On Friday night at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, two of the biggest names in MMA will clash for the third time. Royce Gracie will face Ken Shamrock in the main event of Bellator 149.
Gracie is 49 years old, and Shamrock is 52. This bout should be contested in MMA’s senior division—if such a thing should even exist.
If that wasn’t bizarre enough, the co-main event pits two notorious street brawlers against each other. Kimbo Slice will take on Dhafir “Dada 5000” Harris in what should prove to be a short, brutal and amateurish brawl. While the combined age of the combatants in the co-main event is less than a century, neither Slice nor Harris is a spring chicken.
Slice is 42, and Dada 5000 is 38 years old. Nevertheless, the fights will go on. Here’s the viewing information, full TV card and predictions for the televised fights.
When: Friday, February 19 at 9 p.m. ET
TV: Spike
- Openweight Main Event: Ken Shamrock (28-16-2) vs. Royce Gracie (14-2-3); Shamrock by TKO
- Heavyweight Main Event: Kimbo Slice (5-2) vs. Dada 5000 (2-0); Slice by TKO
- Light Heavyweight Feature Bout: Emanuel Newton (25-5) vs. Linton Vassell (15-5); Newton by unanimous decision
- Lightweight Feature Bout: Melvin Guillard (32-15-2) vs. Derek Campos (15-6); Campos by submission
- Featherweight Feature Bout: Emmanuel Sanchez (12-2) vs. Daniel Pineda (21-11); Sanchez by TKO
You can see the entire card at Bellator.Spike.com.
In Shamrock’s last fight, he lost via TKO to Slice at Bellator 138 in June 2015. In this Vine from Bellator MMA, Shamrock said he believes Gracie is looking to take advantage of him:
MMA Roasted, among others, poked fun at the Bellator main event:
ESPN.com’s Brian Campbell, however, lauded Bellator‘s success with “guilty pleasure MMA.”
This is the type of card that has to be put into the proper perspective to enjoy. Traditional MMA fans who look for substance in each fight may be put off by the main event and co-feature. However, those who are able to look at it as a one-off, circus-like event that doesn’t take itself too seriously will likely tune in.
Shamrock Is Too Strong
It’s always hard to predict an outcome when two over-the-hill fighters clash. Oftentimes, the one who would have had an edge when the two were younger will be at a disadvantage in the post-prime scrap.
That will be the case on Friday. In their first meeting, Gracie defeated Shamrock via rear-naked choke back in 1993 at UFC 2. The second fight happened in 1995 at UFC 5, and it ended in a draw. Here we are 21 years later, and the two legends are set to battle again.
Like most of Gracie’s opponents, Shamrock will be bigger and stronger than the Brazilian legend. That wasn’t the deciding factor in the two previous scraps, but it will be on Friday. At Gracie’s age, he’ll have an issue overcoming the strength and size of Shamrock.
Neither man will have a surplus of stamina, so the first to gain an advantageous position should win. The prediction here is that it will be Shamrock who gains top position and wins the fight via TKO from ground-and-pound.
Slice Is King of the Streets
In another fight that figures to be decided in the first round, Slice’s edge in organized combat will be the difference. He’s had seven pro boxing bouts and seven MMA matches. Dada 5000 has had only two MMA scraps.
While it may appear that these two are simply going to duke it out in a back-alley brawl, Slice is smart enough to know that he has a rare technical advantage in this fight. He’ll pick his spots early and take advantage of Dada 5000’s clumsy footwork and tightness.
Expect Slice to land a big right hand that puts Dada 5000 in peril early. Slice will pounce and win by first-round TKO.
Newton by Decision
Rematches fill the card, as former light heavyweight champion Emanuel Newton will face off with Linton Vassell for the second time. Their first fight was a war.
Newton won by submission (rear-naked choke) in the fifth round. Both men landed some heavy strikes, but The Hardcore Kid proved to be the toughest. He will again outlast Vassell to snap a two-fight losing streak.
Newton lost his title to Liam McGeary in February 2015, and Phil Davis defeated Newton by submission in September 2015. Vassell lost his last bout against Muhammed Lawal on the same card.
The 32-year-old from England has always been a tough out, but he’s never shown the ability to beat the best fighters in Bellator‘s light heavyweight division.
That trend will continue on Friday.
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