Fedor Vs Sonnen Odds

It's Full Fight Friday! Take a look back at Bellator 208: Fedor Emelianenko vs. Chael Sonnen in it's entirety!Upcoming events: http://www.bellator.com/events. There are different markets you can bet on, although the bookie chose only one for the Emelianenko vs. Sonnen fight – full-time winner. Again, Fedor Emelianenko is the heavy favourite with odds of 4/13, while the American fighter is being given odds of 41/20.

On Saturday, December 28^th, Bellator will be live from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, for Bellator 237 also known as Bellator 237: Fedor vs Rampage. The main event of the evening is a showdown between two MMA legends Fedor Emelianenko and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

The co-main event is a catchweight fight between Sidney Outlaw and former lightweight champ Michael Chandler. Also on the card are Michael Page, Goiti Yamuchi, Lorenz Larkin and Jarred Brooks.

Currently, there are 13 fights scheduled for Bellator 237. The main card for this event is set to begin at 10 PM ET and will air on both the Paramount Network and DAZN.

MMA betting sites have released odds for Bellator 237’s main card fights. Let’s step inside the betting octagon to examine these betting lines courtesy of 5Dimes, identify potential betting value, and choke out our Bellator 237 predictions.

Need an MMA fix before the new year? We've got you covered.

Catch some incredible matchups LIVE from Japan on @ParamountNet this Saturday (12/28)!#BelltorvsRizin#BellatorJapan#Rizin20pic.twitter.com/1A3UGBP30h

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) December 26, 2019

Michael Page (16-1) vs Shinsho Anzai (11-3)

• Michael Page (-810)
• Shinsho Anzai (+470)

Michael Page is the biggest betting favorite of the show. Nicknamed “MVP,” Page is riding a two fight win streak after losing in the welterweight tournament to the eventual champ Douglas Lima. Page has scored consecutive 1^st round knockouts in his last two fights.

Page will be fighting on a quick turnaround from his last contest which came on November 23^rd. This will be Page’s fifth fight of 2019, which saw him rise to the top of the division before suffering his first career loss.

Anzai has gone 3-1 in his last four fights which saw him compete in the UFC and Deep. His time inside the octagon produced a 2-2 overall record. Anzai is also a former Pancrase middleweight champion who’s coming down to the catchweight of 173 pounds.

Anzai isn’t an elite welterweight, but he’s certainly a step up from the last two lumps that MVP has fought. It seems as if Bellator went out of their way to protect Page after his loss to Lima. I can see one fight to get back on track, but two in a row was too much.

Anzai will provide Page with a decent challenge, but let’s not pretend this is going to even be as close as the Paul Daley fight. Page will have an eight inch height and nine inch reach advantage over Anzai. Additionally, this stylistic matchup suits Page because it should end up as a striking contest.

I expect Anzai to show his toughness by taking a punishment, but Page will eventually get the KO/TKO. Most likely, Page finishes this fight in the 2^nd round. Hopefully, 2020 will see MVP in a much more meaningful fight and against a top ranked welterweight.

Goiti Yamauchi (24-4) vs Daron Cruickshank (22-12, 1 NC)

• Goiti Yamauchi (-335)
• Daron Cruickshank (+245)

Daron Cruickshank is making his Bellator debut this weekend after spending the last three years in Rizin FF. Prior to that, he was with the UFC for several years racking up 13 fights inside the octagon. Unfortunately, he finished his time in the UFC with a record of 6-6 with 1 NC and the two sides parted ways.

Cruickshank has lost two straight fights over the last year, but does have some striking skills and power. 14 of his 22 pro wins have come via TKO/KO.

Goiti Yamauchi has been with Bellator for over six years and has gone 10-3 with the promotion. 19 of his 24 pro wins have come via submission. Seven of his 10 Bellator wins have come via submission as well. He’s stopped 20 of 24 opponents, but has never been stopped himself. All four losses have come via decision.

Yamauchi’s fighting style has drawn some criticism from fans, pundits and his opponent this weekend. However, Goiti points out his finishing rate and other reasons why he’s not a ‘boring’ fighter:

“You call me boring fighter, but the rate of finish in my career is probably more than 90 percent. Not in just professional, but in [my] amateur [and] jiu-jitsu career. So, this [doesn’t] make sense. I like my style. I like my personality. I think it’s just a matter of time to be recognized because of it. “

I find it amusing that Cruickshank finds Yamauchi to be boring. In reality, Goiti is far from boring. He’s become one of the top lightweights in the promotion going 5-1 since moving to the division. His lone loss was via decision to the former champ Michael Chandler. And, Yamauchi took that fight on short notice.

