Bellator 101 Predictions

                                                

Bellator 101 Predictions

September 24, 2013

By Ryan Porzl

Marcus Davis vs. Alexander Sarnavskiy

Nickname:                         Irish Hand Grenade |                 Tiger

Height:                                              5'8           |                 5'11

Age:                                                   40           |                   24

MMA Record (Bellator Rec): 22-9, 1NC (0-0,1 NC) | 23-1 (2-1)

Arm Length:                                     70 in.       |                  71 in.

Team:                                     Team Sityodtong |      Rusfighters Sport Club

Weight Class:                                    Lightweight (155 pounds)

Notes: Bellator Season Nine Lightweight Tournament Quarterfinals

Preview: Davis is unbeaten in three fights (2 wins, 1 no contest). His recent fight was a win over Darrius Heyliger by unanimous decision at NEF – Fight Night 7 (May 18, 2013). Sarnavskiy is riding a three fight win streak. His recent win was over Atchin Chaoshen by submission at FEFoMP: Mayor Cup 2013 (May 25, 2013).

Predictions: Sarnavskiy. Sarnavskiy is bigger, likely stronger, and younger than Davis. Sarnavskiy is probably the more well-rounded as he's is skilled in kickboxing and hand-to-hand combat and has also won most of his fights by submission. Davis has knockout power and has been a boxer but he hasn't won a fight by knockout since defeating Jonathan Goulet by TKO at UFC 113 back in May 2010. In fact, despite winning five fights since 2011, Davis has finished one opponent (which was a submission win). Davis has also spent most of his career as a Welterweight and only fought two fights at Lightweight where he lost to Jeremy Stephens by KO at UFC 125 and won a close split decision in the Maximum Fighting Championship. It seems like lightweight is not his weight class and you have to wonder if he'll be effected by the weight cut especially at his age. Finally, Davis is 40 years old, has been fighting in MMA for ten years, and has over 32 MMA fights. Not only that but Davis has competed in boxing and kickboxing and has fought in 53 fights throughout his combat sports career. At some point, all these factors have to catch up with him.

Saad Awad vs. Martin Stapleton

Nickname:                                        Assassin     |         .50 Cal

Height:                                                 5'10        |             5'9

Age:                                                       30         |              30

MMA Record (Bellator Rec):       14-5 (2-2)  |         12-1 (0-0)

Arm Length:                                        73 in.      |         Unknown

Team:                                        Millennia MMA |      Team Quannum

Weight Class:                                    Lightweight (155 pounds)

Notes: Bellator Season Nine Lightweight Tournament Quarterfinals. Martin Stapleton's Bellator debut.

Preview: Awad is coming off a loss to David Rickels by TKO at Bellator 94 (March 28, 2013). Stapleton is riding an eight fight win streak. His recent win was over Tommy Maguire by unanimous decision at Cage Contender – Fight Stars (December 1, 2012).

Predictions: Awad. Awad has shown in the Season Eight tournament earlier this year that he has potential to be a beast as his first two fights in the tournament lasted a combined 74 seconds with both ending by knockout. Stapleton is British and sometimes many European and Asian fighters don't have a lot of grappling skills as they're one dimentional strikers. The big question will be how is Stapleton's skills on the ground? Stapleton has also not fought in ten months. It's one thing to go from Cage Contenders to Bellator but it's quite another when you not only take a big step in competition but doing so after nearly having a year off.

Will Brooks vs. John Alessio

Nickname:                                            Ill Will         |    The Natural

Height:                                                   5'11           |        5'10

Age:                                                        26             |          34

MMA Record (Bellator Rec):          10-1 (2-1)    |  34-16, 1NC (0-0)

Arm Length:                                       Unknown      |        75 in.

Team:                                       American Top Team |  Xtreme Couture

Weight Class:                                          Lightweight (155 pounds)

Notes: Bellator Season Nine Lightweight Tournament Quarterfinals

Preview: Brooks is coming off a win over Cris Leyva by TKO at Bellator 97 (July 31, 2013). Alessio is coming off a no contest against Dave Mazany at AFC 13: Natural Selection (November 3, 2012).

