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Bellator Lightweight champion, Usman Nurmagomedov, will attempt to defend his crown opposite knockout artist, Alexander Shabliy, this weekend (Sat., Sept. 7, 2024) at Bellator Champion Series 4 inside Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California.

Forget all the weirdness with PFL purchasing Bellator and sidelining half of the roster: this is an outstanding Lightweight clash, one of the best possible non-UFC match ups in the world. It’s also the finals match of the Bellator Lightweight World Grand Prix, which began way back in March 2023.

The Nuragomedov hype is simultaneously absurd and completely justified. This is an athlete described as the most talented of the Dagestani bunch, which is silly … but he’s also undefeated in 18 pro fights and already a defending world champion at 26 years of age. Maybe it’s not silly? Shabliy is an excellent foil to the champion, an expert kickboxer with great wrestling and a ton of high-level experience on the Russian Lightweight scene.

Let’s take a closer look at the betting odds and strategic keys for each athlete:

Nurmagomedov vs. Shabliy Betting Odds

• Usman Nurmagomedov victory: -455
• Usman Nurmagomedov via TKO/KO/DQ: +550
• Usman Nurmagomedov via submission: +350
• Usman Nurmagomedov via decision: -105
• Alexandr Shabliy victory: +320
• Alexandr Shabliy via TKO/KO/DQ: +800
• Alexandr Shabliy via submission: +3000
• Alexandr Shabliy via decision: +550
• Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

How Nurmagomedov Wins

Dominant wrestling is expected when a fighter has the Nurmagomedov family name. Usman separates himself from the family with perhaps the best striking of the lot, a varied and powerful kicking game that can end fights in an instant. Still, the reason Nurmagomedov has been so dominant in Bellator is that he can do it all. The champion kicks extremely well, has power in his hands, and can maul opposition on the canvas.

In this match up, wrestling feels like the best bet. Shabliy is an expert striker himself and might just hold the power advantage. It’s in Nurmagomedov’s best interest, then, to convince Shabliy that he’s in a kickboxing match only to frustrate him with well-timed shots.

Shabliy is a skilled and experienced veteran unlikely to fold just because he’s taken down a couple times, but that’s how Nurmagomedov can remain in the driver’s seat. We’ve seen Shabliy engage in low-volume fights against high-level strikers in the past (like vs. Tofiq Musayev), so a couple takedowns in a slower fight can make a huge difference.

How Shabliy Wins

Shabliy is a very well-rounded talent with a background in hand-to-hand combat as well as Combat Sambo. He can do it all, but Shabliy likes to strike and is more of a pressure fighter — and one hit knockout artist — than his opponent.

Fighters like Nurmagomedov who kick and wrestle exceptionally well are always difficult. Opponents want to pressure to stop the kicks, but they walk into takedowns. If they hang back, they just get kicked … and maybe still taken down along the fence. It’s a powerful dynamic that isn’t easy to answer. We just saw a very smart fighter in Cory Sandhagen successfully negate Umar Nurmagomedov’s wrestling, but he still couldn’t pressure and generate his own offense.

It’s a complicated task.

Nevertheless, it’s what Shabliy must accomplish here. Patient pressure aided by feints and smart shot selection is the key to victory. I’d like to see Shabliy look to chop into the calf at moments when Nurmagomedov cannot attempt to wrestle, like when he’s circling off, jabbing, or in the middle of his own kick. Shabliy’s front kick could be a good weapon as well, particularly if thrown at the end of combinations.

Combos are key here as well. It’s so hard to build offense against the Nurmagomedov fight team, but single shots just aren’t going to beat them.

Nurmagomedov vs. Shabliy Prediction

It’s hard to go against the rising phenom.

I like Shabliy’s game and experience a lot. He’s definitely a top Lightweight who gives most anyone trouble, and that includes Usman Nurmagomedov. Unfortunately, Nurmagomedov is going to be the faster man, and it’s hard not to imagine his wrestling sealing at least one round. Shabliy could make something happen if able to gain the pocket consistently, but I expect he ends up stuck at the kicking range for long periods of the fight.

Usman Nurmagomedov remains Bellator’s undefeated champion and best overall fighter.

