With no UFC, Bellator, Titan, or WSOF event this weekend, AXS TV promotion CES MMA is bound to get a bit more attention than usual. The New England-based organization has been picking up momentum since its cards began airing on AXS TV back in August of 2014. A year later, the main event of CES MMA 30 will be the same fight that headlined their debut card on TV, as Julian Lane defends his lightweight title against Luis Felix. Unlike that first card however, CES has added some more recognizable names to their roster, and this looks to be one of the strongest cards they’ve put on in their history. The co-main event of the evening will feature former Bellator fighter Matt Bessette taking on Lenny Wheeler. Bessette compiled a 5-2 record under the Bellator banner, including a victory over former top 10 fighter Diego Nunes. 11 of Wheeler’s 12 bouts have ended inside the first round, with his last four victories all coming inside a minute. UFC veterans Dan Lauzon, Patrick Walsh, and Peggy Morgan all also find themselves on the televised portion of this card, in hopes that they can use the AXS TV platform to work their way back to the UFC as so many others have done. MMA oddsmaker Nick Kalikas opened the betting odds for CES MMA 30 today at Several Bookmakers. Take a look: ——————– MAIN CARD (AXS TV, 10pm ET) ——————– CES 30 Twin River Casino – Lincoln, Rhode Island Friday August 14 – Live on AXS TV – 09:00 PM ET Luis Felix +135 Julian Lane -175 Lenny Wheeler +175 Matt Bessette -245 Chip Moraza-Pollard +315 Dan Lauzon -445 Jesse McElligott +335 Pat Walsh -505 Peggy Morgan +135 Jesse Miele -175 ————————- Brad’s Analysis: The last fight between Julian Lane and Luis Felix was relatively uneventful until Lane landed a decent right hand and Felix shot into a guillotine. I’m not expecting a ton more out of this one, but I do think that Felix can avoid those two weapons from Lane and score a victory this time around. Despite winning and defending the CES lightweight title, I’m still yet to be impressed by Lane and I think his time as champion runs out on Friday night. While Lenny Wheeler is exciting to watch, I’m concerned about what he’ll bring to the fight after the first round. Matt Bessette is extremely tough to finish (he’s only been stopped once, back in 2009 in his fifth pro fight), and accustomed to going deep in bouts. So unless Wheeler can get this finished quickly, I think the tables will be turned on him in the second and third rounds, and this one is unlikely to make it to the scorecards before Bessette has his hand raised. I remember the days when Dan Lauzon was supposed to be the better of the Lauzon brothers, and his first UFC run simply didn’t work out because he was too young. It seemed like a good enough story, since he went back to the regional circuit and won 8 of 9 before coming back to the UFC. He lost two more uninspired bouts and was cut again, going back to the regional circuit and winning 5 straight before fighting Justin Gaethje. Since he was beaten up in that fight, he’s taken nearly two years off and is now returning at a higher weight. While this seems like the type of fight and opponent he’s rolled through in the past, I simply can’t trust Lauzon. Moraza-Pollard has a pedestrian record, but he’s generally lost to quite tough competition, and I think he can give Lauzon a test here. Is it enough for me to bet the 9-8? Honestly? It might be… but I’ll hold off as long as possible to see if the price goes up. Pat Walsh could end up wrestling Jesse McElligott and winning a decision, but he’s another guy I just don’t see much out of. McElligott should be the bigger fighter, and I think he can make Walsh work enough for early takedowns that this fight will get really sloppy and competitive quickly. Walsh lost a truly terrible kickboxing bout against Dan Kelly in his last outing, and I’m not really expecting that to be the fight that really sets off some sort of spark in him moving forward. This is another spot where a small play on the dog wouldn’t raise any eyebrows from me. I haven’t seen Jesse Miele fight, but I have seen Peggy Morgan fight, and that’s enough to keep me away from betting Morgan as a dog here, despite the fact that she holds a win over the only fighter to defeat Miele (Andria Wawro). That fight was Miele’s pro debut, and I have to assume she’s made improvements since then which will allow her to exploit Morgan’s striking defense and grappling (should the bout hit the mat). Click below to bet the fights now! 
