In the main event of Saturday’s Bellator 131 pay-per-view, Tito Ortiz (18-11-1) defeated Stephan Bonnar (15-9) by split decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27) in one of the most entertaining fights of the night.
Ortiz and Bonnar engaged in a bitter war of words leading into their fight, and the animosity between the two men helped fuel the PPV. Casual and hardcore MMA fans recognized these two stars and bought into the pre-fight chatter.
Here are the top potential fights for both stars after a successful Bellator 131.
Tito Ortiz vs. Muhammed Lawal
Ortiz has now won two fights since joining Bellator, but he needs another true test before entering the Light Heavyweight Championship conversation. One intriguing option would be Muhammed Lawal.
Lawal lost to Quinton Jackson in the finals of the light heavyweight No. 1 contender tournament earlier this year but has bounced back for two straight wins over Dustin Jacoby and Joe Vedepo. Lawal also needs another big win before entering the title scene.
After both men won their respective fight Saturday, Lawal called out Ortiz, via MMAFighting.com, saying, “Now if you want some, you get some. I’m just saying. You fought Bonnar and Bonnar has been gone for two years. That’s fine. I’ll Django your ass. Straight up, Django. I will bust your ass, straight up. I’m serious.”
Ortiz was connected to a fight with Jackson before a neck injury, but Bellator would be wise to spread its biggest names out on the same card. Eventually, Ortiz and Jackson could fight each other, but Bellator should be looking for two main events instead of just one.
Stephan Bonnar vs. Quinton Jackson
Bonnar didn’t look great in his return to MMA, but it had been over two years since his last fight. At 37 years old, there was no question that Bonnar was going to deal with ring rust, but with all considered, he did well in his first Bellator fight.
The perfect follow-up for Bonnar would actually be a warm-up for Quinton Jackson. Bellator officials understand that Jackson could use another fight before his shot against light heavyweight champion Emanuel Newton, and a chance to beat down Bonnar in a marquee main event would be a smart decision for the company.
Bonnar is not a legitimate title contender, but he has notoriety in the sport and could make for a big name on a PPV card. Bellator should be booking a show that includes Bonnar vs. Jackson and Ortiz vs. Lawal instead of a show that features just one main event.
Ortiz vs. Bonnar II
One option not being talked about enough is a rematch between Ortiz and Bonnar. The split decision can’t sit well with Bonnar, and with the mainstream success of the show, Bellator promoters would be smart to tap that well one more time.
Both men are older and have slowed. But the fight had people talking about the company, and that’s exactly what Bellator needs. With a few more well-produced trash-talking segments, the animosity in a rematch could help bring fans back for another helping.
The first fight between these two men was far from a technical masterpiece, but with a few months to prepare and experience against each other, a rematch would make for an even closer and more physical fight.
*Stats via Bellator.com.
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