As heated as the lead-up to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Muhammed “King Mo” Luwal’s 2014 matchup was, the actual fight was a boring, tepid affair with little action and a lot of stalling. It was tough to watch, especially after so much trash talking and posturing between the two.
Still, it’s likely that this Friday’s rematch between Jackson and Luwal at Bellator 175 will draw plenty of viewers, as these are two of the promotion’s more recognizable names. Plus, there’s always the chance that this turns out to be a scrap worthy of the insults hurled at each other.
Also On the Bellator 175 Card
The pair headlines a card that featuring a heavyweight scrap between Sergei Kharitonov vs. Chase Gormley, a featherweight bout between Emmanuel Sanchez and Marcos Galvao, a lightweight feature with Jake Roberts and Steve Kozola and a featherweight scrap between Lloyd Carter and Noad Lahat.
Let’s take a look at the MMA odds at BookMaker.eu and make some common sense betting picks for the main card.
Quinton Jackson (+235) vs. Muhammad Lawal (-285)
Over/under 2.5 rounds:
- Over -230
- Under +190
Common Sense Says…
We know exactly how this fight will go: Lawal will try and get the takedowns and Rampage will try to take his head off. That’s who each fighter is at this point in their careers, and it’s unlikely they’re going to change their ways.
Rampage did just enough to earn a victory in their first encounter, but things could be different this time around.
For starters, Rampage is 38 years old now. While he’s not exactly finished, his age will always be questioned with each passing fight. There’s also the fact that he’s fought just twice since they met up in 2014, while Lawal has piled up an 8-2 record since then. So Rampage is not only battling Father Time, he’ll have to shake off ring rust as well.
Our pick: Lawal to win at -285
Sergei Kharitonov (-265) vs. Chase Gormley (+220)
Over/under 2.5 rounds:
- Over +135
- Under -160
Common Sense Says…
Kharitonov’s entire career is underrated – this is a dude who owns wins over guys like Alistair Overeem, Andrei Arlovski and Fabricio Werdum.
Except this isn’t the Sergei you remember from Strikeforce or Dream. The current version of Kharitonov is pudgier, slower and has cardio issues.
But the Russian is still a legit heavyweight, and he comes into the matchup on a 5-1 run. Kharitonov is by far the more experienced fighter here, but Gormley will likely have his moments. Still, the Russian should be able to outslug an overmatched Gormley..
Our pick: Kharitonov to win at -265
Marcos Galvao (+190) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (-225)
Over/under 2.5 rounds:
- Over -230
- Under +195
Common Sense Says…
Galvao is a former bantamweight champion fighting at featherweight for the first time in nearly seven years. Without having to cut weight, he should have plenty of extra energy and a speed advantage – though he’ll give up some size.
Sanchez provides a strict test for Galvao. He’s young, skilled, and trains at Roufusport, one of the nation’s better fight camps. Already 6-2 in Bellator, Sanchez is coming off a majority decision win against Georgi Karakhanyan. The safest bet is the over, as both men are skilled and durable.
Our pick:
Over 2.5 rounds at -230
Noad Lahat (-700) vs. Lloyd Carter (+515)
Over/under 1.5 rounds
- Over +105
- Under -125
Common Sense Says…
Lahat is a former UFC fighter with a 2-2 octagon record. This past November, he made a successful Bellator debut with a first-round rear-naked choke win over Scott Cleve. Carter is a local fighter being brought in to bring some hometown flavor to this card, but his 10-8 record doesn’t inspire much confidence when it comes to betting the Bellator odds at BookMaker.eu.
Our pick: Lahat to win at -700
Steve Kozola (-160) vs. Jake Roberts (+145)
Over/under, over 1.5 rounds, over -160, under +135
Common Sense Says…
Unfortunately, Jake Roberts has no relation to the Jake “The Snake” Roberts that invented the DDT. Instead, he’s an MMA Lab product and is focused on rebounding from the first loss of his career.
Kozola has been out of action for over a year, but prior to that he racked up an 7-0 record with seven KOs. It might take a few minutes to get back into the groove, but he should pick up where he left off.
Our Pick: Kozola to win at -160
