Bellator 285 “Henderson Vs Queally” + Weekly MMA Report
As expected, UFC Vegas 60 brought a lovely night of fights. There were many high-level combats between the top-level athletes, and some of them bagged extra 50k bucks for their shows inside the Octagon.
Let’s start with the Performance of the Night bonus between Chidi Njokuani and Gregory Rodrigues. “The Robocop” was trying to drag the bout to the ground in round 1, but Njokuani countered with a big straight knee, which opened up a nasty cut on the Brazilian’s forehead. Yet, the competitor from Brazil somehow survived the onslaught and taught his opponent a lesson via round 2 TKO, which impressed Dana White, who gave both fighters an extra 50k for the Performance of the Night award.
THIS CUT 😱 #UFCVegas60 pic.twitter.com/BdGFFJNLFf
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) September 18, 2022
WHAT. A. FIRST. ROUND 🤯
[ #UFCVegas60 is LIVE on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/igejogNldk
— UFC (@ufc) September 18, 2022
WHAT A COMEBACK 👏 #UFCVEGAS60 pic.twitter.com/lIrFPnZpq4
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) September 18, 2022
The other two Performances of the Night went in the hands of Joe Pyfer, who floored Alen Amedovski with a new-era modified punch to the face, and Damon Jackson, who surprisingly mounted and finished Pat Sabatini on the ground in the early moments of the first round.
The #DWCS graduate done good!
🫵 Be @Joe_Pyfer96 was the message from the Boss, and that's why! #UFCVegas60 pic.twitter.com/MNpGSpU7pq
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) September 18, 2022
ACTION JACKSON WITH THE ULTIMATE TRIBUTE!
❤️ @DamonBJackson dedicating tonight's performance to the loss of his brother, Bradley. #UFCVegas60 pic.twitter.com/smFlfaxBg6
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) September 17, 2022
There is no UFC this weekend, which is kinda sad, but please, don’t despair! There’s a Bellator event in Dublin, Ireland, and it will host some of the best names of the promotion. There will be some former UFC names at the upcoming Bellator 285 event, and it comes at the normal time for the European fans! You can watch it on Showtime, and here is a bit of detail about the main and co-main event! You can also check the full card here.
Image source: @BellatorMMA Twitter
In the main event of the evening, the former UFC lightweight champ and wrestling expert Benson Henderson is going to square off against tough home competitor Peter Queally.
Benson Henderson is known for his excellent wrestling game and tricky kicks. Islam Mamedov was unable to outwrestle him on the ground, so Peter’s only chance could be to keep the fight standing. Henderson’s sweeps, transitions, and submission game also rock thanks to his BJJ black belt, plus his cardio is on point thanks to hard routines and workouts every single day. This guy doesn’t know the meaning of the word no!
Prediction: Henderson to win (-200), or the fight goes the distance
The co-main event of the evening looks even greater, as the former UFC Cuban legend Yoel Romero meets the dangerous legendary striker Melvin Manhoef. This is a striker vs grappler matchup, Yoel is a former Olympian wrestler, while Manhoef is known for brutal knockouts thanks to his extensive kickboxing background.
“The Soldier of God” is a patient fighter who can stand and bang with the best in the game, but it is hard to expect him to exchange shots against such a dangerous kickboxer. Romero is a gym junkie, and he looks better in his 40s than the majority of people in their 20s. Yes, USADA visited him so many times, and he was suspended only once under suspicious circumstances, but this guy’s dedication is on a whole different level!
Prediction: Romero to win (-800)
Here are my predictions for Bellator’s main card.
No UFC, but it’s not a big deal, lads! If you love mixed martial arts, you’ll enjoy every single part of this Bellator event!
