All the info you need to know about Bellator 155 including middleweight title tilt between heavy hitters Raphael Carvalho and Melvin Manhoef.
On May 20, 2016 Bellator will be broadcasting live from Boise, Idaho where the Century Link Arena will host Bellator 155: Carvalho vs. Manhoef. The main event will see current champion Rafael Carvalho taking on power puncher Melvin Manhoef to find out who's the main man in the middleweight division. The main card will air live this Friday on Spike TV at 9:00 PM EDT and the Preliminary bouts will stream online at 7:00 PM EDT.
Friday's Bellator event will be the first ever major MMA promotion to travel to Boise, Idaho. In a recent statement, Bellator President Scott Coker talked about the promotion's devotion to exploring an untapped market,:
"We're excited to be in Boise, fighting at the Century Link Arena. I think this is a fight town that has been hungry for a big MMA promotion and we're proud to be the first to do it. We've got a great middleweight world title fight between Carvalho and Manhoef... Carvalho is coming off of a big win with a KO over Brandon Halsey and undoubtedly this fight is going to have a bunch of fireworks between both of these guys."
Main Card: 9:00 PM EDT on Spike TV
Rafael Carvalho (12-1 MMA; 3-0 Bellator) vs. Melvin Manhoef (30-12-1 MMA; 2-1-1 Bellator): Middleweight Title
The middleweight title is on the line as two extremely dangerous strikers are set to do battle. Champion Rafael Carvalho won the Bellator belt by landing a hellacious liver kick to KO Brandon Halsey back in October of 2015. Carvalho lost his very first professional MMA fight but has been flawless since then by winning 12 straight. Will Carvalho's technical sharp shooting strikes be his key to defending his title for the first time?
Aside from killing it as a professional kickboxer, Melvin Manhoef has been an absolute terror on the MMA circuits since bursting onto the scene back in 1995. Of his 30 victims, only a mere 2 were able to avoid being viciously knocked out to make it to the judge's decision. The term heavy is a gross understatement when talking about Melvin's hands. Will Manhoef be able to get inside the long reach of Carvalho and uncork his monstrous punching power?
Here is Bellator color commentator Jimmy Smith on what to watch for in this bout:
Pat Curran (21-7 MMA; 11-4 Bellator) vs. Georgi Karakhanyan (24-5 MMA; 1-1 Bellator): Featherweight
Former Bellator featherweight champion Pat Curran is looking to get back in the title hunt after losing the belt to Patricio Freire back in September of 2014. Since being dethroned, Curran has dropped a split decision to Daniel Weichel and recently earned a unanimous decision victory over Emmanuel Sanchez. Look for Pat Curran to try to utilize crisp striking combinations and active footwork to keep the fight where he might have the edge, on the feet. With an impressive outing, could Curran close in on a title shot?
Georgi Karakhanyan exploded onto the Bellator scene by showcasing his wicked ground game in the form of a terrifying technical submission of top prospect Bubba Jenkins in just 1:49 of the opening round. What is a technical submission? Well, it is what happens when you do not tap in time. Following a knee surgery, Karakhanyan returned to action this past December and lost a unanimous decision to top title contender Daniel Weichel. Will a fully healed Karakhanyan have the mobility to close the distance on Curran and get the fight to the ground where he thrives?
Here is Bellator color commentator Jimmy Smith on what to watch for in this bout:
Augusto Sakai (9-0 MMA; 4-0 Bellator) vs. Dan Charles (10-3 MMA; 3-2 Bellator): Heavyweight
Undefeated Heavyweight Augusto Sakai looks to preserve his perfect record by getting past the punch-heavy veteran Dan Charles. It is awfully challenging to remain undefeated after 9 professional fights, especially in the heavyweight division. Will Charles force Sakai's 0 to go?
Joey Beltran (17-12 MMA; 3-3 Bellator) vs. Chase Gormley (12-5 MMA; 0-1 Bellator): Heavyweight
UFC veteran and 6 time Bellator competitor Joey Beltran is moving back up to heavyweight to take on fellow UFC alumni, and the much heavier man, Chase Gormley. Will size be a factor in this fight?
Marloes Coenen (23-6 MMA; 2-0 Bellator) vs. Alexis Dufresne (5-2 MMA; Bellator Debut): Bantamweight
Women's MMA pioneer Marloes Coenen looks to establish herself as Bellator's premier female bantamweight talent. Standing in her way will be replacement fighter Alexis Dufresne. Although Dufresne is coming off of back to back losses in the UFC, she has a crafty ground game which could make for some interesting scrambles.
Prelims: 7 PM EDT Streaming Online
Dave Jansen (20-3 MMA; 7-1 Bellator) vs. Marcin Held (21-4 MMA; 10-3 Bellator) II: Lightweight
On March 21, 2013 Dave Jansen won a unanimous decision over Marcin Held. Since their initial bout, both guys have unsuccessfully fought for the title against Will Brooks. Jansen has fought twice while Held has fought 7 times. How will the rematch be any different from their first fight?
Here is Bellator color commentator Jimmy Smith on what to watch for in this bout:
Bellator 155: Carvalho vs. Manhoef will be taking place from the Century Link Arena in Boise, Idaho on May 20, 2016. Tune in to Spike TV at 9:00 PM EDT for the main card and catch the Prelims streaming online at 7:00 PM EDT. Follow Bloody Elbow for continual coverage of the event including the MMA Vivisection, live tweets, results, and more!
@TheEddieMercado