Ryan Bader isn’t right here to be a part of another person’s fairy story ending.
As great because it has been to rejoice and present our respect and admiration for the good Fedor Emelianenko this week — and you understand the heavyweight GOAT couldn’t care much less about all that — the time has come for “The Final Emperor” to really make that ultimate stroll to the cage at Bellator 290 on Saturday.
And there’s a really, superb probability that it doesn’t finish effectively for him.
Maybe it shouldn’t matter, provided that it’s a minor miracle that the dwelling legend continues to be in place to be competing for title belts at this stage of his profession, however it’s tempting to speak oneself into Emelianenko capturing golden glory one final time, turning again the clock to utterly flip the tables on Bader on this rematch, and going out on prime as few of his era have managed to do. Make no mistake, even probably the most jaded combat fan nonetheless has a spark of the idealist in them and it’s that spark that permits us to check Emelianenko having his hand raised one final time.
Win or lose, Fedor’s ultimate combat is a heck of a technique to herald Bellator’s debut on (and Scott Coker’s return to) CBS and the matchmakers have completed a wonderful job placing collectively a good three-fight predominant card to go with a loaded prelims.
Within the co-main occasion, Johnny Eblen defends his middleweight title for the primary time as he faces Anatoly Tokov, a official menace to finish Eblen’s reign earlier than it has an opportunity to begin. Kicking off the principle card is a surefire crowd-pleaser as welteweights Sabah Homasi and Brennan Ward look to punch the daylights out of one another.
All that and a preliminary portion that options Neiman Gracie, Lorenz Larkin, Henry Corrales, Steve Mowry, 2019 PFL heavyweight champion Ali Isaev, Max Rohskopf, Alejandra Lara, and former bantamweight champion Darrion Caldwell.
What: Bellator 290
The place: Kia Discussion board in Inglewood, Calif.
When: Saturday, Feb. 4. Preliminaries start at 6 p.m. ET on MMA Preventing (un-aired prelims will happen after the principle occasion). The three-fight predominant card airs at 9 p.m on CBS and Paramount+.
Ryan Bader vs. Fedor Emelianenko
Hear, I’m Mr. MMA Ought to Do Extra Enjoyable Rematches As a result of The Second Combat Will Doubtless Be Totally different Than The First One (rattling, that could be a lengthy final identify) however I can’t discuss myself into Ryan Bader-Fedor Emelianenko 2 going any completely different than Half 1. That’s to not say that I’ve any subject with the matchup as I feel it serves two functions: Sending Emelianenko off in a high-profile combat and giving Bader the chance to turn into the one fighter to say that he beat the heavyweight GOAT twice.
That sounds bizarre, doesn’t it? Certain, Fedor hasn’t run it again with too many opponents in his profession (Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Mark Coleman, and Tsuyoshi Kohsaka, that’s the checklist) however to assume that Bader might quickly maintain two wins over him is unimaginable, irrespective of the way you slice it. Nogueira couldn’t get it completed. Mirko Cro Cop couldn’t get it completed. Kevin Randleman, Kazuyuki Fujita, Ricardo Arona, none of them might get that elusive W over Emelianenko.
Bader is about to double up on this feat.
How does he get it completed? I imply, you noticed the primary combat, proper?
I’m assured we’ll see a few of that previous Fedor magic because the combat begins, perhaps with Bader permitting the PRIDE king to breathe for just a few seconds earlier than locking in. Emelianenko nonetheless has the facility and precision to knock out anybody, it’s his personal sturdiness that has eroded and that’s why Bader can finish this anytime he needs. This one might go twice so long as the primary combat and the result nonetheless gained’t change.
Bader by first-round knockout.
Choose: Bader
Johnny Eblen vs. Anatoly Tokov
This won’t pique the curiosity of the informal CBS viewer, however Johnny Eblen vs. Anatoly Tokov is pretty much as good a middleweight title combat as you can also make proper now. It’s additionally a pivotal matchup for Eblen as a result of if he will get previous Tokov, the trail is obvious for him to go on a run of defenses that most likely gained’t face any main snags till he fights Tokov once more.
Eblen is the quicker, bouncier fighter, a textbook fashionable MMA product who makes use of his athleticism to maximise his ability set. He’s nonetheless growing, however these bodily items can cowl up a number of warts, not that Eblen has too many. The timing on his strikes is sharp and he not often takes a step ahead with out goal, whether or not it’s to stress or shoot for a takedown. He’s simply tremendous strong in all sides of the sport.
The identical could possibly be stated about Tokov. A Fedor disciple, Tokov has a methodical, no-nonsense fashion that has served him effectively to the tune of a 31-3 report. Even when he’s not dominating, his endurance permits him to remain in any combat as he searches for alternatives to field in shut or grapple. His harmful prime sport might give Eblen loads of complications if he places the champ on his again.
It’s on Eblen to remain evasive, choose his pictures, and counter-wrestle when the takedown makes an attempt begin piling up. I’m selecting him to win this combat by resolution, however I’ll be surprised if he makes this one lopsided on the playing cards as Tokov matches up with him so effectively. This can be a press release victory for Eblen, simply don’t count on it to be the ultimate phrase in what could possibly be a compelling rivalry.
Choose: Eblen
Sabah Homasi vs. Brennan Ward
I’m going to exit on a limb right here and predict that this one doesn’t go the space. Daring, I do know.
Sabah Homasi and Brennan Ward are absolutely anticipated to begin this card off with a spotlight, a end that can immediately go viral and get these TVs switching over to CBS to take a look at what this newfangled cagefighting is all about. It’s a number of stress, however they’ve picked the 2 proper males for the job.
Each prolific finishers every with 11 knockouts to their identify, Homasi and Ward go about it in several methods, although they use comparable instruments. Whoever establishes their jab first can have an enormous benefit, with Homasi keen to fireplace his proper hand hammer as soon as he establishes the vary and Ward extra inclined to again his opponent to the fence earlier than he will get free with the palms. Homasi works higher from distance, Ward packs a meaner punch in shut, plus he has the choice of going to his wrestling.
It is a shut one to name and the extra I give it some thought, the extra I can envision this changing into a three-round thriller versus producing a TikTok-able KO. Let’s break up the distinction and go second-round end, with Homasi the final man standing after he catches Ward with a counter.
Choose: Homasi
Preliminaries
Neiman Gracie def. Dante Schiro
Mukhamed Berkhamov def. Lorenz Larkin
Henry Corrales def. Akhmed Magomedov
Ali Isaev def. Steve Mowry
Max Rohskopf def. Chris Gonzalez
Grant Neal def. Karl Albrektsson
Alejandra Lara def. Diana Avsaragova
Nikita Mikhailov def. Darrion Caldwell
Jaylon Bates def. Jornel Lugo
