Bellator 62 preview

So for those who listened to my radio show (The Sports Dojo, Tuesdays at 7 p.m. at KUNV HD2/rebcast.com), I picked my six fights for the week. Unfortunately, that has gone down the tubes.

One of my picks - the heavyweight Season 5 final between Eric Prindle and Thiago Santos has been canceled (AGAIN!) because Santos couldn't get himself to fit into a 265-lb. weight limit. The fight has been declared dead, and Prindle has been named the winner of the tournament by default.

This tells me two things. First of all, it sets up the heavyweight title fight between Prindle and the Bellator Heavyweight Champion Cole Konrad. Having seen them both fight, I'm convinced that the champion will retain his title fairly easily.

Second, it tells me that I'm not going to meet a six-fight quota anymore on a weekly basis on this blog. Last week I went a perfect 4-0 in the main card fights and blew both undercard bouts. As such, I will only be providing four picks this week.

I'll still do six on the radio show (normally, that will mean boxing fights will end up added), but I refuse to make anymore picks on fights where I have no idea who either fighter is.

Let's get to these picks (by the way, I'm 40-27 on the year, a .597 winning percentage).


Lightweight Tournament Quarterfinals


Patricky Freire v. Lloyd Woodward 


Having seen Freire a couple of times, I can honestly say his jiu-jitsu is the real deal. He responded well in his bout after losing the last Lightweight final to Michael Chandler (by winning via TKO to strikes), so I'll go in and say he is probably the favorite in this tournament.

I will say he submits Woodward in Round 1.


Rick Hawn v. Ricardo Tirloni


I am surprised Hawn decided to drop in weight after reaching the welterweight finals, but I guess he wanted in this season.

My worry is the weight cut, but he didn't appear to have trouble making it, which makes his power and judo skills all the more frightening. I'll take him to win by KO in Round 2.


Rene Nazare v. Thiago Michel


Michel has made some noise in Brazil as being an elite striker, while Nazare is more of an elite BJJ practicioner.

Nazare should be seen as the favorite going in and I actually had him on the Sexy 6 picks on my show, but I'll take a flash first-round KO unpset for Michel. I am liking him more as I read more on him.


JJ Ambrose v. Brent Weedman


Weedman is dropping in weight after losing two straight at welterweight, while Ambrose comes in on a seven-fight winning streak as he makes his Bellator debut.

Ambrose is definitely impressive, especially in the Muai Thai department, but in this battle of TUF rejects, I'll take the one Gray Maynard owned.

Weedman by decision.


That's it for this week. Tune into my radio show for bonus picks each week, but read here for more insight.