Goiti has the most submission wins in Bellator history and he will be fighting in front of his home country. Cruickshank has seven submission losses on his resume and I believe this weekend will be number eight.

Look for Yamauchi to navigate Cruickshank’s striking and take this fight to the mat where he will eventually lock in a submission hold and get the victory.

Goiti Yamauchi (@GoitiOfficial) thrilled to fight in Japan for first time at #Bellator237 (via @CopperHeartCT) https://t.co/V8h1AkiSDr

— MMA Junkie (@MMAjunkie) December 26, 2019

Ilara Joanne (9-4) vs Kana Watanabe (8-0-1)

• Ilara Joanne (NA)
• Kana Watanabe (NA)

The women will also get attention this weekend as two flyweight contenders look to capture a big victory in Japan.

Chael Sonnen Vs Fedor Emelianenko

Ilara Joanne made her Bellator debut two months ago and won via 2^nd round submission over Rawlings. It was a solid win in her first fight with the promotion. She’s on a three fight win streak that has seen her compete in three different promotions.

Seven of her nine pro wins have come via stoppage. Joanne believes she will get her 10^th pro win via stoppage over Watanabe this weekend:

“Best camp for this fight I could have. I train on the best team in the world and I look forward to another great victory in the organization. I am very excited, I want to give a show to the Japanese audience. I know Watanabe is a great “But I am a more experienced athlete and have faced tougher opponents than her. I expect a win before the three rounds, and that triumph will open doors for a title fight. I am ready, just waiting for the opportunity.”

Kana Watanabe is making her Bellator debut. She last fought two months ago in Deep and won via 1^st round submission. Five of her eight pro wins have come via stoppage. She’s competed as a professional for two years now.

After looking at some of Watanabe’s fights and comparing her to Joanne, I have to go with Ilara in this contest. She looks like the better all-around fighter and has certainly taken on tougher competition in her career than Watanabe has.

I see this fight ending on the mat as both women seem to prefer the ground game rather than standing and striking. I’m taking Joanne to hand Watanabe her first pro loss and do so via third round submission.

Lorenz Larkin (21-7, 1 NC) vs Keita Nakamura (36-10-2, 1 NC)

• Lorenz Larkin (-530)
• Keita Nakamura (+350)

Nakamura is making his Bellator debut this weekend in his home country of Japan. Keita last fought in October for Rizin FF where he won via 1^st round TKO. Prior to Rizin, he was with the UFC for four years where he went 4-4 during that span.

However, that was Keita’s second stint with the promotion. Nakamura went 0-3 in his first run with the UFC to have an overall record of 4-7 inside the octagon. He did compete against top-notch competition in the UFC, but is better suited in other promotions.

Nicknamed “K-Taro,” Nakamura has scored stoppages in 24 of his 35 pro wins. 16 of those victories have come via submission. He’s 11-8-2 when going the distance. It’s been eight years since Nakamura has suffered a stoppage defeat.

Larkin last fought in October and defeated former welterweight champion Andrey Koreshkov via split decision. It was his third straight victory in Bellator with all three coming via decisions. Prior to that, he lost his first two fights back with the promotion in 2017.

Larkin was undefeated and racked up a nice resume with Strikeforce before heading to the UFC. Inside the octagon, he went 5-5 but finished his UFC tenure on a two fight win streak that saw him defeat Neil Magny via TKO and Jorge Masvidal split decision.

11 of Larkin’s 21 pro wins have come via TKO/KO. When going the distance, he’s 10-5 overall. With a win this weekend, Larkin could take a big step up into title contention. He’s certainly on track to get a rematch against Lima who defeated him via unanimous decision in June 2017.

For this fight, I see it going the distance. Larkin has a strong takedown defense which will nullify Nakamura’s solid grappling skills. However, Keita has a tough chin and is very durable which means he should be able to survive the striking contest.

I’m taking Larkin to win his 4^th fight in a row and do so via unanimous decision. He will land a larger volume of strikes and successfully defend the takedowns, which will make it hard for Nakamura to win any rounds.

Michael Chandler (19-5) vs Sidney Outlaw (14-3)

• Michael Chandler (-430)
• Sidney Outlaw (+310)

Originally, this fight was supposed to be a rematch between Benson Henderson and Michael Chandler. Unfortunately, Henderson withdrew from the fight due to injury. Former Ring of Combat champion Sidney Outlaw replaces Henderson on less than a month’s notice.

