The main event of Bellator 141 is a lightweight contest between Melvin Guillard and Brandon Girtz. Guillard was recently released by both the UFC and the World Series of Fighting. Girtz, on the other hand, is a veteran of mixed martial arts that has bounced around from various promotions. Melvin Guillard (32-14-2 (1 NC), -335 favorite) Guillard, a competitor on the second season of The Ultimate Fighter, had a pretty decent run with the UFC. His only problem is that he always seems to sabotage his own career. He has been bouncing around from promotion to promotion lately because he is hard to deal with. However, he is still an immensely talented fighter. Melvin holds wins over Evan Dunham, Mac Danzig, Gleison Tibau, and Jeremy Stephens. Guillard is a primarily a striker with very heavy hands. He has 21 career knockouts on his resume, and I expect him to go for the kill tonight. Melvin has a great left hook, straight right, and vicious knees in the clinch. Guillard’s main problem is his submission defense as he has been submitted a whopping nine times. Further, his fight IQ is questionable and he tends to make decisions that negatively affect the outcome of his fights. Melvin’s offensive wrestling game is decent but he does not usually shoot for takedowns. Additionally, his offensive submission game is practically non-existent. Brandon Girtz (12-4, 4-2 Bellator, +305 underdog) There is not much to say about Brandon Girtz. He was a NCAA Division 2 All-American wrestler at Minnesota State University. Seven out of his 11 wins have come by submission and he only has one knockout on his record. Furthermore, he has lost to every quality fighter he’s ever fought, including Derek Campos, Derek Anderson, Eric Wisely and Alvin Robinson Girtz’s ceiling in the sport is low but he has heart and very dangerous leg locks. Thoughts If Guillard shows up in shape and motivated he should win this easily. However, his antics caused him to be released from the UFC. Guillard will have a big power and speed advantage over Girtz, and I expect “The Young Assassin” to dispatch him early. The Prediction Melvin Guillard defeats Brandon Girtz by knockout (round 1)
