Bellator 171: Guillard vs Njokuani Date: January 27, 2017 Arena: Kansas Star Arena City: Mulvane, KS Bellator is back tonight from Mulvane, KS with Bellator 171: Njokuani vs Guillard. Main card action will be live at 9pm ET. If interested in wagering on any bouts for this fight card, all betting lines will be made available to you at Several Bookmakers. My Over/Under Totals are: Catchweight bout: Chidi Njokuani (-310) vs Melvin Guillard (+255) Gabe’s Thoughts: I think Njokuani is going to prove to be too big and too much for Guillard. Njokuani has been gettng better and better, while Guillard has been on an apparent decline since being released from the UFC. “The Young Assassin” is certainly always dangerous and should never be completely counted out of a fight, but I do think this is Njokuani’s fight to lose. I think he should be a -350 betting favorite, however rather than playing the money line at -310 here, I think taking the Total of Under 1.5 rounds at -140 is the play to make, as I think this fight ends within seven and a half minutes of action more often than not. Gabe’s Call: Njokuani by T/KO (strikes, 2:14 round 1) Gabe’s Recommended Play: Under 2.5 rounds (-140) 1.4u to win 1u Lightweight bout: David Rickels (-750) vs Aaron Derrow (+525) Gabe’s Thoughts: Putting it simply, I think there is a good chance this fight ends within seven and a half minutes of action. I think both 155-pounders stand a decent shot at finishing this fight early, and at +130, I think it is the play to make for this lightweight contest. Gabe’s Call: Rickels by T/KO (punches, 4:00 round 1) Gabe’s Recommended Play: Under 1.5 rounds (+130) 1u to win 1.3u Featherweight bout: AJ McKee (-1275) vs Brandon Phillips (+825) Gabe’s Thoughts: I don’t see any value in either fighter at the current odds, however I do think McKee stands a decent chance at putting the hard-to-finish Phillips away. I think McKee continues to roll here with a dominant performance. I see him scoring an early takedown, working some heavy ground and pound and then taking Phillips’ back to sink in a rear naked choke. Phillips is tough, so he will likely try to fight it off until he falls into a deep sleep and the referee pulls “The Mercenary” off of him. This is McKee’s fight to lose and I think he comes out on top again, and I expect him to get the win early in this won. Gabe’s Call: McKee by Submission (technical rear naked choke, 1:58 round 1) Gabe’s Recommended Play: Under 1.5 rounds (-125) 1.25u to win 1.25u 
