It's a mercurial time to be a Bellator fan. The promotion has only done one event per month since April, and they only have two events set to happen between tomorrow and October. The promotion is on the market to be sold, and nobody knows what will happen after that. The marketing is nonexistent, so it's easier to miss an event than ever before. The latter tidbit has plagued me at times too. Despite all that, they have a fun card set to take place alongside RIZIN tonight.
There are three stages to this event. It starts with the five-fight Bellator MMA x Rizin 2 slate, followed by a five-fight intermission slate before Part 2: Super Rizin 2 closes out the show with three RIZIN title bouts. That's confusing, and both the Bellator and Rizin portions air on different platforms, which doesn't make it any easier. Still, for those that have Showtime for the Bellator portion and are willing to pay FITE TV for the Rizin portion, it should be an entertaining night of fights.
For this article, I'll only be going over the Bellator vs. Rizin portion of the event. The intermission has interesting fights, as does the Super Rizin slate, but time constraints will keep me from going through all of that. Nonetheless, this is a really good show on paper, and worth checking out if you have the time for it.
Bellator MMA x Rizin 2 (11pm/10 pm CT, Showtime)
(5) Andrey Koreshkov (26-4) vs. (9) Lorenz Larkin (25-7, 2 NC)
The first bout of the slate is a damn good one, as former two-time Bellator Welterweight champion Andrey Koreshkov gets his rematch against former UFC and Strikeforce vet Lorenz Larkin. Koreshkov is one of the best Bellator fighters of all time, having been dominant for most of his time in the promotion. Heading into 2019, the sambo ace's only losses were against fellow champions Ben Askren and Douglas Lima. In October 2019 though, he faced Larkin and lost a split decision. He left Bellator for over a year after that, and has been unbeaten since returning, but it's clear that he desperately wants to win this rematch.
As for Larkin, a win could lead to him propelling towards a title shot. He's 8-0 with a no contest since 2017, has only been finished twice in his career, has quality striking and highly-reliable cardio. He gave Koreshkov fits in their first matchup, and he can do it again. I'll give Koreshkov the edge this time, but it's hard to pick either man with confidence in this one. Prediction: Koreshkov via decision.
(4) Magomed Magomedov (19-3) vs. (5) Danny Sabatello (14-2)
A key Bantamweight bout is next, as top five contenders Magomed Magomedov and Danny Sabatello try to keep their spots in the top five intact. Magomedov entered Bellator with a lot of hype, possessing a 16-1 record. His only loss was in an ACB title bout against eventual UFC interim Bantamweight champion Petr Yan, and many thought he could reach similar heights in Bellator. He won his first two Bellator bouts, but slipped up against eventual interim champion Raufeon Stots. He rebounded with a Grand Prix quarterfinal win over Enrique Barzola, before getting submitted by current interim champion Patchy Mix in the semifinals. If he loses this fight, he'll slip out of contender status for the foreseeable future.
For Sabatello, this fight is a chance to cement contender status. The former Titan FC Bantamweight champion has gone 4-1 since joining Bellator, with his only loss being a split decision against Raufeon Stots. He's a well-rounded fighter but does his best work on the ground. In previous years, I'd pick Magomedov to beat him with ease. It's a lot more murky now, and while I'll still give Magomedov the edge, Sabatello winning is more likely than ever before. Prediction: Magomedov via decision.
(3) Kana Watanabe vs. (7) Veta Arteaga (7-5)
The lone women's bout on the entire show pits Kana Watanabe against Veta Arteaga. Watanabe fought twice for RIZIN in the past, so this is a bit of a homecoming for her. She's 3-2 since coming to Bellator, which is a bit disappointing, but there's no shame in losing to two recent champions. Arteaga is 6-5 since entering Bellator, and has lost three of her last five bouts. Eight of her twelve pro bouts have gone the distance. If Watanabe can't win this fight, it would be a massive disappointment. Prediction: Watanabe via decision.
Inaugural Bellator Flyweight Championship: Kyoji Horiguchi (31-5) vs. Makoto Takahashi (16-1-1)
At long last, Bellator has decided to add Flyweight to its list of divisions. The division has seen a renaissance in recent years in the US, so it's better to be late than to never get there. Having Horiguchi, who was a star at RIZIN, fought for the Flyweight title in the UFC and has tasted Bellator gold before, is a home run decision. He's still a fantastic fighter and deserves more recognition than he gets.
Takahashi is an unknown commodity for many, but he's young, promising and has won titles in both DEEP and the CFFC thus far. He's only 23, yet has a 16-1-1 record. The one knock against him is that he's gone the distance in 13 of his 17 pro bouts, but that's a minor nitpick if anything. I don't think he's ready for Horiguchi, but he could get there one day. For now, I have to pick the veteran and fan favorite. Prediction: Horiguchi via tko, round 4.
Bellator Lightweight World Grand Prix Quarterfinal bout: (3) Patricky Freire (24-11) vs. Roberto de Souza (14-2)
In the main event, former Bellator Lightweight champion Patricky Freire will look to rebound, as he takes on RIZIN Lightweight champion Roberto de Souza. Freire has lost three of his last four fights, but he's still a gamer who brings it most of the time. He's a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt and also has 16 knockout wins, so he's a balanced fighter.
De Souza has been killing it for a decade as a pro, and it's cool to see him get this opportunity. The RIZIN champ is a decorated grappler, has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and has finished 13 of his 14 of his pro wins. If he wins this fight, it will lead to more exposure than he's ever gotten in the past. Even if Freire is tough, I think de Souza will sieze the moment and find a way to come out on top. Prediction: De Souza via decision.
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