Predictions: Brooks. Brooks is a very talented young fighter. He's an improving striker with knockout power and he has good wrestling. Brooks should also not have to worry about getting knocked out so quickly like his did against Saad Awad since Awad has had many quick knockouts to his resume while Alessio hasn't won a fight by knockout in three years. Alessio has won most of his fights by submission but that might not matter since Brooks has held his own against good grapplers. The best example was Satoru Kitaoka at DREAM last year when he was brought in as fresh meat only to properly defend himself from Kitaoka's submission and TKO him. Around the time of that fight, Brooks also began training at American Top Team which will take his skills to the next level. Another thing against Alessio is the fact that he's had 51 MMA fights and has been fighting for 15 years. Finally he's coming off a ten month layoff.

Ricardo Triloni vs. Rich Clementi

Nickname:                                             None          |        No Love

Height:                                                    5'10           |           5'9

Age:                                                         30             |            36

MMA Record (Bellator Rec):          15-4 (2-3)     |    45-22-1 (2-2)

Arm Length:                                       Unknown       |         72.5 in.

Team:                                                Ataque Duplo  |    Gladiator Gym

Weight Class:                                        Lightweight (155 pounds)

Notes: Bellator Season Nine Lightweight Tournament Quarterfinals. Ricardo Triloni is replacing Rob Sinclair.

Preview: Triloni is riding a two fight losing streak. His recent loss was to Will Brooks by unanimous decision at Bellator 87 (January 31, 2013). Clementi is coming off a loss to Marcin Held by submission at Bellator 81 (November 16, 2012).

Predictions: Triloni. While both guy prefer submissions, Clementi has lost much more by submission. Triloni is on a losing streak but his losses have been to tougher competition. He lost to Rick Hawn in the semifinals of the Season 6 Lightweight Tournament (which Hawn ended up winning), lost to Dave Jansen by a very close split decision in the semifinals of the Bellator Season 7 tournament (which Jansen ended up winning), and lost to up and comer Will Brooks. Like Davis and Alessio, you have to question Clementi's fuel tank. He's 36 years old, he's been fighting for 14 years, and has had over 68 MMA fights. Not to mention, Clementi even retired last year and only came out of it two months ago. It wouldn't be surprising for Triloni to not only win but for Clementi to retire in the post fight press conference.

Nick Kirk vs. Joe Warren

Nickname:                                         The Big Hurt | The Baddest Man On The Planet

Height:                                                      5'4         |         5'5

Age:                                                           30         |          36

MMA Record (Bellator Rec):           10-2 (0-2)   |    8-3 (6-2)

Arm Length:                                         Unknown   |    Unknown

Team:                                                The Academy | Team Quest

Weight Class:                                    Bantamweight (135 pounds)

Notes: Bellator Season Nine Bantamweight Tournament Semifinal

Preview: Kirk is coming off a win over Ben Miller by submission at Impact Fighting Championship – Revolution (April 13, 2013). Warren is coming off a win over Owen Evinger by unanimous decision at Bellator 80 (November 9, 2012).

Predictions: Warren. Kirk is mostly a striker but doesn't have a lot of knockout power as he only won one fight by knockout. Because of this, Warren shouldn't have to worry about getting brutally knocked out like he did against Pat Curran. Warren is a great wrestler and should be able to control Kirk on the ground. Kirk's offense can be effected as takedown won't work and he might not throw kicks since he may be afraid they'll get caught and he'll be taking down. Another advantage is that Warren has been working hard to round out his skills. As seen in a recent Bellator special, Warren has been seen working on his boxing at Jeff Mayweather's Boxing Club. He's also developed friendships with Randy Couture, Greg Jackson, and Frank Shamrock since being on Fight Master: Bellator MMA & has begun to train at Jackson's MMA on the side while occasionally bringing in Couture and Shamrock to coach him.