athletic, McGeary doesn’t need to be as close to touch Newton. This physical disadvantage won’t allow Newton to control the distance as he normally does. The challenger will patiently pursue the champion before wearing him down enough to secure a fourth-round submission win. When the night is over, it should be a pretty good night for the British.
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