Bellator Looking to Get it Right at Bellator 120
By Christopher Jester
Second time is the charm or so Bellator hopes so. The first time they were aiming to head to pay-per-view they had to cancel the event and place it on live television instead. The injury to Tito Ortiz caused the main event to fall through and losing its main event was too tough to swallow. So far so good though this time around, because the event is still on and Bellator is on its way to putting on its first pay-per-view.
And oh boy is the main event a doozy. Eddie Alvarez vs. Michael Chandler III is one of the more anticipated rubber matches in recent memory. If the fight is anything like the previous two fights between these two we are already looking at a potential fight of the year candidate. That is just how entertaining these two are. With the ability to push one another to the limit, and the familiarity they have between one another this two is likely going the distance in one bloody affair.
Outside of the main event though, Bellator may struggle to gain the traction it needs to realize if this is the proper medium for the promotion. While it is easily a second alternative to the UFC when airing on Spike TV, most MMA fanatics will be hard-pressed to fork over the $45 to see this event.
When you look past Alvarez vs. Chandler, you have Rampage Jackson vs. King Mo. This could be an interesting fight. For one reason only, to see if Rampage Jackson truly has what it takes to revitalize his career in Bellator. Once you look at this fight from a different perspective, it is hard to find interest in these two Zuffa ex-communicates.
Several years ago when they both were more prominent, this fight would have been something of more interest. Unfortunately, King Mo is barely succeeding in Bellator as he has come up short in the fights that matter. Rampage has beaten fighters who will play his game. He won’t have that luck against King Mo who will likely look to control this fight on the ground.
The outcome is obviously quite interesting because the winner fights Emanuel Newton for the light-heavyweight championship. But it is only interesting if Rampage wins. No one likely wants to see King Mo get another fight against Newton who has beaten him convincingly twice in Bellator already. Jackson on the other hand has the ability to make things a bit more intriguing bust just barely.
Now the Tito Ortiz versus Alexander Shlemenko is just flat out weird. More so than anything else it is just out of place. It is almost as if Bellator had to find something for Tito to do. This shouldn’t be much of a fight. But neither was Ortiz versus Rampage Jackson when they announced the first pay-per-view. At least that one had some novelty to it. This bout just doesn’t make much sense.
While the event is no UFC 173, it does play a major part in where Bellator will go from here. They are not likely to continue producing pay-per-views. They lack the star power to pull off this feat. But this is a good start for the Viacom owned promotion.
Follow Christopher “sLapDatSuCKa” Jester on Twitter @sLapDatSuCka
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