Outlaw is on a nine fight win streak including wins in ROC, Titan FC, DWTNCS, CFFC and other promotions. He made his Bellator debut on November 15^th and defeated Roger Huerta via unanimous decision.

Eight of his 14 pro wins have come via stoppage with seven via submission. Three of his last four victories have come via submission.

Can’t wait! RT @BellatorMMA: Will @MikeChandlerMMA take @SidOutlawMMA to #SuplexCity this Saturday?!

Find out LIVE & FREE on @ParamountNet!#BellatorJapanpic.twitter.com/RjPZEy8NMn

— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) December 23, 2019

Despite the quick turnaround, Outlaw is very confident in his chances and respectful of his opponent:

“He’s clearly one of the best, I’m going to go in there and test myself… I’m going to go in there and do what I normally do, which is my best. With Bellator, I’m going to have to properly reintroduce myself, because my last performance wasn’t the best. I’m going to have to go in there a little different.”

Chandler comes into this contest having lost his last fight to Patricio Freire in May. Freire was already the featherweight champion for Bellator and now holds two belts in two different divisions. As for Chandler, he’s looking to bounce back with a big win on Saturday in Japan.

Chandler will also look to get back to the front of the line and once again challenge for the lightweight belt. With a big win over Outlaw, Chandler will be right back in the discussion as the top challenger and perhaps recapture the lightweight belt for the fourth time in his career.

With that said, Chandler acknowledges that Outlaw will be a tough opponent, but he’s going out there to finish him in front of the Japanese crowd:

“He’s a tough guy. He’s a big-bodied wrestler. He’s going to come forward and is going to take me down and try to take me down and control me. I’ve got to be fast when I need to be fast. I need to be strong when I need to be strong”

“The game plan is very simple and very thorough. I’m going to be exactly who I am since Day 1 and put my foot on the gas and not look back; try to put my hands on him as violently as possible for as many minutes as it takes to finish him.”

Chandler was very accurate in his assessment of what Outlaw is going to do. Nicknamed “Da Gun,” Outlaw is a big, strong competitor. Another thing working in favor of Sidney is that this bout will be contested at 160 pounds, which is five pounds more the lightweight limit.

With that said, the weight and size are about the only advantages that Outlaw will have. Chandler has a strong grappling background as he was a former Division I All-American wrestler. Additionally, he also has the advantage in striking with a more polished skillset.

Although he’s coming off a TKO loss, Chandler is still an elite lightweight while Outlaw is still a rising prospect. I think in a few years, Outlaw could actually start challenging for titles as long as he stays on this trajectory. Unfortunately, he’s not good enough to beat Chandler on Saturday.

I’m taking Chandler to win via unanimous decision.

Fedor Emelianenko (38-6, 1 NC) vs Quinton Jackson (38-13)

• Fedor Emelianenko (-170)
• Quinton Jackson (+130)

Much was made about the opening odds for this fight as some outlets reported that Jackson was an underdog as high as +230. If that was the case then these odds have dramatically shifted in favor of “Rampage.”

At age 41, Jackson is still competing inside the cage despite many fans and pundits believing he should’ve retired long ago. Jackson hasn’t fought in 15 months when he defeated Wanderlei Silva via 2^nd round TKO. It snapped a two fight losing streak.

Prior to those two losses to Lawal and Sonnen, Jackson had won five straight contests since joining Bellator in 2013. He left the UFC after losing three straight fights and no longer being able to compete with the top fighters in his weight class.

It’s fight week! #BellatorJapan

LIVE this Saturday night on @paramountnet! pic.twitter.com/bLkksZE2Hm

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) December 23, 2019

Despite the talk of retirement, Jackson is very excited to fight in Japan again especially against Fedor:

“It’s going to be like old times. I really do miss fighting (in Japan), and I was telling my coach like maybe a couple months ago, like man it would be nice to finish up my career fighting in Japan again… I never dreamed of fighting Fedor because back when we were both in PRIDE, I wasn’t a heavyweight, and I’m a big guy now. I’m a heavyweight now; he’s obviously still a heavyweight.”

Jackson was a huge star in Japan when he fought for PRIDE. Not only did he have legendary fights against Silva, but he also took on other famous MMA stars in their prime like Mauricio Rua and Chuck Liddell. His personality and fighting style earned him a big contract with the UFC.

Once with the UFC, Jackson became a mainstream star and captured the UFC light heavyweight title. He eventually became an actor and movie star as his career winded down. Now, at age 41, Jackson’s best days are well behind him.

