Topic: Bellator 253
Bellator 253: Caldwell vs. McKee
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10.15.2020 | 7:59 PM ET
Responses
bout announced
Jeremy Kennedy vs. Matt Bessette at 145 lbs (65.8 kg)
bout announced
Lance Gibson Jr. vs. Shane Kruchten at 155 lbs (70.3 kg)
bout announced
Joey Davis vs. Bobby Lee at 170 lbs (77.1 kg)
bout announced
Keith Lee vs. Raufeon Stots at 135 lbs (61.2 kg)
bout announced
Kevin Ferguson Jr. vs. Kaheem Murray at 155 lbs (70.3 kg)
bout announced
Gaston Bolaños vs. Johnny Soto at 140 lbs (63.5 kg)
bout announced
Jaleel Willis vs. Mark Lemminger at 170 lbs (77.1 kg)
bout announced
Marcus Surin vs. Ricardo Seixas at 155 lbs (70.3 kg)
bout announced
Benson Henderson vs. Jason Jackson at 170 lbs (77.1 kg)
bout announced
Sullivan Cauley vs. Mark Glover at 205 lbs (93.0 kg)
bout status update
Bolaños vs. Soto Changed from Confirmed to Cancelled
bout announced
Jay Jay Wilson vs. Sergio DeBari at 145 lbs (65.8 kg)
11.14.2020 | 11:52 PM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 6 of 9 Winners, 2 Perfect, 375 Points | Tied for 538th
Joey Davis, TKO, R1
What's with all the Bellator wrestlers Tapology pics(Ed Ruth, Tyrel Fortune, Davis, Storley, Romero Cotton) We get it, they wrestled at College, but they're MMA fighters now!!! I always want to change that. But I better not
"Sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe ****! "
11.15.2020 | 9:36 AM ET
Predictions: 6 of 9 Winners, 3 Perfect, 415 Points | Tied for 423rd
"Dont take life too serious, you will never make it out alive."
11.15.2020 | 12:59 PM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 6 of 9 Winners, 2 Perfect, 390 Points | Tied for 507th
AJ McKee Jr., DEC
It will be close but McKee Jr. just has too much class for Caldwell to handle.
Henderson vs. Jackson
Benson Henderson, DEC
Henderson will just out work the self proclaimed "Ass-Kicking Machine"
Davis vs. Lee
Joey Davis, TKO, R3
I think Davis will use his wrestling skill to tire out Lee before finishing it off with a KO
Lee vs. Stots
Raufeon Stots, DEC
Lee is the bigger man but Stots is the better fighter. I can't see Stots finishing the fight though.
Kennedy vs. Bessette
Jeremy Kennedy, TKO, R2
Kennedy's power is seriously underrated and I think that will get him a surprise KO in this fight.
Gibson Jr. vs. Kruchten
Lance Gibson Jr., TKO, R1
This is going to be a painful fight for Kruchten.
Slice vs. Murray
Baby Slice, TKO, R3
Like the Davis v Lee fight, I think this will be another fight where Slice wears down Murray before finishing him off with a good old ground & pound.
Willis vs. Lemminger
Mark Lemminger, DEC
The "Realist" will be given a reality check here.
Surin vs. Seixas
Ricardo Seixas, SUB, R1
I've got confidence in Seixas's ground game. He will win by a submission.
Cauley vs. Glover
Sullivan Cauley, DEC
I'm not sure what to make of either of these guys so this is the one I'm most unsure of. My best guess is that it will be a long sluggish fight between two big guys that will end up going the distance.
Wilson vs. DeBari
Jay Jay Wilson, SUB, R1
Wilson has a great ground game and I think that will be the deciding factor here.
"We fall but we get up because the ground is no place for a champion - Dustin Poirier"
11.16.2020 | 1:38 PM ET
Predictions: 7 of 9 Winners, 5 Perfect, 490 Points | Tied for 135th
FoTN Lemminger vs Willis. Now this is how you compete with the UFC, especially on a week where they have a low name-power PPV. Just advertise better Bellator, holy ****.
"I’m here to snatch necks and cash checks" - Darrick Minner
bout status update
Cauley vs. Glover Changed from Confirmed to Cancelled
bout status update
Gibson Jr. vs. Kruchten Changed from Confirmed to Cancelled
bout status update
Surin vs. Seixas Changed from Confirmed to Cancelled
bout announced
Sullivan Cauley vs. Jason Markland at 205 lbs (93.0 kg)
11.16.2020 | 5:15 PM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 6 of 9 Winners, 2 Perfect, 390 Points | Tied for 507th
Sullivan Cauley, TKO, R1
I really hope the Cauley hype train is legitimate but it's far too early to tell yet. I'm rooting for him anyway though.
