On Saturday, Bellator will hold its third event since being bought by the PFL. Like the first two, this one is also taking place in Europe. The 12-match card, which takes place in Berlin, will start at 11am Eastern time and no main card time has been announced. It'll probably get underway around 2:30 or 3pm Eastern, but who knows in this case. There's been little to no promotion about it, and even hardcore fans would have trouble recognizing more than a few of the names on it, but it should be mostly entertaining.
Regardless, there are some important fights on the card. The main event is a title defense for Welterweight champion Jason Jackson, who will try to retain the title against Ramazan Kuramagomedov. Four of the other five main card bouts feature Irish fighters, with the lone exception being a Bantamweight title eliminator between Matheus Mattos and Kasum Kasumov. The co-main event will mark the debut of former Cage Warriors interim Featherweight champion Paul Hughes. The prospects battle between Norbert Novenyi Jr. and Dalton Rosta will be interesting. The featured bout between former Women's Featherweight title challengers Sinead Kavanagh and Arlene Blencowe has name value to it, and the winner could get another shot with a win.
I have no idea why Bellator is doing this card on this date, while the UFC is holding a much bigger card at the same time, and doing so on a much more accessible platform. Regardless, this card should sell relatively well in Ireland. Hopefully the card winds up being an entertaining one, and the fans are able to go home happy.
Main Card (MAX and DAZN)
Bantamweight title eliminator: Kasum Kasumov (15-1) vs. Matheus Mattos (14-2-1)
Other than the main event, the only main card bout to not feature an Irish fighter is the opener between Kasum Kasumov and Matheus Mattos. Mattos has only fought three since signing with Bellator in 2020, but there's no denying that he's good. His two Bellator wins were via finish, his only pro lesses came against former UFC Bantamweight champion Petr Yan and Magomed Magomedov, and he's finished 12 of his 14 wins.
Kasumov is a relative unknown to many fans, but he's fought for some good promotions and has potential. Nine of his fifteen wins have come via submission, his only loss was over five years ago and he can make things very interesting in this fight. I'll go with Mattos, but Kasumov is a live dog here. Prediction: Mattos via tko, round 3.
Darragh Kelly (5-0) vs. Mathias Poiron (7-1)
While the main card opener has stakes to it, this one is a battle between prospects. Kelly has spent his entire two-year career in Bellator, and he's been facing low-level competition throughout that time. He's finished four of those fights, and it's time to give him a bigger test. Poiron fits the bill, as he's finished all of his fights, but most of his wins have been against inexperienced opponents as well. Kelly is a huge favorite here, which makes me want to go with the underdog. I normally would, but I'll go with my gut and pick Kelly instead. Prediction: Kelly via tko, round 2.
Norbert Novenyi Jr. (7-0) vs. Dalton Rosta (8-1)
Next is another prospect battle, as Norbert Novenyi Jr. takes on Dalton Rosta. Novenyi has spent almost his entire career in Bellator, going 6-0 in that span. He's finished six of his seven wins, has a balanced skillset and is looking to take the next step.
While Novenyi Jr. is an unbeaten finisher, Rosta has gone the distance in five of his last six fights, and is trying to bounce back from his first career loss. The longer this fight goes, the longer it will benefit him. It's a close fight on paper and can go either way, but I'll pick Novenyi. Prediction: Novenyi via tko, round 3.
Arlene Blencowe (15-10) vs. Sinead Kavanagh (9-6)
Former Women's Featherweight title challengers will face off in the featured bout, as Ireland's Sinead Kavanagh will take on Arlene Blencowe. Both have been in Bellator for several years, both lost to Cris Cyborg in the first round and both have had mixed results since then. They've also gone the distance in each of their last three fights, and both are well past their primes. It's not an exciting fight to think about, but it does have relevance. A loss for either would be sad, and it feels like a tossup of a fight. My gut says to pick Blencowe, but she hasn't won a fight in over three years. Screw it, I'm going with home-cooked decision. Prediction: Kavanagh via controversial split decision.
Paul Hughes (11-1) vs. Bobby King (12-6)
In the co-main event, former Cage Warriors interim Featherweight champion Paul Hughes will make his Bellator debut against Bobby King. He's won five straight fights, his only loss was a split decision and he's finished two straight fights in the first round. This fight is all about showcasing him, and he should take it with ease. Prediction: Hughes via tko, round 2.
Bellator Welterweight Championship: (C) Jason Jackson (18-4) vs. Ramazan Kuramagomedov (12-0)
In the main event, Bellator Welterweight champion Jason Jackson will defend his title against Ramazan Kuramagomedov. Kuramagomedov is a promising prospect who has finished both of his Bellator bouts to date, both against good competition, and is a worthy enough challenger. That said, I'm done doubting Jackson at this point. He's won eight straight since dropping his Bellator debut in late 2019, shocked the MMA world when he finished then-unbeaten champion Yaroslav Amosov last November and looks like he's in the prime of his career. He'd been a decision machine for a while, but might have turned the tide now. A few years from now, I'd probably pick Kuramagomedov. Right now though, I have to side with the champion. Prediction: Jackson via decision or late tko.
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