Bellator Predictions: Bellator 24 Preview & Predictions

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Pro Fighting Fans is the home of Bellator MMA fans across the globe and we now bring you the best place to find the latest Bellator news as well as the latest preview & predictions. Bellator Fighting Championships 24 is the 1st event of Bellator's third season taking place on Thursday night August 12, 2010 and our Bellator predictions & fight previews will be posted below for MMA fans across the globe to enjoy. Check out the Bellator 24 results and buy Bellator MMA tickets online here through Pro Fighting Fans!

Yves Edwards vs. Luis Palomino

Well-traveled Yves Edwards (37-16-1) will make his first appearance for Bellator at the August 12 th BFC 24 against surging Peru-native Luis Palomino (13-5). This non-tournament bout will be contested in the lightweight division.

Edwards, 33, is a thirteen year veteran who is one of the many who hail from the American Top Team camp. He joined the UFC in September 2001 and would compete for them ten times over the next five years winning six. He also had stints for the WEC, Pride, and Shooto during that span. After parting ways with the UFC, he fought for notable organizations like Elite XC, Bodog Fight, and Strikeforce. He has since changed his career direction and instead has fought for smaller organizations over the past year competing for Moosin, MFC, and Shine Fights. He lost his most recent fight in May against WEC vet Mike Campbell while fighting for Moosin.

Palomino, 29, is a Peruvian-American who splits his training between MMA Masters and Team Nogueira. He made his first professional appearance in 2006 and won eight of his first eleven fighting in the USFL, XFC, AFC, and others. He joined Bellator in April 2009 as part of the season one featherweight tournament. He has fought four times for the organization winning three of the four. Overall, he has won five of his last six fights including his last three. He picked up victories over Jorge Masvidal in February and Jose Figueroa in June at Bellator 21.

Prediction – Palomino decision

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Eddie Sanchez vs. Neil Grove

Former UFC heavyweights Neil Grove (8-2) and Eddie Sanchez (12-3) will meet in the organization’s first 265-pound tournament fight. Sanchez has won both of his Bellator bouts to date including his BFC 20 TKO of Marcus Sursa in May. Grove’s last action was also in May, fighting his opponent to a draw.

Sanchez, 27, is a California native who fights out of the San Diego-based North County Fight Club. He turned professional in 2005 and won all of his first five bouts to earn a shot to fight for the UFC. He started off solid, winning three of his first four inside the octagon, but lost back-to-back bouts causing the two parties to split. He has rebounded nicely however winning all of his four bouts since the release. Two of the victories have come under the Bellator banner.

Grove is a South African-born mixed martial artist who now trains out of London, England. Grove began in 2006 as a professional and won seven of his first eight fighting mostly for the Cage Rage organization. It turned out to be a one-and-done deal for Grove inside the octagon, losing his UFC 95 bout in February 2009 against Mike Ciesnolevicz. Since his release, he has won once and fought to a draw once, both fights came in the Ultimate Challenge UK organization.

Prediction –Sanchez TKO

Megumi Fujii vs. Carla Esparza

Undefeated Japanese submission specialist Megumi Fujii (20-0) will face relative MMA newcomer Carla Esparza (3-0) in a Bellator Women’s 115-pound tournament bout. Fujii won her only previous Bellator fight in June; Esparza has never appeared for Bellator, she is filling in for Angela Magana, who injured her toe.

Fujii, 36, is a six-year professional who trains out of Tokyo, Japan at the Abe Ani Combat Club. She has fought for some well-known women’s organizations like Smackgirl and Jewels, as well as other notable promotions like Bodog Fight, Hook n Shoot, and Shooto throughout her career. Fujii’s last fight came in June at BFC 21, where she picked up her first career TKO over Sarah Schneider. Overall, she has stopped her last eight opponents. Her “go-to” submission is the armbar; she has used that technique to finish nine opponents throughout her career.

Esparza is a California-native who trains with Team Oyama. The wrestling and jiu-jitsu specialist began competing as a professional earlier this year in February. She has fought for Respect in the Cage, Long Beach Fight Night, and NMEF organizations. Her most recent fight took place in July when she submitted Lacey Schuckman at NMEF. She has finished her last two opponents via the rear naked choke submission.

Prediction – Fujii submission

Jessica Aguilar vs. Lynn Alvarez

Jessica “Jag” Aguilar (8-3) will challenge Lynn “Lights Out” Alvarez (5-1) in a Women’s 115-pound tournament bout on the Bellator 24 fight card. Aguilar comes into the opening round winning three consecutive; Alvarez has been streaking as well winning her last four fights. This will be both women’s first fight for Bellator.

Aguilar, 28, is a four-year professional who completes her training at American Top Team. She has fought for Absolute FC, Combat FC, WFC, Bodog Fight, Hook-n-Shoot, Unconquered, and Action Fight League promotions throughout her career. After losing her first career bout, she posted four straight victories. She then lost two of her next three during the middle stages of her career, but has since turned it around winning her last three, all by way of stoppage. Her two most recent fights came in the Florida-based Action Fight League, including a June TKO of Catia Vitoria.

Alvarez is a 5’2” submission specialist who trains out of the Las Vegas-based Shogun MMA. She began her career in late 2007 and has fought for Ring of Fire, Tuff-n-Uff, Valor Fighting, Freestyle Café Fighting, and Shark Fights organizations. She dropped her second career bout, but has won her last four, all by way of stoppages. Her most recent fight came well over a year ago, defeating Shoni Esquiro by submission at Freestyle Cage Fighting 34.

Prediction – Aguilar TKO

Hector Lombard vs. Herbert Goodman

Current Bellator Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard (26-2-1) will be in action in a non-title bout at Bellator 24 against former NFL running back Herbert “Whisper” Goodman (16-8). This main event bout will be Lombard’s first action since May; Goodman was in action in July.

Lombard, 32, is a Cuban-Australian Judo specialist who trains out of American Top Team in Florida. He began fighting as a professional in 2004 and won his first six bouts before dropping a PRIDE Bushido 11 bout against Akihiro Gono. He was defeated three bouts later at PRIDE Bushido 13 against Gegard Mousasi, however hasn’t lost since. Since that November 2006 bout, he has not been defeated, a period of almost four years and nineteen bouts. He has jumped around and fought for a wide variety of organizations like DEEP in Japan and CFC in Australia. He won the Bellator Middleweight belt at the June 2009 Bellator FC 12 event with a TKO victory over Jared Hess. His most recent victory came in May at BFC 18 KO’ing former UFC fighter Jay Silva in 6-seconds.

Goodman, 32, is a former Green Bay Packers veteran who now trains MMA at the Wisconsin-based Fox Valley Grappling Club. After playing in the NFL for two seasons, he began training and fighting as a professional in early-2007. He saw his ups and downs early on in his career, but has since found some consistency winning six of his last seven. He holds notable victories over UFC veterans Jordan Radev and Dante Rivera. He won his most recent bout this July at Cool City Fight Promotions via TKO against Mike Suttles.

Prediction – Lombard TKO