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There are plenty of UFC fights this weekend, but it is Bellator MMA who has the potential fight of the weekend on their hands with former four-time UFC title challenger Yoel Romero taking on Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis for Bellator 266’s main event tonight in San Jose.
-130 Phil Davis (22-6) vs. +105 Yoel Romero (13-5), Light-Heavyweight
A battle of the bods is an understatement for this fight. Both Davis and Romero looked like they were carved from stone, as these guys are both shredded and light as a cheetah on their feet. When they make any sort of athletic movement it’s smooth, graceful and devastating for their opponents. They both have an extensive wrestling resume, Romero is an Olympic silver medalist and Davis is a NCAA Division 1 champion, and these guys like to earn their paychecks with their fists. Combined, Davis and Romero have tallied more than half of their wins via knockout. I like Romero in this matchup of explosive athletes, as the Cuban native has contended in every one of his last three losses. It should be noted that those losses came against the elite of the elite in terms of striking. Romero will once again find that mojo that got him those colossal title fights. Even at age 44, I think Romero has a higher ceiling in this matchup than Davis does.
Selection: Yoel Romero
👀 @PhilMrWonderful’s HUGE contest with @YoelRomeroMMA is the headliner this Saturday at #Bellator266.
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) September 15, 2021
Here's what to expect when Mr. Wonderful steps into the cage at The @SAPCenter. pic.twitter.com/CxdTzPZqkH
-300 Neiman Gracie (10-2) vs. +230 Mark Lemminger (12-3), Welterweight
A classic battle of wrestler vs. jiu-jitsu fighter here, as wrestler Mark Lemminger will try to break down the smooth jiu-jitsu practitioner Neiman Gracie. If you thought punching and avoiding getting punched was hard enough, try being part of the greatest martial arts legacy and protecting the family’s name in each of your fights. Well, that’s the case for Neiman Gracie, as he will try to dismantle another elite MMA wrestler. I think the world of MMA has been skewed lately, as the amount of true-to-the-art jiu-jitsu fighters are becoming more and more scarce. MMA commentator and martial artist, Joe Rogan, has convinced an entire generation that wrestling is the number one discipline a fighter should learn as a base, and yes, the number of wrestlers at the top of the MMA totem pole outweighs the number of elite jiu-jitsu fighters by a ton. However, every so often a jiu-jitsu outlier, like a Neiman Gracie, comes along and returns balance to the martial arts ecosystem. Gracie has fought a wrestler with greater credentials than Lemminger in Ed Ruth, and Gracie submitted Ruth. I think it will be more of the same tonight.
Selection: Neiman Gracie
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-180 Alejandra Lara (9-4) vs. +150 DeAnna Bennett (10-7-1), Flyweight
There’s a lot to be desired between Lara and Bennett for Saturday night. These women have been in a mighty slump. They’re a combined 3-7 in their last 10 fights. So, needless to say, to the victor goes the spoils. It should be a battle of heart and will as these talented fighters both are in a must-win situation.
Selection: DeAnna Bennett
-125 Saul Rogers (14-4) vs. +100 Georgi Karakhanyan (31-11-1), Lightweight
Saul Rogers is an aggressive fighter with that march-his-opponent-down fighting style. He has a sneaky record, as his fights on The Ultimate Fighter reality TV show aren’t officially counted, but if you look at the quality of those wins it’s pretty impressive. The biggest problem for Rogers is that he falls under the negative stereotype that fighters from the United Kingdom are porous grapplers, as all four of his losses have come via submission. On the other side of things, 16 of Karakhanyan’s 31 victories have come by way of submission. It’s a dangerous game for Rogers to play, but I expect him to avoid getting entangled and escape with a win.
Selection: Saul Rogers
-1000 Christian Edwards (5-0) vs. +575 Ben Parrish (4-1), Light-Heavyweight
There’s a reason Christian Edwards is sporting the biggest money line this weekend ... After a simple google search you’ll know why.
Selection: Christian Edwards
Enjoy a great weekend of MMA action – Next week has an even bigger slate with UFC 266 and Joshua vs. Usyk taking center stage in the combat sports world.
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