HAMBURG, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 03: Ryan Bader poses for a post fight portrait backstage after his victory over Ilir Latifi of Sweden during the UFC Fight Night: Arlovski v Barnett at Barclaycard Arena on September 3, 2016 in Hamburg, Germany. (Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) Bellator 207: Matt Mitrione vs. Ryan Bader complete weigh-in results. Bellator will host a Heavyweight World Grand Prix semifinal bout when it pits Matt Mitrione against Ryan Bader on Friday, Oct. 12, 2018, live from Uncasville, CT but first, the fighters had to make weight. Watch DAZN for free for one month All four main and co-main event fighters made weight on Thursday morning, making the two marquee fights official. The only fighter to fail on the scale was Mike Kimbel who came in a half pound heavy for his bantamweight fight with Alex Potts. The preliminary bout will go on as planned with Kimbel losing a portion of his purse, to be paid to Potts. Mitrione is on a four-fight win streak and defeated Roy Nelson in the opening round of the Grand Prix. If he’s able to get through Bader he’ll advance to the final round to face the winner of Fedor Emelianenko vs. Chael Sonnen, which takes place just 24 hours after the bout. Bader is riding on a win-streak of his own, having gone five in a row against Ilir Latifi, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Phil Davis, Linton Vassell and “King Mo” Lawal. MAIN CARD (Paramount, DAZN 9 p.m. ET) Matt Mitrione (255) vs. Ryan Bader (229.5) Sergei Kharitonov (265) vs. Roy Nelson (263.75) Lorenz Larkin (171) vs. Ion Pascu (169.5) Corey Browning (155) vs. Kevin Ferguson Jr. (154.75) Carrington Banks (154.75) vs. Mandel Nallo (156) PRELIMINARY CARD (MMAjunkie, 7 p.m. ET) Kemran Lachinov (174.5) vs. Sean Lally (174) – 175-pound catchweight Tim Caron (184.5) vs. Vinicius de Jesus (186) Janay Harding (145) vs. Sinead Kavanagh (145) Andre Fialho (177) vs. Javier Torres (176) – 177-pound catchweight Sarah Click (125) vs. Kristi Lopez (125) Mike Kimbel (136.5)* vs. Alex Potts (135.75) Alexandra Ballou (125.5) vs. Lisa Blaine (125.25) Pat Casey (170.75) vs. Kastriot Xhema (171) Bellator 207 takes place Oct. 12, 2018, live from the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT. Follow along with FanSided MMA for all your live results and highlights.<doc-sep>The semifinals of the heavyweight grand prix tournament gets started at Bellator 207 with a match between Matt Mitrione and Ryan Bader on Friday, Oct. 12. Both fighters enter this contest with five career losses in their mixed martial arts careers but neither has lost while fighting for Bellator so far. Mitrione (13-5 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) currently has the third-longest winning streak in Bellator's heavyweight division after defeating Roy Nelson on Feb. 16 in the opening round of the heavyweight tournament at Bellator 194. At Bellator 199 on May 12, Bader (25-5 MMM, 3-0 BMMA) earned his third victory with the promotion with a 15-second knockout of Muhammed Lawal. That knockout was the second fastest in Bellator history. Bader, who holds Bellator's light heavyweight title, will be fighting in just his second heavyweight bout on Friday when he faces Mitrione. Although Mitrione comes in with a size advantage, the 35-year-old Bader might be able to take advantage of being five years younger than his opponent. While all of Mitrione's career losses have come in UFC bouts, Bader's five losses all came against men who at least faught for a UFC championship at some point in their careers. The winner of this match taking place in Uncasville, Conn. will take on the winner of Saturday's semifinal between Chael Sonnen and Fedor Emelianenko that is taking place at Bellator 208. There are four other fights also on the Bellator 207 card. Roy Nelson (23-15 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) is in action for the first time since losing to Mitrione and he will face Sergei Kharitonov (27-6 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) in a heavyweight match. Lorenz Larkin (19-7 MMA, 1-2 BMMA) is looking to get a winning streak started when he takes on Ion Pascu (18-8 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) in an alternate bout in the welterweight grand prix. There will be a lightweight match between Kevin "Baby Slice" Ferguson Jr. (3-1 BMMA) and Corey Browning (3-2 MMA) who is making his Bellator debut. The fifth fight to make up the entire Bellator 207 card is another lightweight bout, this one between Carrington Banks (7-1 MMA, 3-1 BMMA) and Mandel Nallo (6-0 MMA, 1-0 BMMA). How to Watch Time: 9 p.m. ET Live Stream: Watch live online on DAZN Bellator. Sign up now for a 30-day free trial.