Move over UFC…Bellator is back in action this coming weekend and the exciting card that Bellator 221 features looks like it doesn’t have to take a backseat to UFC 237, which is also going down on Saturday, May 11. Bellator 221 will get underway on Saturday inside the Allstate Arena in Chicago with the preliminary card getting underway at 6:30 PM ET and the main card getting underway at 9:00 PM ET.
Better yet, MMA fight fans and betting enthusiasts across the globe will could potentially see a pair of new champions when reigning lightweight champion Michael Chandler puts his 155-pound title on the line against current featherweight champion Patricio “Pitbull” Freire.
If Chandler wins, he’ll become the first man to ever defeat both Freire brothers as he took out Patricky Freire via first-round TKO in 2016. However, if Freire manages to pull off the upset, he’ll become the latest MMA superstar to earn the right to be called a two-division champ.
The co-main event features ex-welterweight champion Douglas Lima looking to become the first fighter to defeat the unbeaten Michael “Venom” Page in the semifinals of the Bellator World Welterweight Grand Prix. The winner of this bout will advance to face the winner of the June 22 bout featuring welterweight champ Rory MacDonald vs. Neiman Gracie.
Bellator 221 Odds, Preview & Predictions
Event Info
- When: Saturday, March 11th, 9pm
- Where: Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Illinois
- TV: DAZN
- Live Stream: Bellator Live
Main Card (DAZN)
- Michael Chandler vs Patricio Freire (Bellator Lightweight Championship)
- Douglas Lima vs Michael Page (Welterweight)
- A.J. McKee vs Pat Curran (Featherweight)
- Jake Hager vs T.J. Jones (Heavyweight)
Preliminary Card (ParamountNetwork.com)
- Adil Benjilany vs Chris Lencioni (Featherweight)
- P.J. Cajigas vs Craig Fruth (Welterweight)
- Scott Writz vs Josh Streacker (Welterweight)
- Bryan Bautista vs Robert Fenicle (Bantamweight)
- Askar Askar vs Taylor Moore (Bantamweight)
Michael Chandler (19-4, 7 KOs) vs. Patricio Freire (28-4, 9 KOs)
- Bellator 221 Odds: Patricio Freire +170 / Michael Chandler -200
33-year-old Michael Chandler stands 5’8” with a 69-inch reach. The Nashville native has won three straight and took the lightweight title by taking out Brent Primus via unanimous decision in December.
Patricio Freire is 31-years-old and stands 5’5” with a 65-inch reach. The Brazil native has also won three consecutive fights including his featherweight title victory over Daniel Straus in April of 2017 and consecutive title defenses against Daniel Welch in June and Emmanuel Sanchez in November with both wins coming by way of unanimous decision.
There is a reason why Chandler is a big favorite entering this fight. He’s the bigger and stronger fighter and it’s not even close. I’m fully and completely expecting Chandler to win this matchup via third round TKO.
Michael Page (14-0, 8 KOs) vs. Douglas Lima (30-7, 13 KOs)
- Bellator 221 Odds: Michael Page +215 / Douglas Lima -265
Michael Page is 32-years-old and stands 6’3” with a 79-inch reach. The Trinidad native who fights out of England is unbeaten in his career and comes into this bout off a unanimous decision win over Paul Daley in February although he struggled when Daley managed to get him on the ground.
31-year-old Douglas Lima stands 6’1” with a 71-inch reach. The native of Brazil has won four of five and bounced back from his unanimous decision welterweight title fight loss against Rory MacDonald in January of 2018 to beat Andrey Koreshkov on a fifth round submission.
Douglas Lima might have a big advantage in experience, but I’m thinking Michael Page is offering a ton of value as a +215 underdog. Page has an unorthodox fighting style and a s*#*load of knockout power.
If Lima gets this fight on the ground more often than not, he’ll win. However, I’m going with Venom Page for the huge upset, via a vicious second round KO.