Yet, this fight still resonates with MMA fans especially in Japan as two MMA legends square off.

Despite not reaching the heights of success in the United States as he did overseas, Fedor is still considered one of the best heavyweights of all-time according to pundits, most fans and peers.

Fedor last competed in January and lost to Ryan Bader for the Bellator heavyweight title. He’s 2-2 in his time with Bellator, but seems to do well in these “legend fights” as he defeated Frank Mir and Chael Sonnen in 2018.

At age 43, this Fedor farewell tour is nothing more than a publicity stunt by Bellator. With that said, I actually believe he will defeat Jackson in this fight. Rampage is a lot heavier than what he used to be in his prime.

Although both men are older, Fedor still has pop in his punch. Just look at what he did to Mir and Sonnen last year. Two first round TKO/KO victories. He KO’d Mir in 48 seconds. It’s been almost six years since Jackson has won a fight in the 1^st round.

This nostalgic act will get over well in Japan due to the rich history that both fighters built in the country. Nevertheless, I don’t expect this fight to be that entertaining or competitive.

I’m taking Fedor to win via TKO in the 1^st round. I would be surprised if these two guys went deep into the contest. Seven of Fedor’s last eight fights have all ended in the first round and he’s 5-2 in those bouts.

Bellator 237 Final Thoughts

The main event does nothing for me other than seeing two legends return to Japan where they became stars in the sport. Once the fight starts, the nostalgia will end due to the reality that these two men are a combined 84 years old.

If you look beyond the main event, Bellator 237 has some pop to this card. I’m really intrigued with the co-main event as I want to see how Outlaw measures up to a lightweight elite in Chandler. Additionally, Larkin vs Nakamura should be a competitive contest between two tough fighters.

Yamaguchi’s fight has some intrigue as well due to how close he is to earning a title shot. The women’s flyweight fight will be competitive and MVP is always entertaining. This main card is certainly better than Bellator 235 and possibly even Bellator 236.

The prelim bout between Haruo Ochi and Jarred Brooks is going to be explosive and worth watching. These two flyweights aren’t afraid to let their hands fly and go for the knockout. I wish this was on the main card due to its potential for being the fight of the night.

As for betting opportunities, there aren’t many. The main event is the only fight with close odds. The rest of the main card has large betting favorites and underdogs that aren’t worthy of a flier.

Bellator 237 Full Card

The following details are courtesy of Bellator.com:

• Fedor Emelianenko (38-6, 1 NC) vs Quinton Jackson (38-13)
• Michael Chandler (19-5) vs Sidney Outlaw (14-3)
• Lorenz Larkin (21-7, 1 NC) vs Keita Nakamura (36-10-2, 1 NC)
• Ilara Joanne (9-4) vs Kana Watanabe (8-0-1)
• Goiti Yamauchi (24-4) vs Daron Cruickshank (22-12, 1 NC)
• Michael Page (16-1) vs Shinsho Anzai (11-3)

Preliminary Card

• Andy Nguyen (6-6) vs Ai Shimizu (5-1)
• Ryuichiro Sumimura (14-6) vs Jon Tuck (10-5)
• Haruo Ochi (20-7-2, 1 NC) vs Jarred Brooks (14-2, 1 NC)
• Yusuke Yachi (20-9) vs Hiroto Uesako (18 – 8)
• Kanna Asakura (14-4) vs Jayme Hinshaw (4-3)
• Sergey Shemetov (9-5) vs Shoma Shibisai (6-2, 1 NC)

Bellator 208: Fedor vs. Sonnen Picks
When: Saturday, October 13, 2018
Where: Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, New York
TV: Paramount Network

Fight Analysis:

In one of the more-anticipated Bellator matches ever, their heavyweight tournament features a big-name semifinal match, with heavyweight legend Fedor Emelianenko taking on Chael Sonnen. Both men won their opening tournament matches, with Fedor laying out ex-champ Frank Mir, while Sonnen won a decision over Rampage Jackson. Who has enough to win this and get into the tournament final?

Fedor Emelianenko, 37-5 (11 KOs, 17 Submissions), (-290) vs. Chael Sonnen, 31-15-1 (7 KOs, 5 Submissions), (+245)
Fedor Emelianenko takes on Chael Sonnen in the semifinal of the Bellator Heavyweight Tournament. Both men are looking to add a nice cherry atop their careers, as each fighter is 41 and clearly near the end of the line. Fedor considered one of the best of all time, but a fighter where the sport has passed him by scored a violent win over another aging big man in Frank Mir in his last fight. After a rough patch of late, a vintage Fedor win was really a sight for sore eyes. Sonnen, meanwhile, a man who earned his stripes as a middleweight, was able to get here with a clear win over Rampage Jackson. This one might be a little tougher for the trash-talking Oregonian.

