It may not be a stretch to suggest that Saturday's Bellator MMA NYC card from Madison Square Garden just might be the company's all-in moment.
Despite years of success matching faded names in creative bouts on Spike TV (to the tune of monster ratings), Bellator MMA president Scott Coker consistently maintained that pay-per-view wasn't in his company's future. Until it was, of course.
Over the past year, Bellator's model slowly began to change the more it was able to lure former UFC fighters that were much closer to their primes than previous acquisitions. Suddenly, Coker's idea of presenting huge cards "with something for everyone" has become more of a reality.
There's no better example of that than Saturday's pay-per-view card, just the second attempt in Bellator history, which properly showcases a mix of carnival old guy fights, up-and-coming talent and important championship bouts between highly rated fighters.
This is Bellator putting its best foot forward in an attempt to find out how marketable the Viacom-owned brand really is now that fight fans will need to pony up $49.95 to see it (10 p.m. ET, PPV). Tickets are still available on TicketMaster for $86.
Can Bellator one day provide legitimate competition to the UFC in the way that Coker's former brand, Strikeforce, once did nearly a decade ago through its platform on Showtime? In the past, it didn't seem possible. But signing names like Rory MacDonald, Phil Davis and Benson Henderson, and presenting them on cards with guaranteed ratings magnets the likes Chael Sonnen and Fedor Emelianenko isn't a bad idea.
Bellator PPV card
| Favorite | Challenger | Weightclass |
|---|---|---|
Aaron Pico -163 | Zach Freeman +120 | Lightweight |
Michael Chandler (c) -800 | Brent Primus +500 | Lightweight |
Lorenz Larkin -200 | Douglas Lima (c) -160 | Welterweight |
Matt Mitrione -120 | Fedor Emelianenko -110 | Heavyweight |
Chael Sonnen -155 | Wanderlei Silva +125 | Light heavyweight |
Bellator will also be presenting an incredibly strong lead-in fight to the PPV on Saturday when Davis meets fellow former UFC contender Ryan Bader in the preliminary card main event on Spike (8 p.m. ET).
Coker has kept his hand close to his vest for a while now in response to what Bellator's plan of attack would be. Now it's time to find out what he really has.
Predictions
Main Event: Chael Sonnen (28-15-1) vs. Wanderlei Silva (35-12-1), light heavyweights
In terms of the anticipation for a sloppy old guy fight with legitimate hatred between the two combatants, this is about as good as it gets for Bellator and its passion for presenting the kind of fights viewers simply can't turn away from.
The pair of 40-year old's have both missed extensive time in recent years due to suspensions for performance-enhancing drug use (with Silva's seeing his lifetime ban in Nevada overturned). Sonnen made his return in January from three-plus years away and looked pathetic in a first-round submission loss to Tito Ortiz. Silva, meanwhile, hasn't fought since 2013.
But the real hook here is the hatred between them, which goes back to a brawl that took place between the two during filming of "The Ultimate Fighter" reality series in Brazil. Their 2014 bout at UFC 175 never took place, however, when Silva pulled out with an injury (he also refused to take a drug test). This one should be equally fun and sloppy for as long as it lasts.
Pick: Sonnen might be crazy like a fox but Silva is just plain crazy. Give me "The Axe Murderer" by first-round TKO.
Fedor Emelianenko (36-4) vs. Matt Mitrione (11-5), heavyweights
This one was rescheduled from a main event slot at Bellator 172 in February, after Mitrione pulled out with kidney stones. In many ways, Mitrione is a horrible matchup for this version of legendary Russian heavyweight, who at 40, has looked considerably washed up of late despite a deceiving five-fight win streak. Mitrione, a southpaw, is long, awkward and athletic. If Fedor doesn't get to the former NFL player early with his patented ground-and-pound, it's going to be a long night.
Pick: Mitrione by second-round TKO.
Bellator welterweight championship: Douglas Lima (28-6) (c) vs. Lorenz Larkin (18-5)
A native of Brazil, Lima gained revenge from a 2015 title loss to Andrey Koreshkov by decision when he knocked the Russian out last November to win the championship. Before that fight, Lima claimed a unanimous decision over Paul Daley. He's hot right now and full of confidence, but Lima will be facing a very difficult test in Larkin, who will make his company debut after a 10-fight run with UFC. Larkin, who will reunite with former Strikeforce boss Coker, has blossomed at 170 pounds after a run at middleweight that ended with four losses in his final five fights. Larkin is an explosive and athletic welterweight and will get his chance to prove that.
Pick: Larkin by third-round TKO.
Bellator lightweight championship: Michael Chandler (16-3) (c) vs. Brent Primus (7-0)
Chandler is simply all action, all the time and has proven that throughout two title runs with Bellator. But the flip side to Chandler's excitement is how vulnerable he can be early in a fight thanks to his explosive style. In Chandler's favor is how dialed in he has been of late, fresh off a pair of top-notch victories over Patricky Freire (via vicious one-punch knockout) and Benson Henderson. Primus is unbeaten and has showed plenty of promise through five appearances with Bellator. But his last two victories have also come by split decision and he has never fought the five-round distance.
Pick: Chandler by fourth-round submission.
Bellator light heavyweight championship: Phil Davis (17-3) (c) vs. Ryan Bader (22-5)
This might be the best pure matchup between prime fighters on the entire card. The pair of UFC veterans fought just two years ago inside the Octagon. With their strong wrestling skills essentially canceling each other out, the bout was largely contested on the feet, with Bader taking home a split decision. The fight offered revenge for Bader, who had lost a pair of meetings in college during his wrestling days at Arizona State against Davis, who competed at Penn State. Now, it's Davis who will be seeking comeuppance and he expects to showcase his evolution as a striker during four Bellator appearances since the loss to Bader.
Pick: Davis by unanimous decision.