<doc-sep>Bellator 207: “Mitrione vs. Bader” takes place tomorrow night (Fri., Oct. 12, 2018) at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Bellator’s return to the east coast brings an explosive match up between two friends seeking to advance to the finals of the mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion’s Heavyweight Grand Prix. Let’s not mess around — time to break it down: 265 lbs. : Matt Mitrione (13-5) vs. Ryan Bader (25-5) The long road to glory stops in Connecticut for two guys who will have to stop liking each other for at least one day. Of the two, Ryan “Darth” Bader had the easier path in the tournament, stopping “King Mo” Lawal in 15 seconds back in May. The reigning Light Heavyweight champion had an easy transition to the Heavyweight circuit given he stands 6’2” and has a 74-inch reach. Combined with his outstanding wrestling credentials, you have a guy who was tailor-made to complete in this tournament, but with his knockout wins now in the double digit mark (10) you have to acknowledge his power as much as his amateur wrestling background. Ole’ “Meathead” Matt Mitrione knows a few things about power, too. The former NFL player is a physically imposing specimen at 6’3” and 254 pounds. He’s built like a Mack truck and hits like one, too, with 85 percent of his wins (11 of 13) coming via knockout. A 79-inch reach makes him incredibly dangerous to go toe-to-toe with. Unless you are quicker on the draw and more accurate in your targeting, he’s going to hit you first and hurt you more in any exchange. The only man alive who could probably survive the pounding he can deliver unchecked is his first round opponent Roy Nelson, who he beat by majority decision. What will happen when bad intentions and pride collide with good judgment? Fireworks. The excitement of them running to the center to throw bombs immediately is always possible with the impulsive Mitrione, but it’s far more likely that they will each respect the power game and spend at least a half minute feeling out the range. Bader is increasingly more confident in his stand-up, but the huge reach disadvantage will almost certainly tempt him to time an overhand punch, drop levels and hit a single- or double-leg takedown. Trying to keep Mitrione there against his will is a difficult proposition. If Bader can sweep quickly to side control, lay down some hammers and then go for an arm triangle choke before both men are too sweaty, that’s the ideal winning scenario. Don’t discount the possibility that Mitrione stuffs a takedown with brute strength alone as opposed to technique. In this case Bader needs to negate the range with pressure against the cage and dirty boxing. If he avoids power strikes his smaller size and faster speed will win the day. One wrong move will cost him dearly. Final prediction: Matt Mitrione wins via first round knockout 265 lbs. : Roy Nelson (23-15) vs. Sergei Kharitonov (27-6, 1 NC) Even though “Big Country” Roy Nelson has been trading wins for losses dating back to 2015, he’s still an incredibly dangerous (and popular) man inside the cage. Fourteen of his 23 wins come via knockout (almost 61 percent) — and no matter how much taller or bigger an opponent is — he can still find his chin. Kharitonov is a dangerous knockout artist, too, garnering 15 of his 27 wins (55 percent) of his wins through raw striking power. The downside for both men is that exchange of fireworks can (and often do) backfire — for Kharitonov that’s Javy Ayala, for Nelson that’s Mark Hunt, and so on. I expect Nelson to at least try to take down Kharitonov and go the safer route, especially given he’s 42 and is giving up the advantage to his opponent in nearly every category. Kharitonov is five years younger, four inches taller (6’4”) and has four more inches of reach (76). One good shot could land either man on his ass, but Nelson can trade his last loss for a win simply by taking down Kharitonov and keeping him there. Final prediction: Roy Nelson wins via unanimous decision 170 lbs. : Lorenz Larkin (19-7, 1 NC) vs. Ion Pascu (18-8) Originally, Lorenz Larkin was to face Yaroslav Amosov for the alternate slot in the Welterweight Grand Prix, then Larkin was supposed to face Erick Silva instead (20-9, 1 NC), but Silva withdrew with an injury. Running out of options at this late date, Bellator found “Bombardierul” Ion Pascu (18-8) from Romania to step in. On the plus side, Pascu has won three of his last four fights (all in BAMMA). On the minus side, he was easily handled by Ed Ruth in his Bellator debut, and Larkin is a far more experienced fighter than Ruth. Pascu comes by his nickname for his ability to drop bombs, scoring knockouts in half of his wins (nine of 18). Larkin stands 5’11” with a 72-inch reach and holds 11 wins by knockout. Pascu stands two inches shorter, but has a slight one inch reach advantage. Given Larkin has had a full camp and Pascu is a short notice replacement, I give him little hope of pulling this off. Final prediction: Lorenz Larkin wins via knockout 155 lbs. : Kevin Ferguson Jr. (3-1) vs. Corey Browning (2-1) So far, Bellator has played it largely safe with giving “Baby Slice” Kevin Ferguson Jr. winnable fights. And tomorrow’s Bellator 207 match is no exception. Browning’s last fight was a loss to Aaron Hall more than two years ago, so he’s rusty and dusty, not to mention a skinny Lightweight at 5’11.” Ferguson is theoretically the same size, but his record of Catchweight fights shows how muscular he is and how hard a cut to 155 pounds can be for him. If he makes the weight safely with no issues, his ever-improving ground game and more recent experience play to his strengths both figuratively and literally. Browning’s only two wins are by submission, though, and that’s also Ferguson’s only loss, so it’s not completely out of the realm of possibility for Browning to have improved enough to win after two years off. Final prediction: “Baby Slice” walks away with a decision 155 lbs. : Carrington Banks (7-1) vs. Mandel Nallo (6-0) Aside