"We fall but we get up because the ground is no place for a champion - Dustin Poirier"
11.17.2020 | 12:21 PM ET
HERE YOU GO BOYS!!!
11.17.2020 | 12:52 PM ET
Predictions: 6 of 9 Winners, 3 Perfect, 415 Points | Tied for 423rd
Good to see you back buddy! You weren't on the UFC threads for the last couple of weeks so I was wondering if you were OK. I know you get a lot of **** from the people on here but you're always fun to have around! I'm not gonna buy any of your bets though, I'll make up my own mind on the fights.
"I wish you good luck but I don't want you to rely on luck"
11.17.2020 | 5:51 PM ET
Predictions: 6 of 9 Winners, 3 Perfect, 415 Points | Tied for 423rd
"Dont take life too serious, you will never make it out alive."
11.17.2020 | 8:58 PM ET
A message from your friendly honorary forum moderator
Predictions: 6 of 8 Winners, 3 Perfect, 375 Points | Tied for 538th
* Edited at 11.17.2020, 8:59 PM ET *
11.18.2020 | 12:11 AM ET
Predictions: 7 of 9 Winners, 5 Perfect, 490 Points | Tied for 135th
"I’m here to snatch necks and cash checks" - Darrick Minner
11.18.2020 | 12:36 PM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 8 of 9 Winners, 4 Perfect, 540 Points | Tied for 48th with 7 others
Jason Jackson, DEC
Crossing my fingers for the ass-kicking machine
Kennedy vs. Bessette
Jeremy Kennedy, DEC
This is about as good of a matchup as you can get in smellator. Can't wait
Lee vs. Stots
Raufeon Stots, SUB, R3
Another great fight. I think Stots will be able to wear him out and submit him late, though I wouldn't be surprised if this went to decision because they're both such durable and savvy fighters.
Ferguson Jr. vs. Murray
Kevin Ferguson Jr., TKO, R1
I don't think this is quite as big of a mismatch as I would expect bellator to set up, but still if Baby Slice can land legal strikes he takes this. Hoping he doesn't lock up a sub and take my perfect pick away
Willis vs. Lemminger
Jaleel Willis, DEC
Lemminger might win this by numbers, but he gets cut more easily than Willis and it's harder to win a decision when you're bleeding all over the place
Wilson vs. DeBari
Jay Jay Wilson, DEC
DeBari looks scrappy as hell on whatever old footage is on youtube. I would stay away from this fight betting-wise
Cauley vs. Markland
Sullivan Cauley, TKO, R1
this should be some hellacious violence
"Throughout my career I've learned that "If you win you're the ****, if you lose it's bad." - Bruno "Blindadao" Silva"
weigh-in result
Sullivan Cauley: 205.0 lbs (93.0 kgs)
weigh-in result
Jason Markland: 204.2 lbs (92.6 kgs)
weigh-in result
Jay Jay Wilson: 145.7 lbs (66.1 kgs)
weigh-in result
Sergio DeBari: 144.7 lbs (65.6 kgs)
weigh-in result
Kevin Ferguson Jr.: 154.7 lbs (70.2 kgs)
weigh-in result
Kaheem Murray: 154.7 lbs (70.2 kgs)
weigh-in result
Jaleel Willis: 170.0 lbs (77.1 kgs)
weigh-in result
Mark Lemminger: 170.5 lbs (77.3 kgs)
weigh-in result
Jeremy Kennedy: 145.5 lbs (66.0 kgs)
weigh-in result
Matt Bessette: 145.6 lbs (66.0 kgs)
weigh-in result
Keith Lee: 136.0 lbs (61.7 kgs)
weigh-in result
Raufeon Stots: 135.2 lbs (61.3 kgs)
weigh-in result
Joey Davis: 168.8 lbs (76.6 kgs)
weigh-in result
Bobby Lee: 170.0 lbs (77.1 kgs)
weigh-in result
Benson Henderson: 170.0 lbs (77.1 kgs)
weigh-in result
Jason Jackson: 170.0 lbs (77.1 kgs)
weigh-in result
Darrion Caldwell: 144.7 lbs (65.6 kgs)
weigh-in result
AJ McKee Jr.: 144.8 lbs (65.7 kgs)
11.18.2020 | 7:23 PM ET
Predictions: 7 of 9 Winners, 0 Perfect, 395 Points | 502nd Place
"“I took no damage,” Hill said. “Most of the fall was me falling down"
11.18.2020 | 11:12 PM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 7 of 9 Winners, 5 Perfect, 490 Points | Tied for 135th
AJ McKee Jr., SUB, R3
