Preview: Bellator Fighting Championships I

In a somewhat surprising and unexpected maneuver, the first ever featured MMA event on ESPN will actually be broadcast on ESPN Deportes, the channel’s Spanish programming block, when Bellator Fighting Championships kicks off its featherweight and lightweight tournaments on April 3rd at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Fla.

Bellator I will jump start a programming run currently planned to span twelve weekly events and featuring eight-man tournaments in the featherweight, lightweight, welterweight, and middleweight divisions with featured non-tournament match ups occurring to round out the cards. Each night of fights will be broadcast on ESPN Deportes the following night, Saturday, during primetime on the leading Spanish cable sports coverage provider.

While many of the fighters appearing on BFC’s debut cards will not be known to a widespread audience, the signings of notable lightweights Eddie Alvarez and Jorge Masvidal, as well as undefeated featherweight prospect Wilson Reis—appearing on the organization’s second event, Apr. 10—should provide some explosive match-ups and could go a long way in roping in the legions of fight-savvy Spanish fans in the U.S. and beyond whose love for combat sports is legendary.

April 3rd will mark the beginning of both the lightweight and featherweight quarterfinal brackets, and while little is known about many of the fighters appearing on the card, ProFighting-fans is prepared to make a few predictions on what to expect for the promotion’s debut.

BFC I - Lightweight Tournament Quarterfinals:

Nick Agallar vs Jorge Masvidal

With notable victories of Joe Lauzon, Yves Edwards, and Ryan Shultz, Masvidal (16-3 MMA) should prove an exciting headliner for BFC’s debut event, with eight of his 16 victories coming by way of (T)KO. He should also represent the biggest threat to early tournament favorite Eddie Alvarez, but he must first get by the versatile Agallar (21-5 MMA), a UFC veteran currently riding a four fight winning streak. Look for Masvidal to do his job in the spotlight as he punishes a very game Agallar into a late stoppage due to strikes.

Eddie Alvarez vs Greg Loughran

While his most recent fight ended in a first round submission defeat to the highly ranked Shinya Aoki, Eddie Alvarez (15-2 MMA) still enjoys a good amount of hype as an early favorite for BFC’s lightweight tournament. With 13 finished in 15 professional appearances, Alvarez should substantiate himself as the odds-on favorite when he takes out veteran Greg Loughran (18-11 MMA) early on with strikes. Loughran has only been finished once due to strikes, but don’t look for this one to go past the first round.

Alonzo Martinez vs Toby Imada

BFC I - Featherweight Tournament Quarterfinals:

Nick Gonzales vs Yahir Reyes

A difficult fight to pick. Gonzalez (14-6 MMA) has shown an above average ability in the stand up department, while his opponent, Reyes (12-5 MMA) has demonstrated equal ability on the ground. This bout will come down to the grittier fighter, in this case Gonzalez, pulling Reyes into his world and dragging him into the deeper waters of the fight where he will win by TKO or Decision. Losing efforts to Yves Edwards and Josh Thomson put Gonzalez above Reyes in terms of strength of previous competition.

Joe Soto vs Ben Greer

While Greer (11-4 MMA) has certainly been around the sport longer and has faced tougher competition than his undefeated opponent, this is the one fight on the card in which the underdog seems poised to strike in resounding fashion, as Soto (4-0 MMA) forces Greer into a rough and tumble brawl that he will win by way of TKO.

Estevan Payan vs Luis Palomino

In another clash of relative unknowns, the safer bet would be to go with the more experienced Palomino (9-4 MMA) en route to a decision victory. However, Payan (6-1 MMA) has yet to be finished in a fight while his opponent has been TKO’d three times in four losses. Look for Payan to make it to the semifinals with a rallying decision victory.

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BFC I - Additional Bouts:

Lorenzo Borgomeo vs Daniel Morales

Borgomeo (4-1 MMA) has certainly fought on the bigger stage—Elite XC—than his opponent, but he was unsuccessful in a losing effort to Mikey Gomez in the promotion in October. Morales (5-1 MMA) should improve his current winning streak to three in a row with a second round submission over Borgomeo.

Jonathan Brookins vs Stephen Ledbetter

A late addition to the BFC I card, Brookins (8-3 MMA) and Ledbetter (6-2 MMA) are two up and coming featherweights who have recently tasted defeat within the WEC. Although the worth of common opponents is debatable, the fact remains that Brookins made it into the third round with red-hot contender Jose Aldo in his WEC debut last November, while Ledbetter looked unimpressive in his most recent outing. Look for an aggressive Brookins to overwhelm Ledbetter en route to a submission midway into the bout.

Daniel Sarafian vs Moses Gavin

Sarafian (3-1 MMA) may not have a lot of professional experience, but Gavin (0-0 MMA) is making his professional debut on a very public stage. Little is known on either fighter, but the safe bet would be to go with Sarafian by way of submission. Gavin would like nothing better, however, than to start off his professional career with a W on an exciting debut card.

Jessica Aguilar vs Rosi Sexton

While Aguilar (5-2 MMA) has shown her mettle in recent WFC events, Sexton (9-1 MMA) has looked formidable with three consecutive Bodog Fight victories as well as a recent ShoXC war with Debi Purcell. With her lone loss coming at the fists of the current face of women’s MMA in Gina Carano, Sexton should come out on top in a dominant decision victory.

All in all, Bellator Fighting Championships should bear watching with some big names and some underrated and up and coming talent being displayed on their first two fight cards, but, more importantly, the organization could represent the first definitive step in establishing and cementing Mixed Martial Arts in the Spanish and Latino market. Any growth in any market will certainly get no complaints from the fastest growing sport in the world.

Look for previews of all of Bellator’s events to be up in the future on ProFighting-fans.com and be sure to watch the promotion’s debut tournament match ups on April 3, 2009 on ESPN Deportes.

By Steven T. Kelliher
ProFighting-fans.com Staff Writer