Bellator NYC & 180 preview, betting tips and odds
This Saturday is Bellator’s biggest card ever. The second biggest promotion in American hosts their card at the famed Madison Square Garden in New York City. The card will see many living legends step back into the cage and the stacked, two card event with Bellator 180 taking place first, then a five fight pay-per-view card finale “Bellator NYC: Sonnen vs. Silva” going down after.
Bellator 180 is headlined by a light heavyweight title bout between American wrestlers Ryan Bader and Phil Davis. This will be a rematch from a UFC match, with Bader winning a split-decision. Bellator NYC is headlined by Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva. The two were first set to fight back in the UFC in July of 2014, but after some drug testing issues, the fight never came to fruition. Also on the card is the legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko who will face UFC veteran Matt Mitrione in the co-main event.
Let’s take a closer look at the two cards.
Bellator 180
Heather Hardy (Debut) vs. Alice Yauger (4-5)
Unbeaten boxing champion Hardy makes her MMA debut. With a 20 win and one no contest boxing record, the WBC champion will have the edge with any fighter looking to stand up and trade punches. She trains out of Renzo Gracie BJJ in New York.
Yauger is 38 years old, and has the nickname of “Soccer Mom.” It’ll be her tenth pro MMA fight, and her second Bellator outing following her loss to Jessica Middleton. Should be a fun fight to kick-off the Bellator 180 card, and size-up the potential of Hardy.
Neiman Gracie (5-0) vs. Dave Marfone (5-2)
Any time a “Gracie” fights, you are seeing someone that is bred for Brazilian jiu-jitsu. The member of the infamous fighting family, Neiman looks to extend his perfect start to his MMA career after five straight wins. Dave Marfone has moved up from lightweight to take on Gracie at welterweight, and comes into the card after a loss to Stephen Regman at Cage Fury FC 63.
James Gallagher (6-0) vs. Chinzo Machida (5-2)
James Gallagher is the latest in a line of top prospects from the famous SBG Gym in Dublin, Ireland the gym that has produced Conor McGregor. “The Strabanimal” is just twenty-years-old and has amassed a perfect amateur and professional record, winning a combined eleven fights. He has co-headlined the last two Bellator events he has competed on and is on the verge of breaking out as an MMA star. Gallagher has a well-known name in front of him to do it Saturday.
Chinza is twenty years Gallagher’s senior and is most known for being the older brother of former UFC light heavyweight champion, Lyoto Machida. The Brazilian will be looking to put a stop on the rise of the Irishman to make it five wins in succession and his third under the Bellator banner. This is set to be an entertaining fight with Machida set to use flashy strikes, while Gallagher having the submission advantage on the ground.
Phil Davis (17-3, 1 NC) vs. Ryan Bader (22-5)
This fight would easily top any card in the world, but with this special evening at the Madison Square Garden it will have to settle for the lead-in to the main card. Ex-UFC light heavyweight contenders Phil Davis and Ryan Bader set to rematch following Bader’s narrow split victory back in January 2015 at UFC Stockholm.
Davis managed to wrangle light-heavyweight gold from Liam McGeary at Bellator 163 and looks to make his first title defense in NYC. ”Darth” Bader will make his much anticipated Bellator debut against the familiar opposition. The Arizona resident has won eight of his last ten fights and would love nothing more than to get that belt to show that the new promotion his home.
“Mr. Wonderful” has been looking confident, and I like Davis to learn from his previous loss to Bader, and get the win in this pick em’ fight.
Bellator NYC
Aaron Pico (Debut) vs. Zach Freeman (8-2)
Aaron Pico looks set to make his much anticipated MMA debut. Pico is a world-class wrestler and was second at the US team Olympic trials last year. Bellator signed the twenty-year old two years ago and predicted he could be the future of the promotion, who is also a Golden Gloves champion boxer. Amazingly, the wrestler will face a solid fighter with 10 professional fights in his first bout.
Thirteen years his senior, Zach Freeman will look to show that age and experience is on his side. “The Altar Boy” wants to derail the hype, and it might be in his best interest to keep the fight standing if he can. Freeman had a seven fight winning streak, so a win by Pico will show that he is for real if he can get a win in his first outing, which is probably the safest bet.
Michael Chandler (16-3) vs. Brent Primus (7-0)
Chandler is one of Bellator’s best and most prominent fighters. The American wrestler looks to make the second defense of his lightweight title. Chandler has continued to show he has no problem going hard for twenty-five minutes, having done so on three occasions.
His opponent, Brent Primus, will be a huge underdog. The fighter out of Portland is undefeated against lower level competition, and has just gotten by his last two opponents with split-decision wins. Chandler should take care of business once again in this matchup, showing he is the superior fighter.
Douglas Lima (28-6) vs. Lorenz Larkin (18-5, 1 NC)
The third title fight on the card sees Douglas Lima looking to defend his crown against ex-UFC contender Lorenz Larkin. “The Phenom” won back his title from Andrey Koreshkov in his last bout, and looks to keep his strap in his second reign of the division. Larkin made the move to Bellator despite making his way towards the top of the UFC’s welterweight division. The Californian has won four of his last five fights including victories over top 10 fighters Jorge Masvidal and Neil Magny. If Larkin can stay on the outside and use his speed, he should be able to take the belt from Lima.
Fedor Emelianenko (36-4, 1 NC) vs. Matt Mitrione (11-5)
Fedor Emelianenko is one of the biggest names in the history MMA. The Russian heavyweight makes his Bellator debut at the age of 40 against Matt Mitrione. The bout is rescheduled from Bellator 172, where Mitrione was declared unfit to fight just hours before the event due to kidney stones. “The Last Emperor” has won his last five fights, and a rare opportunity to see one of the greatest of all time compete on American soil.
The former NFL player Matt Mitrione made the move to Bellator last year, and now gets one of the highest profile fights of the year. Mitrione is quick for his size and a knockout artist with ten of his eleven wins coming by way of a KO.
There is little chance of this fight going 15 minutes. Fedor’s chin is not what it used to be, and the fast hands and power of Mitrione could tarnish the end of the living legend’s fading career.
Chael Sonnen (29-15-1) vs. Wanderlei Silva (35-12-1, 1 NC)
The headliner event sees Sonnen and Silva, finally. The two were set to fight in the UFC in July of 2014, but after some drug testing issues, the fight never came to fruition. Now the two fighters return under the Bellator banner to settle the score once and for all.
There is so much bad blood between these two fighters, that the Brazilian did not go to any pre-fight press conference with Sonnen, explaining that he wanted to avoid an unsanctioned fight.
Sonnen debuted in Bellator against another MMA pioneer in Tito Ortiz, but he lost quickly in a very disappointing performance. Now, the “American Gangster” is back and motivated to take out Silva, and keep his fighting career and reputation intact.
The “Axe Murderer” has not competed in four years, due to dodging a drug test in Las Vegas. He was suspended for three years due to this action, and now is eligible for a return. Furthering odds against Silva, he was hit by a car in 2016, which required both shoulder and knee surgery.
I like Sonnen to outsmart the wild, brawling style of Silva. The American wrestler should be able to get the fight to the ground and use his ground-and-pound to take the fighting spirit away from the Brazilian before the final bell rings.
About Ryan O’Leary
Ryan O’Leary is the founder of MMAViking.com, the premier source for daily mixed martial arts news in the Nordics. Established in 2008, the UFC credentialed media source has covered over 200 events cageside.