Fedor Vs Sonnen Odds

Both men have distinguished track records, while also having a long list of limitations at this advanced stage in their careers. Fedor might not be chronologically that old, as fighters have certainly been effective at 41 and beyond. But his prime is squarely in the past. In the 2000’s, he was the best and compiled a resume that puts him at or near the top of the list of all-time great heavyweights in MMA. Fedor’s coming to America, however, coincided with a loss of his edge. Since 2010, he has gone 6-4, with KO losses coming each time has tried to tangle with a top big man from this decade.

Sonnen’s issues are no less compelling. A longtime middleweight who would sometimes honeymoon as a light heavyweight, he is very undersized for this division. Against a lifetime 205-pounder like Jackson, it didn’t show. But Fedor is a more in-shape robust fighter than Jackson, and the size disparity will be graphic. That alone doesn’t win fights, but with Chael being a wrestler by trade and Fedor a marvel on the ground, as well, one might have to search hard for avenues of victory for Sonnen.

With Sonnen, it’s always a little murky as far as relating his actual merit as a fighter to his considerable star-power, big mouth, and overall stature. It’s a difficult equation. Surely, the brightness of his star as a celebrity outshines his stature as an actual fighter. Maybe that didn’t use to be the case when he was almost beating Anderson Silva for the middleweight title, but he had lost four of five coming into this latest Bellator tenure. Beating the worn-down duo of Wanderlei Silva and Rampage Jackson is nice, but hardly signifies a renaissance in his career trajectory.

Sonnen’s recent body of work in MMA is pretty checkered. Two straight wins have him vaguely pointed in the right direction again, but it hasn’t been a successful ride as of late. His UFC tenure ended with a KO loss to a faded Rashad Evans, leading to a long layoff. He returned, this time in Bellator, where he performed badly in a two-minute submission loss to Tito Ortiz. And any analysis for this fight that favors Sonnen could have been applied to the Ortiz fight. This matchup looks even tougher.

A few things make one hesitant, however, to rule out the prospects of Sonnen. It’s really not the same Fedor anymore. Emelianenko’s loss to Dan Henderson shows you don’t have to be some behemoth to beat him, though Sonnen lacks Henderson’s striking power. Sonnen is a great MMA mind. Who knows? Maybe he can come up with a good game plan, one that camouflages his weaknesses while making what he does well stand out more.

A lot of the same concerns surround Fedor. In the last handful of years, he can only beat decidedly non-elite opposition. He beat Mir in a 48-second war where he himself was nearly KO’d. The fight before that, he lasted a little over a minute against Matt Mitrione. Before that, he needed all the luck and help to get through a 3-rounder with light heavyweight Fabio Maldonado, who had him badly hurt in their fight. Six or seven years ago, he was KO’d brutally by fighters he presumably would have laid to rest in his prime—guys like Bigfoot Silva.

In other words, it’s not easy to really determine who is closer to their prime in this fight, with ample evidence being that both men need a telescope at this point to find it. Fedor showed he is still dangerous. He is robust, athletic, well-rounded, and simply built for this. He is still strong and fast with great ground-work and the ability to instantly render an opponent unconscious. It’s just that the once-indestructible powerhouse has lost his ability to withstand punishment. In a sport that is so young with so much growth, having a prime that was over a decade ago means the sport may have passed you by. What worked in 2004 doesn’t work so well in 2018, especially when your body is no longer responding the way it once did.

Fedor Vs Sonnen Odds Fight

Each man is certainly a dicey betting proposition at this point. It’s been a good while since Fedor appeared to be anything resembling a contender, while Sonnen is clearly on the final-lap portion of his career. On the surface, one would certainly favor the bigger and overall more-successful Fedor. But Sonnen has the more-recent suggestions that he still matters in this sport. This is a move that could make me feel silly come fight-night. But laying nearly 3-1 odds on Fedor at this stage in his career, even in what might appear to be a good style-matchup with Sonnen, seems crazy. I think Sonnen at this price is worth a little tickle.

Fedor Vs Sonnen Odds Ufc

My Pick to Win: I’m betting on Chael Sonnen at +245 betting odds. In about where so many questions loom, taking the underdog seems like the good move. It’s the type of pick that’s likely to make you either feel like a fool or genius—no in-between.