Okay, great card for betting in my opinion. But watch me get burned hard lol. Where to start, both of these guys kind of suck if you were to compare them to any top 15 featherweight in the UFC. They'd get beat bad. They both have awkward single shot striking and they only fight in spurts of activity. The things that redeem them are also virtually identical: they can both wrestle, they both have good neck attacks, and they both throw a rather sharp left leg high kick. Watching their tape you really see a **** ton of similarities between these two fighters. So why on earth is AJ McKee such a huge betting favorite? Well, he can go five rounds and Caldwell can't. I'm convinced that if this goes past the 3rd Caldwell will quit on the stool. That said, AJ McKee is not as good of a wrestler as he has seemed, he has sloppy entries and bad control. For ****s sake he got cleanly taken down by Pat Curran with almost no effort. Darrion Caldwell is 100% the better wrestler... in the first round. After the 7 minute mark Caldwell looks about as good as tepid water. Which is really disappointing, a lot of people (myself included) expected the move up to featherweight to fix that problem. So here's the bets Darrion Caldwell in the rounds 1 or 2 at +1000 for 1/2 a unit and AJ McKee inside the distance at +180 for 2 units. My official prediction, AJ McKee by a front choke (guillotine or anaconda) off of one of Darrion's "Oh god it's the third round and I'm so tired but the ref is telling me he'll take a point away if I don't stop running" takedowns. But don't get it twisted Caldwell is a great fighter in that first round, he'd give a lot of ranked UFC guys some trouble for five minutes. So if he comes out here and blasts AJ out the water I wouldn't be surprised. But with Joey Davis in his camp I expect AJ McKee to have seen enough explosive wrestling to survive.
Henderson vs. Jackson
Jason Jackson, DEC
Betting Benson Henderson here is tempting because I mean cmon it's Benson Henderson against a guy who is 12-4. But Jason Jackson is really only outclassed by high level wrestlers (Colby, Ed Ruth -- lets be real Jackson won that fight --, Mike Graves). And Benson is not that, do I think Benson can outpoint him, ehhh maybe. He has a significant speed advantage. But Jackson has a huge reach/height advantage and fights well behind the jab and leg kicks and is a very patient cerebral fighter. He has a clear path to victory and I expect him to at the least pick up two rounds if not put Benson to sleep. It's a bit too soon for Benson to be coming back after that vicious KO from chandler and I wouldn't be surprised if he's still a bit chinny. That said, my call is Jackson for 2.5 U at -180.
Davis vs. Lee
Joey Davis, DEC
This is supposed to be another easy fight for Joey Davis but I'm not so sure. I think he can take it, but I don't think it'll be easy. Bobby Lee is tough and he can scrap like a son of a ***** when he wants to. Joey Davis will have a good size advantage but unless he gets another freak flying knee KO I see this going to decision. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if Bobby Lee KOs Davis because of how high he keeps his chin in the air. Looks like this card is basically supposed to be a set up for the boys from bodyshop. I'll take the over 1.5 for -140.
Kennedy vs. Bessette
Jeremy Kennedy, DEC
No bet.
Lee vs. Stots
Raufeon Stots, DEC
Stots is in a few of my parlays. I consider him a lock but make of that what you will. He has better cardio, wrestling, and striking by a country mile. I mean on cardio alone I'd pick Raufeon Stots, this guy has an engine unlike anything I've seen, just go watch the Cass Bell fight on youtube, Stots is singing in between rounds, and they are hard fought rounds too. Then he comes out in the third and blows away a Bell who's gassed out by the high pace of the fight.
Ferguson Jr. vs. Murray
Kevin Ferguson Jr., TKO, R1
Some more fodder to another bodyshop fighter. I don't give a **** who your father is, this is cagefighting. But "Baby Slice" should win this, Kaheem isn't a bad fighter for the regional scene and he's a good test for Baby Slice if it weren't for his bad tendency to leave his chin up on entries. This fight is gonna go one of two ways: Baby Slice catches a kick and drags Murray to the ground or cleanly KOs Murray as he does one of his lunging/blitzing attacks with his hands down and chin up.
