Tag: Preview/Prediction

Bellator 158: Daley vs. Lima Fight Card, TV Info, Predictions and More

Bellator MMA takes London on Saturday from The O2 Arena. A crucial welterweight bout tops the Bellator 158 card as Paul Daley takes on Douglas Lima.
The 170-pound division will again be on the display in the co-main event. The electric Michael “Venom” …

Bellator MMA takes London on Saturday from The O2 Arena. A crucial welterweight bout tops the Bellator 158 card as Paul Daley takes on Douglas Lima.

The 170-pound division will again be on the display in the co-main event. The electric Michael “Venom” Page will try to keep his unbeaten record as he faces the veteran Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos. 

As you can see from the Bellator MMA tweet, the UK will be well represented:

Here’s a look at the viewing info, the card and predictions for the five televised bouts.

           

When: Saturday, July 16, at 9 p.m. ET

Where: The O2 Arena in London

TV: Spike

       

Predictions

  • James Gallagher over Mike Cutting—TKO
  • Oli Thompson over Matt Mitrione—KO
  • Francis Carmont over Lukasz Klinger—submission
  • Michael Page over Evangelista Santos—KO
  • Douglas Lima over Paul Daley—decision

      

MVP Is Must-See TV

Few performers in mixed martial arts have personas that match their fighting skills. Michael Venom Page has everything necessary to be a superstar, and he’ll take another step toward validating his status on Saturday.

I had an opportunity to speak with Page last week, and we discussed his future, his next opponent and more:

Santos (21-17-0) has plenty of experience and fights under his belt, but he will be overmatched by the well-rounded and dangerous Page. No opponent Page (10-0-0) has faced in Bellator has been able to go the distance, and that won’t change on Saturday.

MVP will win with another memorable knockout after he thwarts Cyborg’s attempts to take the fight to the ground.

       

Oli Will Stop Mitrione

Matt Mitrione narrowly escaped defeat in his debut against Carl Seumanutafa at Bellator 157 on June 24. After being dinged pretty badly in the early moments, Mitrione earned top position and planted Seumanutafa with a right hand while the latter was on his back.

The referee stopped the fight, and Mitrione had the win. He won’t be as fortunate against Oli Thompson.

The 36-year-old from East Sussex in the United Kingdom is massively strong. Mitrione has had an up-and-down career, but because his defense is so bad, the question isn’t if he’s going to take a shot, but when he’ll do it.

Thompson is going to beat him to the punch and win by KO.

        

Lima Will Stun Daley

Paul Daley was supposed to be facing bitter rival Josh Koscheck in this fight, but an injury forced the latter to pull out.

Lima is more than worthy as a replacement. He is the former Bellator welterweight champion, but he lost his title to Andrey Koreshkov via unanimous decision in July 2015. 

Daley has the definitive advantage in power, but Lima is a more diverse striker and better on the ground. Injuries have impeded him in the past, but when healthy, he’s one of the best welterweights in Bellator.

He’ll prove it on Saturday when he outstrikes Daley with leg kicks, jabs and his knees.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC Fight Night 91: Bleacher Report Main Card Staff Predictions

Just days after UFC 200, the hubbub around UFC Fight Night 91 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is minimal. The event, headlined by Michael McDonald vs. John Lineker, has a fun lineup, and what’s better than a little midweek, sanctioned, televised violence…

Just days after UFC 200, the hubbub around UFC Fight Night 91 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is minimal. The event, headlined by Michael McDonald vs. John Lineker, has a fun lineup, and what’s better than a little midweek, sanctioned, televised violence? 

The other fights on the main card are:

  • Tony Ferguson vs. Landon Vannata
  • Tim Boetsch vs. Josh Samman
  • Alexey Oleinik vs. Daniel Omielanczuk
  • Kyle Noke vs. Keita Nakamura
  • Louis Smolka vs. Ben Nguyen

Bleacher Report staff writers Steven Rondina, Craig Amos, Nathan McCarter, Scott Harris and I are here to give you our picks.

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UFC 200 Results: Matches to Make for the Winners and Losers

UFC 200 was the most stacked card in UFC history, and it came through with plenty to digest following the 12 scheduled bouts.
The fight-week drama stole the thunder of what was a fun event. There were still two title fights, the return of Brock Lesnar …

UFC 200 was the most stacked card in UFC history, and it came through with plenty to digest following the 12 scheduled bouts.

The fight-week drama stole the thunder of what was a fun event. There were still two title fights, the return of Brock Lesnar and a plethora of other exciting fighters rounding out the action.

