Editor’s Note: Now, all our premium tools for Fantasy, DFS and Betting are included in one subscription at one low price. Customers can subscribe to NBC Sports EDGE+ monthly ($9.99) or save 20% on an annual subscription ($95.88). And don’t forget to use promo code SAVE10 to get 10% off. Click here to learn more!
Bellator 274: The world’s second-biggest MMA organization returns to Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut for a jiu-jitsu-centric card with a little marvelous striking mixed in. It will be a great night of fights that should absolutely provide strong counterprogramming to the UFC’s fight night event.
-175 Neiman Gracie (11-2: 1 KO, 9 SUBs) vs. +130 Logan Storley (12-1: 8 KOs)
After Neiman Gracie landed a flurry of punches that culminated in an uppercut on the chin of Mark Lemminger to notch the jiu-jitsu phenom’s first career knockout, he now turns his attention to Logan Storley. Usually, it’s a given that you want to avoid the mat against a Gracie, but Neiman is also showing continuous growth and confidence in his ability to trade blows on his feet. Across from Gracie tomorrow night will be Logan Storley, another explosive wrestler being thrown Gracie’s way. Storley was a six-time state champion in Minnesota and a four-time All-American at the University of Minnesota, which produced former UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar. It is needless to exhaust the point that this fight is a big-time clash of grappling styles. I strongly believe that wrestling’s ultimate yin is jiu-jitsu’s yang, and Gracie has one of the best jiu-jitsu resumes in the game along with a growing striking skill set.
Selection: Gracie wins via 1st-Round Submission
-340 Andrey Koreshkov (24-4: 12 KOs, 4 SUBs) vs. +270 Chance Rencountre (16-4: 6 KOs, 5 SUBs)
Russia’s Andrey Koreshkov, a former Bellator champion, has fought the best that the welterweight division has to offer and is looking to put together his longest win streak in about six years. At 31, Koreshkov is approaching his 10th year in the organization and will be on his way to another shot at the title with a win Saturday night. His opponent, Chance Rencountre, is a gangly fighter with speed and experience. However, unlike Koreshkov, Rencountre has bounced around many MMA organizations and is eyeing a win over the former champ to make his mark and build from there. I have confidence that this could be the fight of the night with Koreshkov using his experience to edge out a victory, but you can’t count out the dog in Rencountre to make this one a battle.
Selection: Koreshkov wins via Decision
-325 Adam Piccolotti (12-4: 2 KOs, 6 SUBs) vs. +230 Georgi Karakhanyan (31-12-1: 7 KOs, 16 SUBs)
Saturday’s card will feature a battle of jiu-jitsu black belts in Adam Piccolotti vs.Georgi Karakhanyan. Both men have a deep knowledge of grappling and have proven that with their performances in the cage. The lean for me is toward Karakhanyan, who has not only shared the cage with upper-echelon fighters but also has the X factor in this matchup between grapplers: power. Especially if he can discourage a straight grappling match against Piccolotti, I can picture a fight where Karakhanyan corners his opponent into a slugfest, which will certainly favor the Russian.
Selection: Karakhanyan wins via 2nd-Round TKO
[[ad:athena]]
-300 Aviv Gozali (6-0: 6 SUBs) vs. +210 Bobby King (10-4: 2 KOs, 5 SUBs)
Essentially a jiu-jitsu prodigy, Israel’s Aviv Gozali comes from a lineage of martial arts competitors. His father and coach, Haim, is a 5th Degree black belt from the legendary Renzo Gracie. Amazingly, Haim, 48, still fights and has fought in a Bellator cage, winning as recently as 2019 – pretty remarkable. So while Aviv is just about ready to carry the family torch, he has benefitted from a wealth of knowledge from a close party, and it’s shown. Aviv went viral when he became the owner of the fastest submission in Bellator history, scooping up his opponent’s leg to lock in a heel-hook in just 11 seconds! I have Gozali, who’s six for six (wins/submissions) in his Bellator career, to be a menace on the mat against his opponent Bobby King en route to another victory.
Selection: Gozali wins via Decision
-400 Justin Montalvo (4-0: 3 KOs) vs. +255 Corey Samuels (3-2: 1 KO, 1 SUB)
A rising threat in Bellator’s lightweight division is teammate of Aviv Gozali and dynamic striker Justin Montalvo, who is fighting out of Long Island, New York. Montalvo has been flawless since turning pro and does most of his handy work with his elite-level boxing skills. Montalvo, who trains with some of the best fighters in the world, is renowned for his body work and hammers his opponent’s mid-section until they eventually crumble. On the other side, Corey Samuels is riding high after a 10-second knockout in his last Bellator fight and would love nothing more than to stop the momentum that “Kidd Marvelous” is gaining. I have Montalvo to continue to move the chains and climb the lightweight ranks with his willingness to fight in a one-round scrap or a three-round battle of skill and grit.
Selection: Montalvo wins via Decision
PointsBet is our Official Sports Betting Partner and we may receive compensation if you place a bet on PointsBet for the first time after clicking our links. NJ, IA, IN, IL, CO, MI, VA, WV only. 21+. T&C apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
