One of the coolest things about Bellator is their willingness to co-promote fight cards. This could lead to some interesting partnerships as Scott Coker seeks to pit his roster against some of the most brutal fighters from other promotions like OneFC in Asia, Cage Warriors in Europe, and WSOF in North America.
Bellator Teams Up With BAMMA
On Saturday, March 4th, Bellator is co-promoting with the British Association of Mixed Martial Arts (BAMMA) for a fight card in Belfast, Northern Ireland. BAMMA will be hosting the prelims, while Bellator takes over the main card.
It’s a solid offering for MMA fans, as it gives stateside viewers a chance to see some European prospects in action. Let’s take a look at your betting options at BookMaker.eu and get a glimpse at some of the scraps.
Liam McGeary (-1365) vs Brett McDermott (+655)
Why You Should Watch
McGeary was dominated by former UFC title contender Phil Davis in his last outing, losing his title and taking his first career loss in the process. It’ll be interesting to see how he bounces back, and more importantly whether he can evolve as a fighter.
Luckily for him, he gets a ‘bounceback’ fight with Brett McDermott, who is the replacement of the replacement for his original opponent, Chris Fields.
At 6’6”, McGeary is an imposing figure inside the cage, and has finishing skills on the feet and the mat. The Brit certainly has been good in his pro career, but can he be great? Bellator would certainly love for him to rise to the occasion.
Bellator Main Card Odds
- Kirill Medvedovsky (+500) vs. James Gallagher (-900)
- Sinead Kavanagh (-505) vs. Iony Razafiarison (+335)
- Alex Lohore (-190) vs. Colin Fletcher (+150)
Gallagher Has the Hometown Advantage Against Medvedovsky
20-year old James Gallagher is one of Bellator’s hot featherweight prospects, and he’s already racked up a 5-0 pro record. An Irish native and burgeoning submission specialist, Gallagher will defend his home soil against Israel’s Kirill Medvedovsky.
This is very much a record-building fight for Gallagher, as Medvedovsky is a mid-level fighter who is only 1-3 in his last four fights. That includes a first-round TKO loss to Georgi Karakhanyan in his Bellator debut last November.
Kavanaugh Set to Pummel Razafiarison
A native of Dublin, Sinead Kavanaugh will represent Ireland as another undefeated prospect in a matchup against France’s Iony Razafiarison. “KO” Kavanaugh trains out of SBG Ireland, home to Conor McGregor, and the bantamweight has notched 2 KO wins en route to a 4-0 record. This female fight is more of a showcase, as she’ll be facing a fighter with a paltry 1-1 record.
Lohore May Continue on Winning Streak Against Fletcher
Welterweight Colin Fletcher was a cast member on “The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes” but lost both of his fights on the show and was given the pink slip from the UFC in early 2013. Since then, he’s 5-4, most recently submitting Aymard Guih. His opponent, Alex Lohore, comes into their matchup with five straight wins.
BAMMA Prelim Match-ups
(Check BookMaker.eu for odds)
- Featherweight: Shay Walsh vs. James McEarlean
- Lightweight: Norman Parke vs. Paul Redmond
- Flyweight: Dominique Wooding vs. Andy Young
- Featherweight: Damien Lapilus vs. Ronnie Mann
- Welterweight: Colin Fletcher vs. Alex Lohore
Parke vs. Redmond is the Prelim Fight to Watch
Lightweights Norman Parke and Paul Redmond, two UFC alums, are scheduled to meet on the prelims in a lightweight clash. Parke was dropped from the UFC after a February 2016 loss to Rustam Khabilov.
However, he bounced back with a decision win over Andrew Fisher at ACB 45. Redmond went 0-2 inside the octagon, but signed on with BAMMA and notched a September 2016 win over Chris Stringer.
Check out the latest Bellator 173 odds on our MMA fight odds comparison page.
