Bellator 300 Prelims Breakdown & Predictions (Patreon)

Flyweight: Ilara Joanne (11-7) vs. Jena Bishop (5-0): This is a clear set-up fight for Bishop to win. I don't think it's as clear-cut. Bishop is still unpolished and is nearing 38. She's a jiu-jitsu specialist but it's not the best base to have if other skills aren't developed. She's not good on the feet in any area and her wrestling is just decent at best. Joanne is better than her record suggests. She's scrappy and is decently well-rounded. Not the best defensively but she's always in the fight it seems. Joanne has the striking advantage, a cardio advantage, and is the better athlete. If Bishop can get the fight down then most likely she will dominate. I like the underdog though in Joanne because she is better tested and has more ways to win.

Featherweight, Leah McCourt (7-3) vs. Sara McMann (14-6): Both are veterans. McMann was a veteran of the UFC and is 1-0 in Bellator. McCourt has been in Bellator for over five years and has main-evented and co-main evented many fights. McCourt is the better fighter statistically. She's more well-rounded and is a much bigger fighter. She's just too inconsistent to trust. Last fight Zingano didn't have much trouble taking McCourt down so McMann shouldn't either. It just depends on how McMann will do outside the takedown and if she can hold McCourt down. I lean McMann because of the wrestler and I do think she can ultimately hold McCourt down winning minutes.

Heavyweight, Davion Franklin (6-1) vs. Slim Trabelsi (5-0): This is the highly anticipated debut for Trabelsi. He's getting a big fight starting off going against Bellator staple Davion Franklin. Trabelsi is definitely gonna look to take this fight down. Franklin has big power, explosion, and is a good wrestler of his own. He only has about five minutes of cardio and then he's completely gassed. Even when gassed he's still always gonna be explosive with his power. I don't view Trabelsi as a future champion as others do but I expect him to win this. I predict Trabelsi to bully his way forward and use his wrestling to wear on Franklin. I have Trabelsi winning by ground and pound stoppage in round two. I do believe the hype train of Trabelsi gets derailed but not to a gasser like Franklin.

Featherweight, Henry Corrales (21-6) vs. Kai Kamaka III (11-5-1): This is lowkey one of the best fights on the entire card at least on paper. Corrales may be 37 but he's still competing at a high level. Corrales always brings it as well and has some good wins on his record. Kamaka is someone that always brings it win or lose. I see this fight staying standing which could turn into a banger. Kamaka is the better athlete but I think it's a tough match-up for him. I think the overhands and leg kicks can take a toll of Kamaka over time. Corrales is very tough and hard to get to go backwards. I trust the pressure, chin, and power to win a decision in favor of Corrales.

Bantamweight, Bobby Seronio III (3-0) vs. Alberto Garcia (2-0): A squash match here for Seronio. There isn't any footage available on Garcai. Seeing that he fought on Gladiator Challenge he's likely a bum. I've been scouting Seronio ever since he was an amateur and I'm really high on him. His entire pro career he's fought in Bellator and he's looked great. It's been his wrestling showcasing big elevated takedowns. Also has shown smashing GNP. On the feet he has a blistering one-two, speed, explosiveness, and big power. Seronio is the real deal. He should beat this guy handily.

Middleweight, Romero Cotton (6-1) vs. Grant Neal (8-1): Neal is moving down to 185 for this fight. He's better suited at middleweight but I don't think he'll be any better than what he is. Both are solid wrestlers so we may see more of a striking fight. Cotton is more explosive whereas Neal is more technical and cleaner. Neal is not someone I trust at all because he's so slow and isn't appealing at all. Cotton does need a lot of work though. He's a dangerous guy but lacks fundamentals. I'm leaning towards Neal because he is the better striker. If Cotton was a little more polished I'd pick him. I'll go Neal by decision.

