There are two huge MMA events this weekend between Bellator MMA and the UFC, but it will be kicking off with Bellator 177. The event will be headlined by a non-title affair as bantamweight champion Eduardo Dantas takes on Leandro Higo. Also, Daniel Weichel faces John Teixeira and Lena Ovchynnikova looks to keep her winning ways going on Friday Night.
Main Event
Non-Title Bantamweight Division Fight
Eduardo Dantas (19-4-0) (Bellator MMA Bantamweight Champion) vs Leandro Higo (17-2-0)
Dantas would have been making the second defense of his title in this fight, as he last defended it against Joe Warren at Bellator 166. Higo was originally set to challenge for the title, but he missed weight for the fight and it was changed to non-title. Dantas will be entering the fight riding a three fight winning streak and he hasn’t suffered a defeat in over two years. Higo is a former Legacy Fighting Alliance Bantamweight Champion and he gave up the belt when he signed with Bellator MMA.
Prediction: Higo has solid wrestling and striking, but Dantas has one of the best submission games in MMA and he goes for enough attempts to get him a decision win.
Co-Main Event
Bellator MMA Featherweight Division Fight
Daniel Weichel (38-9-0) vs. John Teixeira (21-1-2)
Weichel will be entering the fight while riding a three fight winning streak, which includes a win over former WSOF Featherweight Champion Georgi Karakhanyan. Teixeira is currently undefeated under the Bellator MMA banner and all four of his fights have gone the distance. Weichel has previously challenged for the Bellator MMA Featherweight Title, losing to then champion Patricio Freire at Bellator 138. Teixeira also fought once in the UFC as well, dropping a fight to Hugo Viana via split decision at UFC 147.
Prediction: These are two of the better submission artists in the entire division, Weichel has a slightly better wrestling game and his better striking game helps him earn a razor thin decision.
Bellator MMA Women’s Flyweight Division Fight
Lena Ovchynnikova (11-4-0-1NC) vs. Helen Harper (4-1-0)
Ovchynnikova has won just one of two fights under the Bellator MMA banner, defeating Karla Benitez and suffering a defeat to Rebecca Ruth. Harper will be making her Bellator MMA debut in this fight, but she was a cast member on the UFC Ultimate Fighter 23. Ovchynnikova fought three times in the Super Fight League and that includes a bout against UFC veteran Joanne Calderwood. Harper will be competing for the first time professionally in almost two years, but she has previously fought UFC fighter Cortney Casey.
Prediction: Ovchynnikova typically has problems with fighters who have good wrestling and continue going forward, which is exactly what Harper does and it will be Harper getting a decision here.
Bellator MMA Featherweight Division Fight
Adam Borics (5-0-0) vs. Anthony Taylor (1-2-0)
Borics will be making his Bellator MMA debut in the fight, but he is a three fight veteran of the Final Fight Championships. Taylor has spent his entire professional MMA career in Bellator MMA, with his lone win coming over Victor Jones at Bellator 154. Borics has also seen three of his professional MMA fights end via submission, while the other two were decision wins. Taylor also had a poor run as an amateur MMA fighter, where he won just one of seven fights during that amateur run.
Prediction: Borics has a good submission game, which he uses to tap out Taylor in the first round.
