Three Tournaments Set to Conclude at Bellator 107
Coming off their biggest show of all time last week, Bellator will try to keep the ball rolling at tomorrow’s Bellator 107. Being sandwiched in between two UFC Fight Night cards has left the card slightly forgotten but with three tournament finals anchoring things, Bellator 107 should not be overlooked.
Here’s how the night plays out:
Middleweight Tournament Final – Brennan Ward vs. Mikkel Parlo: A replacement fighter living the dream, Brennan Ward will look to capitalize on his opportunity, taking on Danish striker Mikkel Parlo. Ward has won his two fights in this tournament by virtue of being the tougher fighter with the better battle mind, and will need to be extra sharp against a vicious inside striker like Parlo. For Parlo’s part, he made an example of Bellator staple Brian Rogers with a severe beating across three rounds, yet looked beyond awful against the lackluster Jason Butcher in his semi-final fight.
Parlo has been working on his takedown defense, but Ward is a bit sharper than most of the grapplers Parlo has dealt with thus far, having a great chain wrestling ability and use of suplexes rather than traditional double and single legs. Ward could be in trouble if he’s caught on the feet on a stalled shot, but Parlo’s chin has shown itself to be less than iron-clad as well, allowing Ward opportunity to surprise his foe with an overhand on entry. It’s a tight match-up, but I like Ward to outwork Parlo as the fight goes on, taking a decision win.
Heavyweight Tournament Final – Cheick Kongo vs. Peter Graham: A fight for the painfully weak Bellator Heavyweight division, Cheick Kongo will welcome replacement opponent Peter Graham to the cage. Kongo looked like his old self in his Bellator debut, using clinch work to grind opponent Mark Godbeer to dust within a few rounds, but his chin is always a question going against big punchers. Graham had a decent showing against Eric Prindle, using his big-man kickboxing style to soundly beat the American, though his endurance was clearly lacking as the fight moved on. This is a matter of Kongo avoiding a big punch and imposing his will against Graham, as the Aussie fighter will be too spent to fire back within a round of clinch play. Look for Kongo to play it smart and go straight to the fence with Graham, working knees, elbows and a takedown to seal the deal in the first round by TKO.
Bantamweight Tournament Final – Joe Warren vs. Travis Marx: A short tournament that was largely un-televised, Joe Warren will look to gain a shot at Eduardo Dantas by walking through Travis Marx. Warren has made short gains in his MMA career, working on his powerful striking game and adding a bit of submission savvy to his world-class wrestling skills, but still has all the holes that have made his bouts so close in the past. Marx, on paper, is a worthy opponent due to his extensive grappling background, yet the man who fought Bender in the tournament is clearly on a massive physical decline. Marx is simply too old, under trained and overworked in his daytime job to compete with Warren meaningfully, and Warren should manhandle Marx to a decision win.
About the Author (Author Profile)
I'm a 20+ year veteran of martial arts and a fan of MMA since UFC 1, when my world was thrown on its head by the budding sport. I'm obsessive in the pursuit of martial abilities and have competed across the country in everything from Vale Tudo to archery to Scottish broadsword. Once my body broke down, I picked up a pen and went in the direction of writing. I specialize in betting advice, predictions, and I'm a walking encyclopedia of MMA trivia. I own a cafe in Exeter, NH called Hammersmith Sandwich Company and write out of my office between customers.Subscribe
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