from one bump in the road, “Jetsetter” Carrington banks has soared in his career. A lifelong wrestler cut from the “I’ll fight anybody” cloth, he tends to out-work opponents rather than finish them, taking five of his seven wins to the judges. Tri-Star Gym upstart Nallo is the exact opposite — two knockouts and four submissions for a 100 percent finishing rate. His quick finish at Bellator 189 opened some eyes, but Banks is figuratively and literally a much bigger fish to fry than a preliminary guy. Since Nallo has never been to the third round in his career, a fast start is his best chance to win, and if Banks turns it into a grind against the cage, Nallo is in for a rough night. Final prediction: Carrington Banks wrestles his way to a victory That’s a wrap! MMAmania.com will deliver coverage of Bellator 207 tomorrow with Paramount Network fights starting at 9 p.m. ET. To check out the latest Bellator MMA-related news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive news archive right here.<doc-sep>
Bellator 207 is set to kick off from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut headlined with heavyweight Grand Prix matchup pitting the streaking Matt Mitrione against the promotions light heavyweight champion, Ryan Bader. The winner of this matchup will advance to the finals to face the winner of Fedor Emelianenko vs. Chael Sonnen, which takes place the following evening. In the co-main slot, a war between two longtime MMA vets will be showcased as the 23-15 Roy Nelson gets it on with 28-7 Sergei Kharitonov. Also on the card, 3-1 Baby Slice, Kevin Ferguson Jr. makes his lightweight debut as he takes on the 3-2 Corey Browning. Before that, wrestling standout Carrington Banks looks to bounce back from his first career loss as he faces undefeated Mandel Nallo. Kicking off the main card will be the returning Lorenz Larkin taking on the well-traveled Ion Pascu. Check out the breakdowns of these matchups below, and be sure to check out The MMA Vivisection with Bloody Elbow’s own Zane Simon, Victor Rodriguez, and Eddie Mercado. Bellator 207 takes place this Friday, October 12th, and will air live on the Paramount Network at 9:00 P.M. ET. The prelims will begin at 8:00 P.M. ET. Main card: Matt Mitrione (13-5 MMA; 4-0 Bellator) vs. Ryan Bader (25-5 MMA; 3-0 Bellator): Heavyweight GP Matt Mitrione is currently undefeated inside of the Bellator promotion, earning three-straight finishes before securing a majority decision over Roy Nelson in the opening round of the heavyweight GP. One of those finishes, MMA great Fedor Emelianenko. Mitrione has always been an agile true-heavyweight, who typically enjoys a bit of a speed advantage, which really aids him in landing his heavy hands. With his typical speed advantage not being so pronounced here, can Mitrione adapt and find a way to land, all while avoiding the takedown? Bellator’s light heavyweight champion Ryan Bader is arguably the fighter that is closest to his prime out of everyone in the heavyweight GP. Bader has gone 10-1 in his last 11 fights dating all the way back to his UFC days in 2013, and is currently riding a five-fight winning streak. Four out of those last five fights have ended inside of the distance, including his recent 15 second knockout of King Mo in the quarter finals of the heavyweight GP. Bader has seemed to really come into his own, and size is really the only thing he has working against him here. Roy Nelson (23-15 MMA; 1-1 Bellator) vs. Sergei Kharitonov (28-7 MMA; 1-1 Bellator): Heavyweight After picking up a unanimous decision over Javy Ayala in his Bellator debut, Roy Nelson got booted out of the opening round of the heavyweight GP by Matt Mitrione. Nelson looked to lean on his grappling and takedowns to get the win, but Mitrione accumulated enough strikes to be awarded the decision. At age 42, does Nelson have any more of those overhand rights up his sleeve? Sergei Kharitonov is returning to Bellator following his initial 1-1 splash into the promotion. Recently, has been reeking havoc on the Russian circuit, picking up wins over veterans Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou and Joey Beltran. Now riding a four-fight winning streak, will Kharitonov be able to keep the momentum rolling by getting past a tough out like Roy Nelson? Kevin Ferguson Jr. (3-1 MMA/Bellator) vs. Corey Browning (3-2 MMA; Bellator Debut): Lightweight Baby Slice will be back in the cage as he makes his first official lightweight appearance. After dropping his pro/promotional debut, by submission, Ferguson has finished three-straight opponents in the opening round. Looking to spoil Baby Slice’s 155 pound debut, Corey Bollinger is trying to get himself back into the win column following back to back submission losses. With 3-1 vs. 3-2, anything is possible. Carrington Banks (7-1 MMA; 3-1 Bellator) vs. Mandel Nallo (6-0 MMA; 1-0 Bellator): Lightweight Carrington Banks is looking to bounce back after suffering the first loss of his young career at the hands of Adam Piccolotti. Expect Banks to lean on his physicality and collegiate wrestling pedigree to try and grind out his opponent. Looking to keep the wrestling prospect down is undefeated Mandel Nallo, who won his promotional debut with a swift 18 second head kick knockout. Which one of these up and comers will advance to the next level and which one will be left behind to regroup?