Bellator MMA

Ryan Bader – Vadim Nemkov targeted for Bellator 244

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Ryan Bader

Bellator‘s light heavyweight champion is picking right up where he left off before the pandemic threw everything off in 2020. Ryan Bader (27-5, 1 NC) will be defending his light heavyweight title against Vadim Nemkov (11-2) per ESPN.

These two men were initially scheduled to fight at the original Bellator 242 which was scheduled for May. However, once Bellator shut down operations due to COVID-19 the fight was scrapped.

Now that Bellator has held it’s first successful event in Connecticut, they are ready to resume action. Bader will be defending his light heavyweight title for the first time in three years.

Bader’s Bellator Journey

Ryan Bader was always one of the best fighters in the UFC, but he was one that couldn’t quite climb all the way to the top. After winning back-to-back fights in 2016 by knockout, Badar left for Bellator.

Once in Bellator, Bader defeated Phil Davis to become the Bellator light heavyweight champion. Bader would defend the title once against Linton Vassell. Since then, Bader has competed at heavyweight.

Bader would go on to become Bellator‘s heavyweight champion, and a double champion in the promotion. Now, Bader will move back down to his original weight class and defend his title.

If Bader is able to defeat Nemkov in August, I’m expecting him to defend his heavyweight title towards the end of the year. Perhaps defending it against a former UFC heavyweight champion.

Nemkov is coming into this fight riding a six fight winning streak with wins over guys like Phil David and Rafael Carvalho. Nemkov is looking to prove to the world that he’s one of the best on August 21st.

Bellator: Standouts from Bellator 242

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Bellator MMA made it’s return last night after being off since February due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The night was filled with some solid performances, but there were a few fighters who really stood out last night.

Sergio Pettis

The main event of the evening featured a bantamweight contest between Sergio Pettis (20-5) and Ricky Bandejas (13-4). The winner was promised the next shot at the Bellator bantamweight title.

The fight was contested for the most part on the feet, and Pettis put on a clinic. It was not a one-sided beating, but Pettis was clearly the superior striker.

From the opening bell, Pettis put pressure on Bandejas. Pettis did a fantastic job of throwing stinging calf kicks which really seemed to hinder the movement of Bandejas throughout the fight.

SP was taken down once in the fight which was really his only moment of weakness. From the opening bell to the closing bell, Pettis was ahead of every move Bandejas would make.

Pettis now moves to get a shot at the Bellator bantamweight title. The younger brother of former UFC champion, Anthony Pettis, is trying to become the first Pettis to become a champion inside of Bellator. He made a big step towards that goal last night.

Aaron Pico

If there is a fighter in the MMA world that literally has all of the potential in the world, it’s Bellator’s Aaron Pico (6-3).

Pico came into MMA with elite boxing and world-class wrestling credentials. However, he’s gotten himself into trouble very early on in his career. He’s been easily drawn into brawls where he’s been caught.

Coming into Bellator 242, Pico was scheduled to face Solo Hatley Jr. (8-3). Hatley has really good power which could make you nervous as a Pico fan. I really wanted to see Pico utilize his wrestling in this fight.

Very early in the first round, Pico used his best tool in the toolbox. After a brief exchange, Pico landed a massive takedown. Pico looked dominant on the ground.

Just before the halfway mark of the first round, Pico was able to lock up a rear-naked choke and finish the fight. Pico’s performance really stands out because he finally put together a mature performance.

Moving forward, I really want to see Pico use both his boxing as well as his wrestling skills. He’s been too one dimensional early on in his Bellator career utilizing his boxing. This fight should make everyone remember just how good his wrestling is.

Jay-Jay Wilson

The fight wasn’t the most exciting contest, but I came away very impressed with Jay-Jay Wilson (6-0) after he defeated Tywan Claxton (7-2) at Bellator 242.

Wilson came into the contest with a ton of hype behind him. He had finished all five of his professional fights. The 22-year old Jiu Jitsu expert made his debut in Bellator back in 2018.

Claxton also made his professional debut in Bellator and started out by winning his first five contest before losing to Emmanuel Sanchez at Bellator 226.

Jay-Jay came out extremely aggressive in the first round, but Claxton remained incredibly patient throughout the fight. Wilson was able to get Claxton’s back at one point in the first round, but Claxton defended well and didn’t panic.

