Ryan Bader isn’t here to be part of someone else’s fairy tale ending.
As wonderful as it has been to celebrate and show our respect and admiration for the great Fedor Emelianenko this week — and you know the heavyweight GOAT couldn’t care less about all that — the time has come for “The Last Emperor” to actually make that final walk to the cage at Bellator 290 on Saturday.
It’s possible that it won’t work out for him.
It’s possible that this shouldn’t be a problem, considering that Emelianenko is in a position to compete for titles belts at this point in his career. But it can be tempting to imagine Emelianenko winning golden glory once more, turning the clock back to defeat Bader and coming out on top, something that very few people of his generation have achieved. Make no mistake, even the most jaded fight fan still has a spark of the idealist in them and it’s that spark that allows us to envision Emelianenko having his hand raised one last time.
Win or lose, Fedor’s final fight is a heck of a way to herald Bellator’s debut on (and Scott Coker’s return to) CBS and the matchmakers have done an excellent job putting together a tight three-fight main card to compliment a loaded prelims.
In the co-main, Johnny Eblen will defend his title as middleweight when he takes on Anatoly Tokov. This is a credible threat that could end Eblen’s reign before it even begins. Kicking off the main card is a surefire crowd-pleaser as welteweights Sabah Homasi and Brennan Ward look to punch the daylights out of each other.
All that and a preliminary portion that features Neiman Gracie, Lorenz Larkin, Henry Corrales, Steve Mowry, 2019 PFL heavyweight champion Ali Isaev, Max Rohskopf, Alejandra Lara, and former bantamweight champion Darrion Caldwell.
What: Bellator 290
Where: Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif.
When: Saturday, Feb. 4. Preliminaries begin at 6 p.m. ET on MMA Fighting (unaired prelims to take place after main event). The three-fight main card airs at 9 p.m on CBS and Paramount+.
Ryan Bader vs. Fedor Emelianenko
Listen, I’m Mr. MMA Should Do More Fun Rematches Because The Second Fight Will Likely Be Different Than The First One (damn, that is a long last name) but I can’t talk myself into Ryan Bader-Fedor Emelianenko 2 going any different than Part 1. This is not to suggest that I don’t like the matchup. I believe it serves two purposes. It sends Emelianenko away in a highly-publicized fight, and gives Bader an opportunity to claim that he has beat the heavyweight GOA twice.
It sounds strange, doesn’t? Sure, Fedor hasn’t run it back with too many opponents in his career (Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Mark Coleman, and Tsuyoshi Kohsaka, that’s the list) but to think that Bader could soon hold two wins over him is incredible, no matter how you slice it. Nogueira couldn’t get it done. Mirko Cro Cop couldn’t get it done. Kevin Randleman and Kazuyuki Futa were all unsuccessful in achieving the elusive win over Emelianenko.
Bader is about to double up on this feat.
How does he do it? You saw the fight.
I’m certain we will see some old Fedor magic, perhaps Bader allowing Bader to let the PRIDE king breathe for a while before locking him in. Emelianenko still has the power and precision to knock out anyone, it’s his own durability that has eroded and that’s why Bader can end this anytime he wants. The outcome of this fight will not change, even though it could last twice as long as in the first.
Bader by first-round knockout.
Pick: Bader
Johnny Eblen vs. Anatoly Tokov
This might not pique the interest of the casual CBS viewer, but Johnny Eblen vs. Anatoly Tokov is as good a middleweight title fight as you can make right now. It’s also a pivotal matchup for Eblen because if he gets past Tokov, the path is clear for him to go on a run of defenses that probably won’t face any major snags until he fights Tokov again.
Eblen, the quicker, more agile fighter in modern MMA, uses his athleticism and speed to his advantage. Eblen is still learning, and those physical abilities can mask a lot more warts. The timing on his strikes is sharp and he rarely takes a step forward without purpose, whether it’s to pressure or shoot for a takedown. He’s just super solid in all facets of the game.
Tokov could also be described as the same. A Fedor disciple, Tokov has a methodical, no-nonsense style that has served him well to the tune of a 31-3 record. Tokov’s patience and ability to keep fighting even when he isn’t dominating the fight allows him to remain in it. He searches for grappling or close boxing opportunities. His dangerous top game could give Eblen plenty of headaches if he puts the champ on his back.
It is up to Eblen not to get distracted, take his shots and then counter-wrestle when they start getting more difficult. Although I am picking Eblen to win the fight by decision, I will be shocked if it is not lopsided. Tokov and I match up so well. Eblen will win this fight, but it won’t be the end of a fierce rivalry.
Pick: Eblen
Sabah Homasi vs. Brennan Ward
I’m going to go out on a limb here and predict that this one doesn’t go the distance. Bold, I know.
Brennan Ward and Sabah Homasi are expected to kick off this card with a highlight. This finish will go viral instantly and make everyone switch to CBS. They’ve chosen the right two men to do the job. It is a huge task.
Both prolific finishers each with 11 knockouts to their name, Homasi and Ward go about it in different ways, though they use similar tools. The winner will be the first to establish their jab. Ward is more likely to support his opponent at the fence than Ward, and Homasi to use his right hand hammer to establish the range. Homasi works better from distance, Ward packs a meaner punch in close, plus he has the option of going to his wrestling.
This is a close one to call and the more I think about it, the more I can envision this becoming a three-round thriller as opposed to producing a TikTok-able KO. Let’s make it a split and finish the second round with Ward catching Ward with a counter.
Pick: Homasi
Preliminaries
Neiman Gracie def. Dante Schiro
Mukhamed Berkhamov def. Lorenz Larkin
Henry Corrales def. Akhmed Magomedov
Ali Isaev def. Steve Mowry
Max Rohskopf def. Chris Gonzalez
Grant Neal def. Karl Albrektsson
Alejandra Lara def. Diana Avsaragova
Nikita Mikhailov def. Darrion Caldwell
Jaylon Bates def. Jornel Lugo
Isaiah Hokit def. Peter Ishiguro
Ethan Hughes def. Yusuf Karakaya
Source: https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/2/4/23585011/bellator-290-predictions?rand=96749