Prediction: Nurmagomedov via decision (-105)

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

Gilbert Burns and Jessica Andrade are two of the toughest gatekeepers in the business. They have their work cut out for them on Saturday.

In the main event of UFC Vegas 97, Burns looks to snap the first losing streak of his career when he takes on the highly touted Sean Brady. The welterweight veteran’s past two losses have been to a surging Jack Della Maddalena and future champion Belal Muhammad, results that are nothing to be ashamed of, though they could be indicative of where the 38-year-old Brazilian stands in the current pecking order.

It’s an order that Brady needs to disrupt further if he’s to truly reach his potential. The Philadelphia native has all the tools to be a champion and he reminded everyone just how good he can be with a drubbing of Kelvin Gastelum this past December. The top-5 of the division awaits him if he can get past Burns.

A similar narrative plays out in the co-main event as the white hot (ironically) “Natty Ice” gets her crack at Andrade. Natalia Silva is yet to lose in five UFC appearances and her crowd-pleasing style has her marked as a surefire title challenger. All she has to do tonight is beat the winningest woman in UFC history and one of the most accomplished finishers in any weight class.

In other main card action, Steve Garcia and Kyle Nelson put dueling win streaks on the line, Matt Schnell takes on short-notice opponent Cody Durden, and Trevor Peek throws down with Yanal Ashmouz in the lightweight opener.

What: UFC Vegas 97

Where: UFC APEX in Las Vegas

When: Saturday, Sept. 7. The seven-fight preliminary card begins at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN+, followed by a five-fight main card at 7 p.m. ET also on ESPN+.

(Numbers in parentheses indicate standing in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings and the MMA Fighting Pound-for-Pound Rankings)

Gilbert Burns (6) vs. Sean Brady (9)

I’m a firm believer that the Sean Brady who trucked Kelvin Gastelum is a truer reflection of his talents than the fighter that was humbled by Belal Muhammad. Besides, it turns out that ol’ Belal is really good!

Brady is an excellent all-rounder and, if anything, he needed that loss to Muhammad to show him how much farther he has to go to be considered an elite welterweight. Getting matched up with Gilbert Burns is throwing him right back into the fire, but he’s ready for it; frankly, if he isn’t now, he might never be.

Counting out Burns’ chances of upsetting Brady here doesn’t feel great, especially since I’m basing that decision more on Burns’ age (he turned 38 in July) and career wear-and-tear than any significant drop off in his performance. Don’t forget, he was up on two of the judges’ scorecards against Jack Della Maddalena before falling to the considerably younger fighter’s athleticism and power.

Brady can match Burns on the ground, he should have the speed advantage on the feet, and the difference in mileage between the two should be the difference in the championship rounds. After being pushed to the limit, Brady edges out a decision and takes his rightful place near the top of the welterweight ladder.

Pick: Brady

Jessica Andrade (14, P4P-14) vs. Natalia Silva (10)

Question: Will we see the Jessica Andrade that was good enough to win the UFC strawweight title once upon a time or the defensively suspect slugger that was finished in three straight fights not too long ago?

It might not matter given the rapid ascent of Natalia Silva, a standup menace who has already proven herself against stiff competition, including Viviane Araujo, Andrea Lee, and Jasmine Jasudavicius. She’ll have to have a ton of respect for Andrade’s power, given the list of bodies that “Bate Estaca” has left on the mat over the years.

Andrade could look to take this to the ground given that Silva is unproven there, but Silva projects as an elite sprawl-and-brawler. As long as she keeps this standing, I give her the edge.

Another question worth asking: Can Silva finish Andrade? It’s been a long time since Andrade has lost on the cards, but I think Silva is going to have to outlast the former UFC champion in this one.

Pick: Silva

Steve Garcia vs. Kyle Nelson

Finger of shame to my fellow Canadian for missing weight!

As we continue to wag our collective finger, let us also appreciate what Kyle Nelson has done in his past three fights, beating favored opposition in each one and even taking out Bill Algeo in under five minutes. He’s on a genuine roll that no one would have predicted when he was mired in a slump of just one win in six fights.

The blessings of the Great White North can only take you so far though and I think the good times come to an end Saturday when he runs into Steve Garcia. “Mean Machine” is a flat-out finishing machine and he thrives on chaos. He’ll draw Nelson into a dogfight whether he wants it or not and in that scenario, Garcia has more than enough bite to chomp down on another victory.