Wilson was faced with an opponent who would not bend under the pressure. Jay-Jay had never gone beyond the second round prior to this contest. I had the fight 1-1 going into the third and final round.

Claxton did a really good job at putting pressure on Wilson and winning most of the final round. However, late in the round, Wilson secured a triangle position and landed some massive elbows.

This sequence was enough to steal him the round on the deciding judges scorecards. It was a very tough and gritty fight, but the top prospect keeps his 0 in an important victory.

Next Up for Bellator

Bellator will be returning to action in a couple of weeks for Bellator 243. That fight card will be headlined by Benson Henderson and Michael Chandler. This was a good first step for Bellator as they begin to try to make up for lost time due to the pandemic.

Bellator: The Curious Case of Aaron Pico

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Bellator MMA makes it’s anticipated return tomorrow night after not hosting any events since February due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

One of the fighters that will be making the walk tomorrow night is Aaron Pico (5-3). Just a few years ago, Pico was being built up as the future of MMA. Elite wrestling, combined with elite boxing and good ground skills.

Combine that with the fact that he was just 20-years old when he made his pro debut in Bellator, and you had a superstar in the making. He was looked at as a true prodigy. However, his career has not been smooth sailing.

Up and Down Bellator Career

It was massive news when Pico signed with Bellator. He didn’t start his pro career on the regional scene like most, he went right up to the second biggest promotion in MMA.

Pico made his debut at Bellator 180. With thousands of fans watching as Pico made his debut, Zach Freeman was there to spoil the party. Freeman defeated Pico in just 24 seconds of the first round.

Many were left wondering if Pico was rushed at that point. He has all the talent in the world, but he got defeated in seconds by a guy who wasn’t an elite talent.

Pico silenced the doubters by winning four consecutive fights by first round knockout. Bellator was bringing him along and giving him guys he could fine-tune his skills against.

After winning four straight, it appeared that Pico was only a fight or two away from getting a crack at the Bellator title. However, Pico was knocked out by Henry Corrales in 67 seconds after badly hurting Corrales early.

At Bellator 222, Pico returned and was handling Adam Borics before being caught with a flying knee which finished him in the second round. Pico then went on to knock out Daniel Carey at Bellator 238 back in January.

Where to go?

Pico will now make the walk tomorrow to face Chris Hatley Jr (8-2) at Bellator 242. All of the tools are there for Pico to become a massive star, but I have yet to see him really fight smart.

Again, Pico has elite wrestling, but in his fights, he seems to want to use his boxing. While his boxing is fantastic, he’s easily drawn into brawls where he gets caught.

Tomorrow night, I want to see a complete performance from Pico. I want to see him use his wrestling. I want to see him patient, and I want to see him stay calm. The moment he gets anxious, the moment the fight can turn.

I do believe that Aaron Pico can become a world champion. He’s too good and he’s just 23-years old. He definitely has some growing to do in the sport, and I hope tomorrow night is another step in the right direction for him.

Bellator: Michael Chandler – Benson Henderson 2 on tap for Aug. 7th event

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Bellator MMA is going to be making their return this month, and you can expect them to come out swinging with their events. Multiple reports are saying that a big time lightweight matchup is booked for their second event.

Chandler’s last Bellator fight?

The much anticipated rematch between Michael Chandler (20-5) and Benson Henderson (28-8) is slated to headline Bellator‘s August 7th event.

For Chandler, this is the last fight on his current Bellator deal. Chandler wants to stay with the promotion, but he has alluded to his openness to the market.

Chandler comes into the rematch after knocking out Sidney Outlaw at Bellator 237 back in December. When Chandler first fought Henderson, Chandler took the fight by split decision.

The former UFC lightweight champion, Henderson, enters this rematch on a four fight winning streak in Bellator. Henderson didn’t get off to the best start in his Bellator career.

After jumping to the promotion, “Smooth” started just 1-3. After that rough start, Henderson rattled off those four consecutive wins including victories over Myles Jury and Adam Piccolotti.

This is a big fight for both men. For Henderson, a win could mean a title shot. For Chandler, a win is massive heading into free agency. Expect Bellator to build a pretty good card around this main event on August 7th.