Amanda Nunes ran through Miesha Tate to collect the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship, while Jose Aldo put together a vintage performance against Frankie Edgar for the interim UFC featherweight crown. Both title tilts were exciting while being different contests.

UFC 200 left us with a big job of figuring out what comes next, but it’s an exciting problem to tackle, given the names who competed at the event. Who will Nunes face in her first title defense? Will Lesnar return? What about Aldo, Gegard Mousasi and Joe Lauzon?

UFC matchmakers Joe Silva and Sean Shelby are sitting at a game board, ready to use some of the most fascinating pieces in an extraordinary way.

We attempt to guide them to the best options, as Bleacher Report determines the matches to make for each winner and loser after the fallout of UFC 200.

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UFC 200 Results: Matches to Make for the Winners and Losers

UFC 200 was the most stacked card in UFC history, and it came through with plenty to digest following the 12 scheduled bouts.
The fight-week drama stole the thunder of what was a fun event. There were still two title fights, the return of Brock Lesnar …

UFC 200 was the most stacked card in UFC history, and it came through with plenty to digest following the 12 scheduled bouts.

The fight-week drama stole the thunder of what was a fun event. There were still two title fights, the return of Brock Lesnar and a plethora of other exciting fighters rounding out the action.

Amanda Nunes ran through Miesha Tate to collect the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship, while Jose Aldo put together a vintage performance against Frankie Edgar for the interim UFC featherweight crown. Both title tilts were exciting while being different contests.

UFC 200 left us with a big job of figuring out what comes next, but it’s an exciting problem to tackle, given the names who competed at the event. Who will Nunes face in her first title defense? Will Lesnar return? What about Aldo, Gegard Mousasi and Joe Lauzon?

UFC matchmakers Joe Silva and Sean Shelby are sitting at a game board, ready to use some of the most fascinating pieces in an extraordinary way.

We attempt to guide them to the best options, as Bleacher Report determines the matches to make for each winner and loser after the fallout of UFC 200.

Begin Slideshow

UFC 201: Robbie Lawler vs. Tyron Woodley Full Card Preview and Predictions

UFC 200 is finally, at long last, a thing of the past. After a year of hype and a decade’s worth of drama, fans can finally look past the gargantuan card and get back into the swing of a normal MMA schedule.
Naturally, the next big event after UFC 200 …

UFC 200 is finally, at long last, a thing of the past. After a year of hype and a decade’s worth of drama, fans can finally look past the gargantuan card and get back into the swing of a normal MMA schedule.

Naturally, the next big event after UFC 200 is UFC 201. The full card is as follows:

  • Robbie Lawler vs. Tyron Woodley 
  • Matt Brown vs. Jake Ellenberger 
  • Rose Namajunas vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz 
  • Ian McCall vs. Justin Scoggins
  • Ed Herman vs. Nikita Krylov 
  • Jorge Masvidal vs. Siyar Bahadurzada 
  • Francisco Rivera vs. Erik Perez 
  • Michael Graves vs. Bojan Velickovic 
  • Anthony Hamilton vs. Damian Grabowski 
  • Cesar Arzamendia vs. Damien Brown

The bout order is yet to be determined and it is yet to be seen if the UFC will add another fight or two to beef things up following the loss of the flyweight title fight between Demetrious Johnson and Wilson Reis.

For now, though, why not start reading up about the card and start getting excited for the post-UFC 200 world? 

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Michael Bisping vs. Dan Henderson II: A Head-to-Toe Breakdown

It’s on. Michael Bisping will square off against Dan Henderson once again. This time for the middleweight championship of the world.
Dana White joined the Fox Sports booth following UFC 200 to make the announcement. The date and venue are yet to b…

It’s on. Michael Bisping will square off against Dan Henderson once again. This time for the middleweight championship of the world.

Dana White joined the Fox Sports booth following UFC 200 to make the announcement. The date and venue are yet to be announced, but White said they are eyeing Manchester, Bisping‘s hometown, as the city.

Their first meeting gave us one of the most memorable knockouts in UFC history. Bisping got caught by an “H-bomb” and went stiff. Henderson followed it up with an unnecessary, but memorable, flying forearm. It became legend as it happened on the big stage of UFC 100.

More than 100 pay-per-view events later, the middleweight landscape has changed. Bisping stands atop the division after a stunning knockout of Luke Rockhold at UFC 199, and on the same card Henderson put Hector Lombard to sleep.

It seems fate had a plan.

Now in his first title defense, Bisping gets a shot at redemption. What has changed and who holds the edge? This is your early look at the head-to-toe breakdown for this vital middleweight encounter.

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