Nelson will hang in there for a round before Garcia turns up the heat in the second and smokes him.

Pick: Garcia

Matt Schnell vs. Cody Durden

Alessandro Costa was a popular choice to beat Matt Schnell inside the distance, but I don’t know what to think now with Cody Durden replacing Costa on less than a week’s notice.

Tip your cap to Durden’s team, this was a sly business move. Durden is eager to snap a two-fight skid and he must see the similarly slumping Schnell as an easy target. Schnell has a ton of skill and heart, but he’s never been known for his durability and Durden is undoubtedly looking to capitalize on that weakness.

Schnell is no stranger to fighting from behind, it might just be too much to ask him do so again at this stage of his career. He’ll have the benefit of a full camp, as well as the fact that Durden hasn’t exactly been a consistent finisher in the UFC. It shouldn’t surprise anyone if Schnell catches an overaggressive Durden in a submission.

I lean towards Durden relying on his wrestling to control Schnell and stifle his offense, burying him with pressure in Round 1 and finishing in the opening five minutes.

Pick: Durden

Trevor Peek vs. Yanal Ashmouz

Trevor Peek and Yanal Ashmouz both found themselves facing more technical opponents in their most recent fights and who asked for that? Credit to the matchmakers for course correcting and just throwing these two maniacs in the cage with each other.

I don’t want to see either of these dudes flashing their technical acumen, showing how they can perfectly control range to land teeps or how they use feints to set up fundamental 1-2 combinations. I want to see lightweight swangin’ and bangin’! Do the right thing, fellas. Go in there and just let it rip. And if I see one takedown, I will be very, very, very disappointed.

As far as a pick goes, do we ride with the unpredictable Peek and his penchant for fast finishes, or will Ashmouz eventually figure out Peek’s timing and find an opening for a decisive strike? One thing I’m confident about is that one of these fighters will be finished for the first time.

Ashmouz by knockout.

Pick: Ashmouz

Preliminaries

Chris Padilla def. Rongzhu

Isaac Dulgarian def. Brendon Marotte

Felipe dos Santos def. Andre Lima

Gabriel Santos def. Yizha

Jaqueline Amorim def. Vanessa Demopoulos

Andre Petroski def. Dylan Budka

Nathan Fletcher def. Zygimantas Ramaska

MMA Fighting – All Posts

The fourth Bellator Champions Series event goes down on Saturday night, and MMA News has you covered with all the action! After taking the newly created Bellator Champions Series to Belfast, Paris, and Dublin thus far since acquiring its rival promotion late last year, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) has brought the brand back to […]

Continue Reading Bellator Champions Series: Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Alexandr Shabliy Results & Highlights (5 PM ET) at MMA News.

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

UFC

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

Natalia Silva has a lot to fight for ahead of the biggest matchup of her career.

The surging flyweight contender is set to face former strawweight champion Jessica Andrade in the co-main event of Saturday’s UFC Vegas 97 card at UFC APEX. Silva, 27, enters the bout on an 11-fight win streak, including a 5-0 start to her UFC run.

While she steps into the cage with positive accolades, she also does so months after a heartbreaking loss in her family.

“First of all, I go into the octagon with a lot of will to win,” Silva told MMA Fighting. “I fight with a lot of heart and prepare myself a lot. This particular camp was really hard and I have a heavy heart because I lost a sister during this camp, and it’s something that when you fight for something that’s bigger than you, and if you actually lose something is more important than all of this, you fight with everything.

“[Andrade] understands why she’s preparing so much and why she’s training so much for this fight, because she knows how dangerous I am, she knows what [it] means to [fight] her. I’m going to go in this octagon approaching it as if it’s my first and last fight. I always take it one fight at a time and I go into the octagon with the will to win it, with the responsibility of being the fight that I need to win. So, she’s not going to be able to beat that.”

Silva’s sister tragically passed away earlier this year shortly after her 31st birthday, according to an Instagram post.

The loss of her sister was devastating and it left a hole in Silva’s heart that will never be filled. However, Silva now approaches her climb up the ladder through a different lens of thinking, and it all begins with her huge opportunity against Andrade.