Willis vs. Lemminger
Jaleel Willis, DEC
Firstly, Jaleel may have edged DeJesus to win the LFA title, but damn that was a close fight and I wouldn't be mad at anyone who gave it to Vinicius DeJesus. Alright now to the fight at hand, Lemminger has a great lead left hook, good counter boxing and he mixes up his punches well and defends from orthodox punches pretty well. He's slow to move his feet but he has good upper body defensive movement. He's really good at that very narrow skill set and "occasionally" a double leg and those things have kind of carried him throughout his career. On the flipside Lemminger is kind of a turtle off of his back and he relies on counter punching a bit too much for someone with bad defensive footwork. If he can get started going forward he could conceivably win most of the fights he lost (for reference go watch the second round of his fight against Jason Witt where he almost sleeps him with a leaping lead left hook while pressing forward)
, but he starts on the back foot. Jaleel has all the advantages here physically and has the skills to counter Lemminger's game. A stiff jab and decent low kicks will lead to a cruising victory for Willis but Lemminger is live for a KO with that lead left hook. I absolutely don't trust Lemminger to get the fast start he needs to earn Willis' respect. I think Willis tears him apart with low kicks (which every opponent Lemminger faces has landed on him at will) at a distance and outpoints him for a win. I bet on Jaleel early at like -115 but now the money bet would be on Lemminger who is very live to land a KO counter at like +165 now
Wilson vs. DeBari
Sergio DeBari, DEC
Sergio Debari is a dogs dog man. Dude doesn't have the best TDdefence and that is why Jay Jay is probably going to win this. That aside, Debari has good jitsu, a pretty good chin, decent striking, and an awesome gas tank. Maybe he can bring a war to Jay Jay Wilson, but probably not. I put a small punt bet on Debari because I hate how Bellator feeds their favored fighters with ideal matchups. It's just so rigged, even the judging half the time (See Jason Jackson vs Ed Ruth). I'll take the L in pursuit of karmic justice.
* Edited at 11.18.2020, 11:21 PM ET *
"I’m here to snatch necks and cash checks" - Darrick Minner
11.19.2020 | 5:34 AM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 6 of 9 Winners, 4 Perfect, 425 Points | Tied for 406th
Darrion Caldwell, SUB, R2
Prepare for upset here
"They're All On Steroids Bro!"
11.19.2020 | 11:09 AM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 7 of 9 Winners, 3 Perfect, 440 Points | Tied for 340th
Jeremy Kennedy, DEC
Kennedy will most likely win but he's over valued at -400+
11.19.2020 | 11:20 AM ET
Predictions: 6 of 9 Winners, 3 Perfect, 375 Points | Tied for 538th
"“What happened to you, USA? Wake up, USA! Go! Go back for you, go! Go for Jesus. No forgay Jesus people." -Yoel Romero"
event picks deadline updated
Fantasy picks now lock at Thursday, November 19 at 4:00pm ET
11.19.2020 | 3:16 PM ET
Sassy New Predictions
Predictions: 8 of 9 Winners, 5 Perfect, 525 Points | Tied for 65th
I am taking Jason Jackson at -180. He has a xenotropic diet. Jackson is gonna undress the victory.
Kennedy vs. Bessette
I go for Jeremy Kennedy at -415. He has a decent brainbuster. Kennedy won't punish the achievement.
Wilson vs. DeBari
I go for Jay Jay Wilson at -365. He has an excellent armpit slam and a tremendous anaconda. Wilson is about to bury the chosen one.
Cauley vs. Markland
I crave Sullivan Cauley at -270. He has an eccentric clawhold and a heavenly piledriver. Cauley is about to locate the senses.
Ferguson Jr. vs. Murray
I take Kevin Ferguson Jr. at -325. He has a cybernetic approach and a nutty reverse side kick and also a captivating brainbuster. Ferguson Jr. could prove the humiliating defeat.
Willis vs. Lemminger
I favor Jaleel Willis at -205. He has a reliable Samoan driver. Willis will perform the enemy.
Lee vs. Stots
I want Raufeon Stots at -310. He has a brackish tai otoshi. Stots ought to impair the cutman. Acertar na mosca!
Davis vs. Lee
I desire Joey Davis at -360. He has a trendy mountain bomb. Davis should quench the production.
Caldwell vs. McKee Jr.
I crave AJ McKee Jr. at -215. He has a wacky lumberjack sweep. McKee Jr. is about to weaken the enemy.
"This is the droid you're looking for."
11.19.2020 | 3:31 PM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 6 of 9 Winners, 3 Perfect, 415 Points | Tied for 423rd
AJ McKee Jr., TKO, R2
THIS IS THE FIGHT I'VE BEEN WISHING FOR, FOR YEARS. Not even kiddng, like 7-8 fights ago, I wanted to see this matchup. But those 7-8 fights ago, I would've had a different opinion on the outcome of this fight. Welp, everything happens for a reason, right?
Henderson vs. Jackson
Benson Henderson, DEC
Shaking my ************* head. Seriously. And Jackson is the favorite, to top it off. I wish for that to come to fruition
"**** Fentanyl & **** Opiates too..."
11.19.2020 | 4:01 PM ET
Predictions: 7 of 9 Winners, 3 Perfect, 480 Points | Tied for 194th
11.19.2020 | 4:09 PM ET
Predictions: 7 of 9 Winners, 3 Perfect, 480 Points | Tied for 194th
"They don’t want a man like me to have the title cause I’m not a puppet like that fool up there."