Bellator MMA continues its seemingly never ending overseas events marathon with a trip to Ireland for Bellator 169. This event will be headlined by a crucial light heavyweight division fight as King Mo takes on Satoshi Ishii. Also, James Gallagher faces Anthony Taylor and Daniel Weichel looks for another big win in the featherweight division.
Main Card
Main Event
Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Division Fight
King Mo (19-5-0) vs. Satoshi Ishii (11-7-1)
Mo has won four of his last five under the Bellator MMA banner, with those wins coming over Cheick Kongo, Linton Vassell, Dustin Jacoby and Joe Vedepo, while that lone loss came to current Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Champion Phil Davis. Ishii is currently winless under the Bellator MMA banner, dropping a fight to Quinton Jackson at Bellator 157. Mo also won the 2015 Rizin Heavyweight Grand Prix, defeating Jiri Prochazka by knockout in the finals. Ishii has defeated a six pack of UFC veterans in the past, those UFC veterans are Tim Sylvia, Sean McCorkle, Kerry Schall, Pedro Rizzo, Jeff Monson and Philip De Fries.
Prediction: Ishii will primarily depend on his ground game to get the job done, but Mo has great defensive wrestling and that will set up his striking, Mo finishes Ishii with strikes in the first round.
Co-Main Event
Bellator MMA Lightweight Division Fight
James Gallagher (7-0-0) vs. Anthony Taylor (1-1-0)
Gallagher has already fought once under the Bellator MMA banner, defeating Michael Cutting by unanimous decision at Bellator 158. Taylor has spent his entire professional MMA career in Bellator MMA, defeating Victor Jones and suffering a defeat to Adin Duenas. Gallagher saw six of his first seven pro MMA fights end in the opening round, the only fight that went the distance was his Bellator MMA debut. If you include his amateur fights, Taylor has only won just one of his last seven fights heading into Friday Night.
Prediction: Taylor is being brought in so Gallagher can be made to look like a huge star in his home country, Gallagher gets the easy first round knockout.
Bellator MMA Featherweight Division Fight
Brian Moore (10-3-0) vs. Daniel Weichel (33-8-0)
Moore will be making his Bellator MMA debut in this fight and he is the current Cage Gods MMA Featherweight Champion and Tuffnut MMA Featherweight Champion. Weichel will enter the fight riding a two fight winning streak, with those wins coming over Emmanuel Sanchez and Georgi Karakhanyan. Moore will be entering the fight on a four fight winning streak, with three of those four wins coming by first round finish. Weichel has previously challenged for the Bellator MMA Featherweight Title, losing to then champion Patricio Freire at Bellator 138.
Prediction: Both fighters have a great ground game, but Weichel has the better wrestling and submissions, Weichel gets the decision in this one.
Bellator MMA Women?s Featherweight Division Fight
Elina Kallionidou (5-0-0) vs. Sinead Kavanagh (3-0-0)
Kallionidou will be making her Bellator MMA debut in this fight and she is the current Cage Survivor Women?s Featherweight Champion. Kavanagh will also be making her Bellator MMA debut in this fight, she has spent her entire pro career until this point in the UK-based BAMMA promotion. Kallionidou will be competing for only the second time in 2016, which is the least active she has been since turning pro in 2014. Kavanagh has held championships as an amateur fighter, as she was the British Challenge MMA Women?s Featherweight Champion and the IMMAF 2015 Women?s Featherweight World Champion.
Prediction: These are two fighters who bring some quality striking into the cage, but it will be Kallionidou using her striking to notch a close decision win.
Bellator MMA Featherweight Division Fight
Cameron Else (3-3-0) vs. Dylan Tuke (4-0-0)
Else will be making his Bellator MMA debut in this fight and only one of his six professional MMA fights went past the first round. Tuke will also be making his Bellator MMA debut in this fight and he held the Battle Zone Fighting Championships Featherweight Title as an amateur. Else fought twice in the Cage Warriors promotion, where he defeated current lightweight champion Paddy Pimblett. Tuke will be competing for the third time this year, which is the most active he has been since turning pro in 2014.
Prediction: Else will just keep coming forward while throwing strikes, Tuke has a great submission game and he grounds, then submits Else in the second round.
Preliminary Card Quick Picks
Tom Duquesnoy over Alan Philpott to retain the BAMMA Bantamweight Title
Chris Fields over Andrew Clamp
Niklas Backstrom over Ronnie Mann
Sean Tobin over Dylan Duke
Rhys McKee over Jai Herbert
Kiefer Crosbie over Conor Riordan
Walter Gahadza over Nathan Jones
Ian Cleary over Andrew Lofthouse
Niklas Stolze over Terry Brazier
Richie Smullen over Conor Dillon
Blaine O?Driscoll over Neil Ward
Keith McCabe over Richard Kiely
Will Fleury over Kyle McLurkin