“I wanted to be a champion for a very futile reason, maybe, just to be a champion of the UFC,” Silva explained. “I’ve understood that to be a champion, and carrying that belt, carries a responsibility, carries an opportunity as well. You have an opportunity for people to listen to you and to hear your story, and you have an opportunity to touch people all over the world, and it gives you the opening to say what I’ve been through. And if I would like to share my story, and what I’ve been through, hopefully people will listen.

“If just maybe, one or two or three people get impacted, whose lives gets transformed, or touched by what I’ve been through, I will be happy with that. And this win now represents something more of, not just being [closer] toward being a champion of the UFC, but also being a champion carrying that belt and having the opportunity to shine the light on people and to reach out to more people [by] being a champion. That’s what I see.”

Speaking recently with MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz, Andrade said she saw a lot of openings during Silva’s victory over Viviane Araujo at UFC Vegas 85 in February. Additionally, Andrade believes if she takes Silva down — like any other opponent in her eyes — “I know there’s no escape.”

Silva was asked to respond to Andrade’s thoughts, and the Brazilian standout welcomes the challenge.

“I think it’s really cool that she actually thinks that, because if that’s the strategy that she’s going to have, she’s about to meet a Natalia that she hasn’t had the opportunity to see in a previous fight,” Silva said.

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End of an era
| BJPenn.com

Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight!

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Quite simply, Demetrious Johnson might be the best to have ever done it.

“Mighty Mouse” challenged Dominick Cruz for the UFC Bantamweight crown way back in 2011, just two years into his professional career. He was too small to defeat “The Dominator,” but when the Flyweight division opened up a year later, Johnson arrived. He won the initial Flyweight tournament to become champion then defended his title a record-setting 11 times in the next six years.

“DJ” didn’t just defend his title either. He absolutely dominated the field, scoring 50-45 decisions, devastating knockouts, and flying armbars alike. Johnson was elite in just about every area and especially in transitioning between them. Truly, Johnson was a standout talent with unreal abilities, even if that never translated into being a huge pay-per-view draw.

Johnson’s UFC career ended with a debatable split-decision loss to Henry Cejudo. After the defeat — and actively ignoring Johnson’s earlier knockout win over Cejudo — UFC traded “Mighty Mouse” to One Championship for Ben Askren. The unprecedented move didn’t slow Johnson at all. He quickly captured the One Flyweight belt then ultimately was victorious in an all-action trilogy versus Adriano Moraes.

He walks away at 38 years of age still holding that title.

Johnson was emotional during his retirement speech, which took place on Friday (Sept. 6, 2024) at One Championship 168 inside Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. A teary-eyed Johnson thanked his team, coach, the fans, and his family in a lengthy retirement speech.

Check out the clip below:

Is “Mighty Mouse” the GOAT?

Insomnia

Dylan Budka addresses his weight miss … but seeing as he nearly collapsed on the scale, it sure seems like the doctor made the correct call!

The One situation is looking worse by the day, which is a shame since the promotion actually puts forth a really fun product.

I hope nobody ate a larger dinner tonight?

If it wasn’t for the fact that there’s absolutely zero money to be made, I would be interested in this sport.

I’ve heard this theory from several sources behind the scenes and in official interviews, and … I believe it.

Josh Emmett demonstrating that you don’t actually have to wail away on every non-pro that walks into the gym.

Boo!

Slips, rips, and KO clips

Awesome combos and a remarkable ability to remain standing upright.

Half-speed punches upstairs lead to a crushing liver shot.

Squatted low and ripped a right hook:

Random Land

I love a twist.

Midnight Music: Rock, 1979

Anecdote of the Week: Here’s a mini one since Josh Emmett was in the column tonight. During Thursday morning boxing practice, I was lightly boxing sparring with Emmett, who is thankfully careful not to obliterate his training partners. As Emmett came forward, I got down behind my lead shoulder to roll a couple jabs and thought I had a good bead on his head, so I tried to come out of the shoulder roll with my own right cross.

Emmett threw his own simultaneous right hand, and thank God my head was off the center line enough that it didn’t hit me. Despite the missed connection, it was all I could think about for the rest of the day. Unintentional or not, training or not, big gloves or not — I tried to trade right hands with Josh Emmett. People have died for less. Idiot!

Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.

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