Three weeks after Bellator made its historic CBS debut, the promotion will head back to Showtime for an event out of Dublin, Ireland. It's the tenth time the promotion has held an event in Ireland, and their last event there broke 3Arena's attendance record. Whether they repeat that feat or not, there's no denying that Ireland is Bellator's second home.
Due to the location, the event will take place in the afternoon for stateside fans. The main event is a Welterweight title unification match between Yaroslav Amosov, who has returned from fighting in Ukraine, and interim champion Logan Storley. Their first fight went the distance, with Amosov winning a split decision in 2020, meaning this is more than just a title bout for them. That fight is by far the biggest deal on the card, but three of the other four main card fights will all have the audience's attention, since they all feature an Irish fighter. If nothing else, the main card should be a quality way to kill some time during a chilly Saturday afternoon.
Bellator 291 Main Card (4/3c, Showtime)
Leonardos Sinis (11-5-1) vs. Ciaran Clarke (6-0)
Clarke's spent his entire pro career in Bellator, going 6-0 since doing so. Sinis is easily the most experienced opponent he's faced to date, but I think he'll win and get the fans riled up for the rest of the show. Prediction: Clarke via decision.
(3) Sinead Kavanagh (8-5) vs. Janay Harding (6-6)
There was a time when Kavanagh was a decent prospect for Bellator. However, a 1-4 stretch ruined all her momentum. That included a loss to Harding, who she lost to due to sustaining a cut. She's won three of her last four, but the one loss was a one-sided beatdown at the hands of the champion in late 2021. That's why, even though she's ranked third in the division, she's nowhere near elite level. Still, she's way above Janay Harding, who's lost three of her last four and hasn't had a true finish since May 2017. If Kavanagh can't win this fight in front of her home fans, she strongly needs to consider retirement. Prediction: Kavanagh via decision.
Bryce Logan (12-7) vs. (10) Peter Queally (13-7-1)
Logan is 0-3 since joining Bellator, while Queally has lost two in a row. I think Logan is better than his record suggests, especially considering his time in LFA. However, I think Queally will win a decision in front of his home country in the end. Prediction: Queally via decision.
Pedro Carvalho (13-6) vs. Jeremy Kennedy (18-3, 1 NC)
In the co-main event, Pedro Carvalho will look to re-enter the Bantamweight rankings as he takes on Jeremy Kennedy. Caarvalho began his Bellator career with four straight wins, but followed up by losing three of his next four. He won his last fight though, and a win here would give him three wins in his last four fights.
In Kennedy, Carvalho faces someone who went 3-1 in the UFC before departing, and then made the semifinals of the 2019 PFL Featherweight tournament. Since joining Bellator, he's gone 3-1. He's a quality striker, but cardio might be his best asset. I don't know how far Kennedy will get in Bellator, but I do see him winning this fight. Prediction: Kennedy via decision.
Bellator Welterweight Championship: (c) Yaroslav Amosov (26-0) vs. (ic) Logan Storley (14-1)
In the main event of the evening, undefeated Bellator Welterweight champion Yaroslav Amosov will return to take on interim champion Logan Storley. Amosov's last fight was in June 2021, when he dethroned Douglas Lima to win the title. He's been on the shelf since then, due to the ongoing Ukranian conflict, but Amosov is back now. In his first title defense, the Sambo world champion will face former NCAA Division 1 wrestling champion Logan Storley. Storley's a terrific wrestler with quality ground n' pound, and he'll try to use those skills to become the undisputed champion. His only loss was to Amosov back in 2020, and he'll try to get the ultimate revenge in the rematch.
Regardless of who wins, this fight will likely go the distance. Amosov's gone the distance in five of his last seven fights, while Storley's gone the distance in seven of his last nine fights. The fact that it's a five-round fight makes it a bit tricky, but I think Amosov will leave Ireland by keeping his unbeaten record intact. Prediction: Amosov via decision.
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