Oddsmakers are offering action on six of the eight fights on the Bellator 44 fight card this weekend, and the most anticipated matchup between the two Lightweight tournament finalists looks like a complete toss-up. Also on the card will be Bellator Middleweight champion Hector Lombard in a non-title fight against former X-1 veteran Falaniko Vitale.
Hector Lombard has been a wrecking machine for four years now, going undefeated over 22 consecutive fights. Oddsmakers at 5Dimes have the cheapest price on the champ at -510, and we agree that he should be safe money on Saturday night. Vitale is an experienced veteran, but the +405 upset line at 5Dimes is not enough of a payout to warrant the risk against the champ.
The fight that has MMA fans excited is the Bellator Lightweight tournament final between undefeated Michael Chandler and hard-hitting Brazilian Patricky Freire. 5Dimes is offering an underdog price on Chandler at -105.
Chandler will be against his toughest opponent to date, but his wrestling skills look like the best thing to bet on. We like a Chandler decision win in a fight that will likely not stand up to all the hype, and will probably consist of Chandler mauling his opponent for a boring, and profitable, victory.
The other Middleweight fight on the Bellator 44 fight card will pit Alexander Shlemenko against Brett Cooper. Shlemenko’s only loss in his last eight fights was a tough decision to Middleweight champion Hector Lombard, and Cooper has dropped two of his last five fights.