Bellator 200 Preview

This Friday, from the SSE Arena in London, England, we have Bellator 200. The prelims will be made available from the Bellator website via tape delay at 7 pm ET, with the main card on the Paramount Network at 9 pm ET. The event is stacked top to bottom with local talent, and recognizable stars. The main event was scrapped due to injury, as Mirko Cro Cop was forced out of the scheduled bout with Roy Nelson due to multiple knee injuries. The main card is as follows:

 

Rafael Carvalho vs. Gegard Mousasi

15-1 Carvalho is looking to defend his middleweight belt for a fourth time against legend 43-6-2 Gegard Mousasi. Mousasi won his Bellator debut last October over Alexander Shlemenko via unanimous decision. It was a somewhat controversial decision, as Shlemenko had injured Mousasi’s eye to the point where it was fully swollen. Carvalho lost his professional MMA debut, but has since won 15 in a row, and an impressive 12 by KO/TKO.

In this bout, Mousasi has been lauded as a heavy favourite. His game is well rounded, and an example of how he was able to use those many tools can be seen in his win at UFC 210 when he was able to score a TKO win over Chris Weidman. Carvalho meanwhile is equally, if not more adept on the feet, and a perennial underrated middleweight. His skills translate well to this fight, and if the fight stays upright, his movement and footwork will result in a successful title defense.

Winner: Rafael Carvalho

 

Michael Page vs. David Rickels

Co-main between England’s own 12-0 MVP taking on 19-4 “The Caveman” David Rickels. Page is making a return to the cage after being away from MMA for a year and a half when he faced Fernando Gonzalez in a split decision win. He competed in his first professional boxing match last October, getting the win over Jonathan Castano. Rickels won his last fight by unanimous decision over Adam Piccolotti at Bellator 189.

This fight could go one of two ways, Rickels, the smaller fighter could aim to take the fight to the ground, or MVP will go for the quick KO win. Rickels, who has competed mostly at lightweight, has lost to Michael Chandler twice as well as Patricky Friere. MVP is so adept as a kickboxer, his strength on the feet will guide him to victory.

Winner: Michael Page

 

Phil Davis vs. Linton Vassell

UFC vet, and former Bellator light heavyweight champ 18-4 Phil Davis is looking to get back to the top, taking on the Brit 18-6 Linton Vassell. Davis lost his belt in June of last year to current champ Ryan Bader by split decision. Vassell lost in his two chances at the belt, to Bader and Emanuel Newton in 2014.

Davis D1 Penn State wrestling should lead him to victory, but don’t expect a finish in this fight. Between them, a combined 14 fights have gone to decision.

Winner: Phil Davis

 

Aaron Chalmers vs. Ashley Griffiths

Reality star and BAMMA product pitted against a sub .500 fighter, not what you normally see on a main card. Chalmers, 3-0, has finished all three of his professional fights in the first round. Griffiths has lost 3 in a row, and expect more of the same.

Winner: Aaron Chalmers

 

Anastasia Yankova vs. Kate Jackson

Yankova is looking to stay perfect and improve on her 5-0 record while facing one of Bellator’s most promising talents in the flyweight division in 9-3-1 Kate Jackson. Yankova last fought in April of 2017, while Jackson has been the more active fighter, losing her last fight against Valerie Letourneau in December of 2017.

Jackson competed on season 23 of The Ultimate Fighter, beating Ashley Yoder and losing to undefeated Tatiana Suarez (who won last weekend at UFC FN 129). Jackson is very well rounded, with five professional finishes while facing good talent. Expect her to dominate the bulk of the fight, and impress in front of a hometown crowd.

Winner: Kate Jackson

 

Mike Shipman vs. Carl Noon

Open and shut case. Mike “Seabass” Shipman is 11-1, losing his first professional fight, is taking on 7-2 Carl Noon. Shipman has a 2016 KO win over Craig White, who’s fighting against Neil Magny on Sunday’s UFC Liverpool card. Noon hasn’t fought since 2011, losing by TKO to Jack Marshman.

Winner: Mike Shipman

 

Also featured on the undercard is former UFC fighter, and SBG product 4-3 Charlie Ward taking on 1-1 Louis King. Ward’s last fight was at Bellator 187, when he won in controversial fashion by knocking out John Redmond. Subsequent to the win, Conor McGregor hopped into the cage and caused pandemonium. Ward’s two fights in the UFC resulted in a KO slam loss to Galore Bofando, and a KO punch loss to Abdul Razak Alhassan. Expect Ward to get the win, but definitely tune into this fight as you never know what could happen!