Bellator 255 Predictions and Betting Tips

Patricio Pitbull vs. Emmanuel Sanchez II

Bellator Featherweight Championship Bout

Sunday, April 03, 2021 - 03:05 AM GMT at Mohegan Sun Arena

Patricio Pitbull

Age: 33

Nationality: Brazil

Record: 31-4-0

Height: 5ft 6"

Reach: 65.5"

Gym: Pitbull Brothers

Current Streak: 6 wins

Wins by KO/TKO: 12

Wins by Submission: 10

Decision Wins: 9

The face of Bellator, one of the greatest featherweight martial artists on the planet, a two-division champion and current lightweight/featherweight Bellator champion – Patricio Pitbull.

It is often hard to look beyond the bright lights and talent-rich pool the UFC has to offer, but if there is one man who has dominated outside of Dana White's grasp, Patricio Pitbull is that guy.

The Bellator Grand Prix tournaments are an excellent addition to your average arrange MMA contents, allowing multiple title changes and the opportunity for young bloods to put their name on the map. But if you want to compete in the featherweight Grand Prix, Patricio Pitbull will make your time there an uncomfortable one.

Emmanuel Sanchez

Age: 30

Nationality: United States of America

Record: 20-4-0

Height: 5ft 9"

Reach: 70"

Gym: Roufussport MMA Academy

Notable Gym Members: Anthony Pettis, Ben Askren & Brendan Allen

Current Streak: 3 wins

Wins by KO/TKO: 1

Wins by Submission: 8

Decision wins: 11

A ten-year MMA professional, Sanchez is no stranger to the danger inside the octagon and will be more than familiar with this week's opposition. For a second time during his career, he will face the dominant two-division champion in Patricio Pitbull.

During his early tenure for Bellator, it could be argued that Sanchez was still adjusting to the elite level competition and has only suffered three losses to some of the company's greatest, including the man he will face on Friday evening. But in the previous four years, he has now gone 7-1, with an extremely close encounter with Pitbull being the lone loss.

Fight Prediction

Those of you betting on Pitbull, I cannot blame you at all, but as a professional bettor, I see absolute value on Sanchez's side.

Their first encounter went the distance, with Pitbull winning three rounds to Sanchez two on all scorecards. Do we believe that after an extra three years of training and evolution for Sanchez, he cannot accomplish the unthinkable? At these big odds, I am willing to take my chances.

Pitbull will not utilise his wrestling early; much like the first fight, he'll want to keep this fight standing. Still, if Sanchez were to remain on the outside and exchange long-distance strikes over exchanging in the pocket, I anticipate the underdog stealing this one from the current champ.

Bellator 255 Free Betting Tip: Emmanuel Sanchez at 3.40 (+240) with Paddy Power (visit our Paddy Power Review)

Khalid Murtazaliev vs. Fabio Aguiar

Bellator Middleweight Bout

Sunday, April 03, 2021 - 03:05 AM GMT at Mohegan Sun Arena

Khalid Murtazaliev

Age: 30

Nationality: Russia

Record: 14-2-0

Height: 6ft"

Reach: 76"

Gym: Krepost Fight Club

Notable Gym Members: Murad Machaev & Zubaira Tukugov

Current Streak: 3 losses

Wins by KO/TKO: 17

Wins by Submission: 4

Decision wins: 1

Khalid Murtazaliev is a dangerous man, as evident during his UFC debut back in 2018 versus C.B. Dollaway. Unfortunately, a two-year suspension from USADA side-lined him from competing under the UFC banner, and now three years later, we see him making his Bellator debut.

A well-rounded martial artist, his powerful striking and reactive wrestling skills are elite enough to dominate the lower level that Bellator offers. I am not sure how he'll face off against the ranked fighters in the Bellator middleweight division, but making his debut versus another debutant should favour well for the Russian.

Fabio Aguiar

Age: 33

Nationality: Brazil

Record: 17-1-0

Height: 6ft"

Gym: Eduardo Machado Team

Current Streak: 8 wins

Wins by KO/TKO: 9

Wins by Submission: 5

Decision Wins: 3

Fabio Aguiar is making his Bellator debut aged 33 after a three-year absence from any professional competition, but he certainly has some power in his hands. The only problem we face as bettors are evaluating his worth with a small amount of fight tape available.

Fight Prediction

I am struggling to envision Fabio's impressive record translating into the Bellator cage. Although Khalid has not exactly fought the highest level of competition, he is more proven on the big stage than his opponent.

Given the odds available and Khalid's viciousness inside the cage, it is hard to ignore the fairly reasonable price on the Russian currently available.

Bellator 255 Free Betting Tip: Khalid Murtazaliev at 1.59 (-170) with WIlliam Hill (visit our William Hill Review)