Bellator 120 emanates Saturday, May 17, from the Landers Center in Southaven, Mississippi. Last Word on Sports’ MMA Department brings to you their fight picks and analysis for the upcoming event.
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. “King Mo” Muhammed Lawal
James Carlucci, Todd Parkinson, Chumbo Lex, Daniel Richeson: Jackson
Nitesh Dutt: Lawal
“Bellator has been angling for this bout since both men were signed, and despite a few road blocks along the way, it’s finally all set to go down in the Landers Center. Prior to his staph infection two years ago, I might’ve picked Lawal based on his wrestling pedigree and Jackson’s penchant for getting outwrestled. However, “King Mo” hasn’t looked the same since and has already been beaten twice in Bellator by Light Heavyweight Champion Emmanuel Newton. I expect Jackson to catch Lawal early and often, finishing him in the early rounds of the fight.” – Carlucci
Michael Chandler vs. Will “Ill Will” Brooks
Carlucci, Parkinson, Lex, Richeson, Dutt: Chandler
“Even though many may see this as an easy victory for Chandler, Brooks is not to be overlooked. “Ill Will” has great athleticism and speed, but Chandler has more power and resilience as he has shown time after time again. Brooks will surprise Chandler and try to go for the finish, but I feel that Chandler has way too much determination and will shine in the 4th and finish by knockout due to repeated strikes to become the Lightweight Interim Champion.”. – Parkinson
“The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz vs. Alexander “Storm” Shlemenko
Carlucci, Parkinson, Lex, Richeson, Dutt: Shlemenko
“Alexander Shlemenko is going to retire Tito. I think Tito is a great fighter and should stick around for a few more fights, just not against a dangerous man like “Storm”. Tito will be beaten worse than Rashad Evans did in their rematch.” – Richeson
Alexander “Drago” Volkov vs. Blagoy “Bagata” Ivanov
Carlucci, Parkinson, Lex, Richeson, Dutt: Ivanov
“In the matchup to determine the next heavyweight contender, Ivanov’s inspiring comeback story makes you want to root for him regardless. Fortunately for the former World Sambo Champion, he also has the skills in the cage to get past Volkov. The Russian is dangerous on his feet, but don’t expect the fight to stay there. Ivanov will likely take the fight to the ground rather quickly, and dominate “Drago” positionally if he manages to survive the Bulgarian’s submission attempts.” – Carlucci
Michael “Venom” Page vs. Ricky “The Sniper” Rainey
Carlucci, Parkinson, Lex, Richeson, Dutt: Page
“It will be a competitive bout between two tall and well-rounded welterweights, but Page has the unbeaten momentum and finishing power in both his striking and submissions to overwhelm Rainey in this bout. I see it being a close fight, but predict a third round rear naked choke victory for “MVP.” – Parkinson
Undercard Radar:
Carlucci: “Shahbulat Shamhalaev was a top featherweight prospect prior to his loss last April to Pat Curran. I’m interested to see how he responds to his first loss in three years and to his time off. ”
Parkinson: “Lyons versus Underwood will be the undercard fight of the night because these are some featherweights that are ready to perform and we will see striking, scrambles and submission attempts throughout all rounds with Underwood barely stealing the split decision victory due to superior conditioning and heart.”
Richeson: “The fight that will cause the most sparks is Shahbulat Shamhalaev vs. Fabricio Guerreiro. These two are pretty vicious and have faced elite talent in their last fight. Other than both men needing a nickname so we don’t have to butcher their names, they are both decorated grapplers and showcased it throughout their career. I pick Shamhalaev.”
Thank you for reading. Please take a moment to follow me on Twitter – @LWOSCarlucci. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport – and “liking” our Facebook page.
Interested in writing for LWOS? We are looking for enthusiastic, talented writers to join our MMA writing team. Visit our “Write for Us” page for very easy details in how you can get started today!
For more great MMA interviews with the biggest fight stars on the planet, remember to check out Hammer MMA Radio on 93.3 CFMU or find their latest episodes on our main page’s sidebar. Hammer Radio features interviews from some of the industry’s biggest stars. You can find the latest on the Hammer @SteveJeffery.
