Bellator 293 “Golm Vs James” + Weekly MMA Report
UFC on ESPN 43 was a very technical card with a lot of decision bouts and tactical wars. Yet, some fights caught the attention of the UFC head honcho Dana White, and a total of 4 fighters banked an extra 50k for their top-notch performances. Also, the main event of the evening was the one-sided domination of Cory Sandhagen over Marlon Vera, but one of the judges gave a unanimous decision nod to Vera (48-47), while the other two scored it dominantly in the favor of Sandhagen.
UFC On ESPN 43 Awards
The first Fight of the Night bonus went in the favor of Daniel “The Pit” Pineda, who stopped Tucker Lutz with a nasty submission after their fight was bumped to the main card due to Alex Perez’s medical issues. The second winner was Nate Landwehr, who finished Austin Lingo in the second with a rear-naked choke.
He gets the tap!
😤 @DanielPitPineda sinking in a crafty guillotine at #UFCSanAntonio pic.twitter.com/XtO5Knvnhg
— UFC (@ufc) March 25, 2023
NOT JUST A HYPE TRAIN 🚂@NateTheTrain with the submission win at #UFCSanAntonio 🙌 pic.twitter.com/bAo5VCc3Fe
— UFC (@ufc) March 26, 2023
The Fight of the Night, and potentially a comeback of the year, happened when Daniel Lacerda and CJ Vergara shared the Octagon. After fighting for his life in the first, Vergara recovered in the second and finished Lacerda in his home country of Texas.
Lacerda had Vergara running laps 🏃♂️ #UFCSanAntonio pic.twitter.com/wx2AasF4L4
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) March 25, 2023
NEVER COUNT OUT THEM TEXAS BOYS!!!!!!!! 🤯@CJVergara1991 flips the script to get the finish! #UFCSanAntonio pic.twitter.com/UOZ8qLMxOW
— UFC (@ufc) March 25, 2023
Bellator 293 Announcement
There is no UFC this week, so the UFC fans will finally get a chance to rest before eight consecutive fight cards in a row. Yet, Bellator 293 will take place in Pechanga Resort Casino, Temecula, California, and it will be headlined by the amazing battle between Marcelo Golm and Daniel James.
Image source: @BellatorMMA Twitter
Marcelo Golm is a very dominant fighter on the ground. His takedown offense and submission game are on point, and you don’t want this guy on your back. With a score of 10-3, Golm will be looking to drag this fight to the ground and extend his winning streak after successful first two Bellator outings against Billy Swanson and Davion Franklin. The former UFC fighter didn’t have the brightest UFC run, but he is one of the greatest candidates for the Bellator’s 265-pound belt.
His opponent, Daniel “The American Predator” James, traveled a long way through ACA before joining Bellator. A very experienced and powerful wrecking machine is known for spending hours in the gym with weights and dumbbells. James’ punch power is amazing, but his ground skills are questionable. One way or another, somebody is getting finished here.
Prediction: the fight will not go the distance
The co-main event of the evening brings the clash between the former UFC title contender Cat Zingano and one of the most promising names of the Bellator’s 145-pound roster Leah McCourt. Zingano is an all-around fighter with the excellent ground game and lovely footwork, while McCourt is evenly dangerous on the feet and on the canvas.
This sounds like a lovely match-up for the fans of technical fights, as both of these girls are not known for violent knockout power. This could turn into tactical warfare.
Prediction: over 2.5 rounds
Bellator 293 Main Card Predictions
Please take a look at my Bellator 293 main card predictions for the upcoming Bellator 293 fight card. You watch this event exclusively on Showtime, while the preliminary card airs on YouTube. For the full fight card, please check this link, as there is the possibility of last-minute changes.
Yes, there is no UFC, but it doesn’t mean you will be sad. Bellator’s event will bring many amazing clashes, give it a shot and you won’t be disappointed!
