Bellator 280: Bader vs. Kongo 2 Free Picks and Preview (Archive)
One of the greatest sports in the world touches down in one of the world’s greatest cities, as Bellator 280 comes to Paris, France and Cheick Kongo eyes revenge against Ryan Bader.
Which way to lean at the best sportsbooks? Let’s break down the available Bellator odds for this event.
Ryan Bader vs. Cheick Kongo 2
Bellator Men’s Heavyweight Championship Main Event Bout
Friday, May 06, 2022 – 04:00 PM EDT at AccorHotels Arena
Ryan Bader
The last time these two stood across from one another inside the Bellator cage was in 2019, back when working in an office didn’t give you anxiety (it just made you depressed), and in the highly anticipated heavyweight matchup that was also depressing as the defending then Bellator Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight champion, Bader, ended up giving Kongo the old “Three Stooges” move and poked him right in the eye just moments into the fight.
In the time from the eye poke until this Friday afternoon in Paris, it has not been a fun time for “Darth Bader” as he has lost two of his last four, both times in a battle at 205 pounds against Vadim Nemkov and Corey Anderson.
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And I am not an expert in what causes you to not get knocked out, but both of those losses at 205lbs were by early TKO, and that was the most common way Bader lost as a pro (outside of getting submitted by Jon Jones and Tito Ortiz in back-to-back fights).
Since making the move to heavyweight in 2018, Bader has yet to be stopped in the Bellator cage, holding wins over King Mo, Matt Mitrione, and our lord and dad-boded savior Fedor Emelianenko en route to winning the Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix and becoming the first simultaneous two-weight champion in the Paramount owned organization’s history.
Cheick Kongo
Only fighting twice at heavyweight since winning the title, Bader ran into the aforementioned issue with Kongo that brings both men to Kongo’s hometown of Paris, and a heavyweight unification fight earlier this year where he’d take a unanimous decision win over Valentin Moldavsky.
Kongo, in the nearly three-year span he’s gone between fights, has gone 1-1, not returning to the Bellator cage until the fall of 2020, where he would suffer a loss to the man Moldavsky, would defeat for the interim heavyweight crown in Timothy Johnson, and then tap out Pride and Strikeforce veteran Sergei Kharitonov in August of 2021.
If we look at the idea of momentum heading into Friday afternoon, you can give the edge to Bader, as he’s fought a higher quality of opponent since jumping to the Paramount owned MMA brand, as well as having a win over a common opponent King Mo Lawal, who defeated Kongo in their only professional meeting.
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While this is Kongo’s homecoming, the last time Bellator brought the action to Paris, Kongo would take that decision loss to Johnson, and while it may have been a split decision loss, going up against someone like Bader who likes to bring the pain and similar strikers like Roy Nelson and Mark Hunt have sparked you out in the past, it doesn’t give me too much hope that it’ll be a fun night at the office for Kongo.
If you’re a Kongo fan, you’re hinging your hopes on the fact that Bader’s had his chin checked in the past and that he’s someone who burns minutes like someone on a prepaid plan and a long-distance relationship with a talkative human.
The last point is big-time fights. Kongo in his return to Paris faltered under the lights, and faltered in his initial heavyweight title fight against Vitaly Minakov in 2014, while Bader has stepped on to Bellator’s biggest stages such as Madison Square Garden, The Forum and standing across from Fedor and walked out with not only wins but championship gold around his waist.
The Bellator 280 Pick
Your best bet on this fight is from Bovada (visit our Bovada Review), as they give you -300 for a pick for the defending champion, and as we get closer to fight night, keep your eyes peeled on any Over/Under odds that may come in and keep your eye on where the over lands, as I’m predicting that this fight goes to the distance.
If you think the French judges may give Kongo a hometown discount and take the win, BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review) would be your best place to lay some units on the challenger, as they have him set at a +250, which isn’t a bad flier of a bit.
Think I’m right? Wanna buy me a milkshake? Talk to me on Twitter at MRyanConsulting
Bellator 280 Pick: Ryan Bader to Win (-300) at Bovada
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.