Lightweight, Sergio Cossio (25-8-1) vs. Jesse Roberts (6-0): Roberts is the veteran in this fight but Cossio has a ton more experience. Cossio may have eight losses but he's won his last seven. I'm not entirely impressed with either guy. Cossio is too wild and his cardio lacks and Roberts doesn't do anything well. I'm confident Cossio is gonna press a hard pace and make the fight ugly which Roberts hasn't had to deal with yet. I trust that the experience of Cossio will win him the fight. Roberts just doesn't do anything to convince me that he can win at a higher level. My prediction is Cossio by a late-round TKO.

Welterweight, Mukhamed Berkhamov (15-2) vs. Herman Terrado (15-5-1): This is a fight for Berkhamov to get back on track. He was a highly touted prospect when Bellator signed him but has had trouble making it to the cage. He was also knocked out brutally in his last fight to Lorenz Larkin. He's not losing to Terrado. Terrado hasn't fought since 2018 and was last seen losing to Jake Shields of all people. He's already 34 as well. Berkhamov should be able to take him down at will. If not he should be able to use his reach to destroy Terrado on the feet. Berkhamov by first-round GNP stoppage is my prediction.

Light-heavyweight, Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov (20-7-1) vs. Maciej Różański (14-4): I'm a fan of Yagshimuradov. With ever flaw he has he has an answer. He gets hit a lot but has a granite chin. His TDD lacks but scrambles really well. Also, he slows down but he remains dangerous. Rozanski does well to start the fight but he fades the longer he stays in there. He fights with his hands low and Yagshimuradov is a dangerous guy to do that against. It's just a bad match-up for Rozanski. Yagshimuradov is much better on the feet with his striking, defense, and being so dynamic. I rate his wrestling higher as well if it came down to it. By prediction is Yagshimuradov by second-round TKO and I feel confident about it.

Catchweight, Dmytrii Hrytsenko (8-0) vs. Justin Montalvo (5-1): This is gonna be a scrap between two talented strikers. Montalvo is coming off a loss but that was to Archie Colgan so no shame in that. Hrytsenko had an excellent Bellator debut seven months ago. Montalvo has gaps in his defense but damn is he a tough one to deal with. He's got both the power and shot placement to make anyone's night rough. I love the attention he pays to the body. He constantly rips it low so he's live in any fight. As much as I like Montalvo I favor Hrytsenko strongly. Montalvo is nasty with his hands but it's only with his hands. Hrytsenko does a great job of mixing it up. He uses his hands and kicks and does a great job setting traps and mixing it up. I have to side with the guy that had more tools in the shed besides the guy with only a hammer and hatchet. My prediction is Hrytsenko but decision.

Bantamweight, Bryce Meredith (4-0) vs. Miguel Peimbert (2-2): Meredith is a three-time All-American wrestler out of the University of Wyoming. He had an extensive freestyle career and an NCAA record of 108-21. Meredith has competent hands and good footwork learning on the go. He’s obviously a good wrestler who is well-versed on the mat.  After watching Peimbert hes definitely losing this fight. All it takes is bad takedown defense and that's what he has. Meredith should be able to take the fight down at will and dominate on top. It's a good fight to build a prospect like Meredith.

Featherweight, Lorrany Santos (6-1) vs. Jackie Cataline (3-3): Santos is an awful fighter and shouldn't be favored to beat anyone decent. On the feet she's a walking punching bad. She has plodding footwork, doesn't mover her head, and is low volume. Her goal is to get the fight down but she has no wrestling and very little Jiu-Jitsu. She's really just a weight bully. Cataline isn't great but any means but she is competent everywhere. She has a background in wrestling and her hands are okay. On the feet Cataline should clear and I like the wrestling and grappling of Cataline much better. Santos was hyped up by a few on Twitter and I just don't see why. I'm picking Santos by TKO in the third round.

Heavyweight, Josh Hokit (0-0) vs. Spencer Smith (0-0): To kick the card off is the debut of Josh Hokit. He's known for his time in the NFL when he played TE for the 49ers. He also was an All-American wrestler in college. This Smith guy does have four fights so he has experience. With that said they scrapped the bottom of the barrier to find Hokit a for sure win. If Hokit can't win this he's better off not fighting.