For the first time in a while there aren’t any UFC fight announcements to write about in this morning’s MMA odds and ends, so instead I’ll give my thoughts on some of the new bouts Bellator has announced recently.
Daniel Wiechel vs. Goiti Yamauchi, Bellator 210
An intriguing lightweight bout that is flying under the radar will see Daniel Weichel take on Goiti Yamauchi at Bellator 210, which takes place Friday, November 30 at WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Oklahoma. Weichel (39-10) is 8-2 overall in Bellator but decided to move up a weight class after losing a split decision to Patricio Pitbull in his last fight, his second loss to Pitbull overall. Yamauchi (22-4) is 8-3 in Bellator and lost a decision to Michael Chandler in his last fight. Both guys are solid talent but Yamauchi is more proven at 155lbs and has more upside and I’d favor him slightly to win this fight.
Joe Schilling vs. Will Morris, Bellator 210
After injuries resulted in an opponent changeup, middleweight kickboxing sensation Joe Schilling will return to MMA when he takes on Will Morris at Bellator 210. Schilling (2-5) has not competed in an MMA fight since being knocked out by Hisaki Kato at Bellator 139 in June 2015. However, he’s won his last four fights in Bellator Kickboxing. Morris (4-0) is an undefeated young prospect who is 1-0 so far in Bellator. He only began fighting as a pro in 2017 but has been impressive in MMA so far with three finishes. It’s hard to pick Schilling in MMA because other than knocking out Melvin Manhoef he’s always struggled in mixed martial arts and Morris is a young prospect with upside. I expect Schilling to be favored but I think Morris might win this.
Joe Warren vs. Shawn Bunch, Bellator 210
Former Bellator bantamweight and featherweight champion Joe Warren will take on Shawn Bunch at Bellator 210. Warren (15-7) is 13-6 in Bellator but has struggled in the last few years and is coming off of a split decision loss to Joe Taimanglo. Bunch (7-3) is 4-2 in Bellator but has gone 3-1 on the regional circuit since being released. It appears Bellator has some interest in building Bunch up again after he failed in his first bid in Bellator. Warren is a veteran with a ton of experience but he has been fading fast over the last couple of years and this looks like a situation where it might be smart to bet against him.
Derek Campos vs. Sam Sicilia, Bellator 212
A fun lightweight tilt between Derek Campos and Sam Sicilia will go down at Bellator 212, which is set for Friday, December 14 at Neal S. Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu, Hawaii. Campos (19-7) was riding a four-fight win streak before getting brutally knocked out by Patricky Pitbull in his last fight. Campos is 8-5 overall in Bellator and is one of the better lightweights in the promotion. Sicilia (16-9) is 1-1 in Bellator, having defeated Marcos Galvao before losing to Emmanuel Sanchez. He signed with Bellator after going 5-7 in the UFC. Both guys are heavy hitters with KO power but Campos has been more consistent lately and I’d favor him here.
