Many fans of Bellator are buzzing about recent upsets and how they might see a few more down the line during season 6. The Bellator 64 main event between Ben Askren and Douglas Lima may not produce an upset but might be the fight many think it will.

Askren has some of the best wrestling in MMA and as seen against Hieron and Hornbuckle, he has no problems smothering his opponent. Lima has shown a few loopholes in his game yet always seems to find his mark when fighters try to manage their distance and engage toe to toe with him. Given the high level wrestling from Askren who will look to get inside that will most likely not play a factor this fight.

Fearing the takedowns, Lima could open himself up to the striking of Askren, possibly allowing him to get the better of the striking exchanges.  A veteran of 25 professional fights, Lima is an all-around Mixed Martial Artist and has won nine in a row. Askren has faced grappling and submission specialists in the past and has still whipped the mat clean with their bodies.

Keys to Victory:

Lima’s best chances are to minimize kicks and stay low while pushing the pace with fast punches, swarming Askren bell to bell and catching him while he’s backing or against the fence. Askren has wilted to some strikes and that is Lima’s golden ticket to the belt. Lima needs to inflict damage right away and keep the train rolling until Askren has no juice left in his takedowns. For the champ he will need to do what made him a champion and take the fight to the canvas, grind on Lima until he finds an opening and either get a ground and pound TKO or submission victory.

Along with the welterweight title fight, Bellator 64 will also feature the semi-final round of the featherweight tournament.