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411’s MMA Roundtable Preview – Bellator 180: Sonnen vs. Silva
WELCOME:
Bellator heads to Madison Square Garden for the biggest show in company history! In the main event, Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva settle their grudge. In the co-main event, Fedor Emelianenko looks to show he still has gas in the tank against Matt Mitrione. Before that, Michael Chandler defends his lightweight championship against Brent Primus. The welterweight title is also on the line as Douglas Lima defends against Lorenz Larkin. At lightweight, super prospect Aaron Pico debuts against Zach Freeman. Plus, Phil Davis defends his light heavyweight title against Ryan Bader, and more!
THE STAFF:
THE PRELIMINARY CARD:
Bellator.com Prelims
Lightweight Bout: Bradley Desir vs. Nate Grebb
Catch-weight (130 lbs.) Bout: Matt Rizzo vs. Sergio da Silva
Catch-weight (168 lbs.) Bout: John Salgado vs. Hugh McKenna
Lightweight Bout: Jerome Mickle vs. Anthony Giacchina
Welterweight Bout: Ryan Couture vs. Haim Gozali
Spike TV Prelims
Flyweight Bout: Heather Hardy vs. Alice Yauger
Robert Winfree: Heather Hardy, Decision
Dan Plunkett: Hardy, KO, Round 2
Welterweight Bout: Neiman Gracie vs. Dave Marfone
Robert Winfree: Dave Marfone, TKO, Round 2
Dan Plunkett: Gracie, Submission, Round 1
Featherweight Bout: James Gallagher vs. Chinzo Machida
Robert Winfree: Chinzo Machida, TKO, Round 3
Dan Plunkett: Gallagher, Decision
Bellator Light Heavyweight Championship Bout: Phil Davis vs. Ryan Bader
Robert Winfree: Ryan Bader, Decision
Dan Plunkett: Bader, Decision
THE MAIN CARD:
Lightweight Bout: Aaron Pico vs. Zach Freeman
Robert Winfree: Aaron Pico is a talented wrestler, has a solid amateur boxing background, and has done pankration as well. He’s one of the most hyped, and potentially most talented, prospects to enter the sport in some time. Zach Freeman will likely prove a decent test for a debuting fighter, but little else. I think Bellator is investing in Pico’s future and wont be giving him too hard a road this early.
Winner: Aaron Pico, Decision
Dan Plunkett: Freeman is a much better fighter than almost anyone would face in their debut fight, but a prospect like Aaron Pico comes around very rarely. Pico, 20, came one point shy of likely making the Olympic wrestling team last year, boxed at a high amateur level as a youngster, and receives rave reviews in training. He is probably the most hyped prospect in the history of the sport. You can’t expect too much from debuting fighters, especially one debuting under such a spotlight, but a loss would be disappointing for Pico.
Winner: Pico, Decision
Bellator Welterweight Championship Bout: Douglas Lima vs. Lorenz Larkin
Robert Winfree: For my money this is the best fight on the card. Douglas Lima is a really good fighter with only two losses in Bellator, one to Ben Askren and the other to Andrey Koreshkov that he avenged in his last fight. Lima has power and a generally well rounded skill set, his wrestling isn’t great but he can drag a fight down if he needs to and his grappling is quite good. Unfortunately he’s up against a more technical and powerful striker in Larkin, who has also developed exceptional takedown defense. His only loss since dropping to welterweight was to Albert Tumenov, and I had him losing the Masvidal fight as well but he did get the decision, and he looked at a career best when he ran over Neil Magny like a truck. Lima is likely going to struggle in the opening rounds with the technique, speed, and power of Larkin. Lima’s best chance is to take this thing deep and hope Larkin gasses, I’m just not sure he can win three rounds or get a late finish given how good Larkin has looked recently.
Winner: Lorenz Larkin, TKO, Round 2
Dan Plunkett: This is the pick I’m having the hardest time with. Larkin is the better athlete and I’m seeing a lot of people picking him to finish Lima, but Lima is a durable fighter that hasn’t been finished in a decade. I’m leaning very slightly toward the champion.
Winner: Lima, Decision
Bellator Lightweight Championship Bout: Michael Chandler vs. Brent Primus
Robert Winfree: Brent Primus has had a pretty good run to this point, but this feels maybe a bridge too far for him at this point. Michael Chandler is a really good lightweight, and while I wont count out Primus I can’t favor him pretty much anywhere.
Winner: Michael Chandler, TKO, Round 4
Dan Plunkett: Fighting is ridiculous and anything can happen, but I have a really hard time seeing Primus topple a top level lightweight like Michael Chandler.
Winner: Chandler, TKO, Round 3
Heavyweight Bout: Fedor Emelianenko vs. Matt Mitrione
Robert Winfree: Gun to my head Fedor Emelianenko is my favorite fighter ever. He’s still probably the best heavyweight ever, though both Cain Velasquez and Stipe Miocic have a real chance and surpassing him over the next couple of years, but there isn’t any reasonable case to be made that he’s one of the best heavyweights right now. Fedor was lucky to get a decision, mostly Clucky influenced, against Fabio Maldonado and was really lucky that fight wasn’t stopped in the first. If he’s struggling against one dimensional, pedestrian light heavyweights, I can’t in good conscience pick him against a legitimate heavyweight like Matt Mitrione. Mitrione isn’t great, but he’s a solid hand and while I’m rooting for Fedor I can’t pick him.
Winner: Matt Mitrione, TKO, Round 1
Dan Plunkett: Fedor can land a punch and stun Mitrione, but I think most people have a good idea about how this fight is going to look, even if they won’t admit it. It will not be pretty.
Winner: Mitrione, TKO, Round 1
Light Heavyweight Bout: Chael Sonnen vs. Wanderlei Silva
Robert Winfree: Ugh.
Winner: Chael Sonnen, Decision
Dan Plunkett: I think there’s a good chance that this is a really terrible fight with one of those awkward looking finishes that we often see in these Bellator old guy fights. Sonnen looked bad against Tito Ortiz, both physically (compared to his past enhancements) and competitively. Wanderlei Silva is 40-years-old, has not fought in more than four years, and is returning from a bad accident that occurred one year ago. It’s tough to pick, but I suppose it’s easier to see Silva scoring a knockout than it is Sonnen submitting him or taking him to a decision.
Winner: Silva, KO, Round 1
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