Bellator 242: Pettis vs. Bandejas takes place on Friday, July 24 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. The offshore sportsbooks recently opened up the betting odds for the main card, and here they are.
Bellator 242: Pettis vs. Bandejas
Sergio Pettis -270
Ricky Bandejas +230
Jordan Mein -125
Jason Jackson +105
Aaron Pico -500
Solo Hatley Jr. +385
Tywan Claxton -225
JJ Wilson +190
Here are my initial thoughts on the Bellator 242 Opening Odds:
- It’s fantastic to see Bellator return after five months away due to the coronavirus pandemic. In the main event, a pair of young bantamweights with a lot of talent fight each other as Pettis takes on Bandejas. For Pettis, this is his second fight in Bellator after submitting Alfred Khashakyan in his promotional debut. Overall he’s won his last two fights and in 2018 picked up the biggest win of his career when he defeated Joseph Benavidez. As for Bandejas, he is coming off of two straight wins as well and is 3-2 overall in Bellator with a head kick KO win over top prospect James Gallagher. This should be a competitive fight and while I slightly lean towards Pettis, the value for a bet is definitely on Bandejas here based on the opening line.
- I’m really looking forward to the co-main event between welterweights Mein and Jackson. For Mein, this is his Bellator debut after going 5-4 in the UFC, including back-to-back wins over Alex Moreno and Erick Silva before he was released. Although Mein is only 30, he’s taken a lot of damage over the years and it’s hard to know what to expect from him in Bellator. As for Jackson, the former TUF competitor is 2-1 in Bellator and in his last fight defeated UFC veteran Kiichi Kunimoto. As a Canadian, I’ve always had a fondness for my fellow countryman Mein, but based on these odds, I think you have to favor Jackson as the underdog here.
- At featherweight, former top prospect Pico returns to take on Hatley Jr. Pico has fought all eight of his pro fights in Bellator and has racked up a 5-3 record overall, but we all know he’s been finished in brutal fashion three times. He’s always a big favorite but doesn’t always live up to the hype. Hatley Jr. is making his second walk to the Bellator cage after defeated Gaston Bolanos in his promotional debut. He doesn’t have as big of a name as Pico, but Hatley Jr. is a solid prospect. Pico probably wins, but you can’t lay this kind of juice on him anymore.
- Finally, two more featherweight prospects go at is as Claxton takes on Wilson. Claxton is another home-grown Bellator talent and has a 6-1 record in the promotion, while Wilson is a perfect 5-0 including a 4-0 mark in the Bellator cage. This is a fun fight between two guys with bright futures at 145lbs. Based on fighting a higher level of completion you have to slightly lean towards Claxton here, but Wilson is definitely a live dog.
- Overall, I believe all four underdogs have a chance to buck the odds and get their hand raised.
