Alongside UFC 220 from Boston, Bellator MMA also has an intriguing card taking place this weekend, as Bellator 192 is set to take place tonight (Jan. 20, 2018) live on the Paramount Network from The Forum in Inglewood, California.
In the main event, former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson will do battle with former multi-time UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen in the first round of Bellator’s Heavyweight Grand Prix tournament.
The co-main event, meanwhile, will play host to a blockbuster welterweight title fight, as champion Douglas Lima will put his title on the line against former UFC title challenger Rory MacDonald.
Also on the main card, former Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler will take on Goiti Yamuchi.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at our Bellator 192 preview, breakdown, and analysis:
Quinton Jackson vs. Chael Sonnen
The story of this fight is pretty cut and dry.
Both men are at the tail end of their respective careers, as Sonnen is 40 years old and Jackson is 39 years old. Each fighter’s game plan is also quite clear, as Sonnen will look to take “Rampage” down and control him on the canvas, while Jackson will look to land big shots and score the knockout victory.
With that being said, it’ll all come down to which fighter can successfully inflict his gameplan.
Since returning to mixed martial arts following multiple suspensions, Sonnen has gone 1-1 under the Bellator. He lost via submission to Tito Ortiz last January in a bout where he looked a bit rusty and then bounced back with a win over Wanderlei Silva this past June.
In his bout with Silva, Sonnen proved that his decorated wrestling background still comes in handy, but he was also dropped in the match, which could be something to take note of heading into his bout with Jackson.
“Rampage,” on the other hand, had won five straight fights before suffering a decision defeat to Muhammed Lawal last March. Despite the winning streak, Jackson, at times, looked past his prime, although he claims to have handled some health issues and appears to be in tremendous shape heading into this weekend’s contest.
It’s also important to note that Jackson will have a huge weight advantage over Sonnen, who competed at middleweight throughout the majority of his career before moving up to 205 pounds. “The American Gangster” will likely be the faster fighter, however.
In my opinion, this fight will be determined by whether or not Sonnen can get the larger Jackson down. “Rampage” hasn’t always dealt well with wrestlers and that may be seen in this bout. If the fight stays on the feet, however, Jackson has the clear-cut advantage.
I’m going to expect Sonnen to land the takedown and control Jackson.
Prediction: Chael Sonnen def. Quinton Jackson via unanimous decision
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