This Saturday, Bellator heads to Florence, Italy for a hybrid MMA/kickboxing card. The original main event between Melvin Manhoef and Rafael Carvalho has been cancelled, moving a clash between ex-UFC light heavyweights Alessio Sakara and Joey Beltran as the new feature bout.
Also on the MMA portion of the card is a 205-pound tilt between Philipe Lins and Pietro Capelli and a middleweight bout between John Salter and Claudio Annicchiarico.
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Light Heavyweights
Alessio Sakara -150
Joey Beltran +110
Over/under 1.5 rounds, over -150, under +110
Italy’s Alessio Sakara will defend home soil in what should be a fun boxing match between two sluggers. Beltran is a UFC vet who has fought the likes of Stipe Miocic, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Matt Mitrione and Emanuel Newton. Granted, he lost against all of them - and every other upper echelon fighter he’s faced - but the fact that he’s faced so many illustrious opponents says something about his toughness.
Sakara has been in his fair share of big name opponents as well. In the UFC, he’s faced guys like Chris Weidman, Brian Stann, Thales Leites and Chris Leben. Though he was only able to defeat Leites, “Legionarius” earned high remarks for his willingness to brawl.
Neither man is a legitimate title contender. But they are “go out on your shield” type fighters that crowds tend to love. This fight feels like a pick’em, but Sakara is the hotter fighter with crisper boxing. A small bet on the Italian makes sense.
MMA odds pick: Sakara to win
Light Heavyweights
Phillipe Lins -405
Kieber Raimundo Silva +285
Over/under 1.5 rounds, over -155, under +115
Lins is 3-1 under the Bellator banner, most recently besting Guilherme Viana via TKO at Bellator 159. And that loss can barely be considered a defeat, as he bowed out to a knee injury suffered inside the cage. So far, he looks like a solid addition to the 205-pound class, with good power and a solid submission game.
Silva steps in for an injured fighter at the last minute, and he’s literally a guy picked off the scrap heap from Brazilian regional competition. He could make things interesting, as he’s got 9 KOs in 12 wins, but asking him to beat a vet on short notice is a lot.
MMA odds pick: Lins TKO Silva, R3
Middleweights
John Salter vs. Claudio Annicchiarico
Check the sportsbook for odds
The promotion must have really been desperate to put more Italians on this card, as Annicchiarico is an 0-1 fighter making his debut against UFC alum John Salter. In no way does the Claudio belong in the promotion, much less facing a guy that’s scored stoppages in all 12 of his victories.
MMA odds pick: Salter TKO Annicchiarico, R2
Please note, the MMA odds at BookMaker.eu are updated daily and subject to change.
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Bellator 168 takes place on Saturday, December 10, 2016 at the Nelson Mandela Forum in Firenze, Italy. The main card airs at 9 p.m. ET on Spike TV.
