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We may have run out of title fights for now on Thursday Nights, but that does not mean that Bellator is getting any less exciting. This coming Thursday Night will features the complete opening round of this seasons lightweight tournament. The preliminary card is pretty stacked as well, including a fight featuring a UFC Ultimate Fighter alumni.
Kicking off the action is a bantamweight division fight as Nick “The Big Hurt†Kirk (9-1-0) competes against Tony “The Tiger†Zelinski (3-2-0). Kirk is currently winless in Bellator competition, having suffered a defeat to David Harris at Bellator 67 this past May. Zelinski has not fought in nearly a year and once competed against Sergio Pettis, the younger brother of UFC veteran Anthony Pettis. Kirk has faced a much higher level of competition than his foe and that is why he will gain victory on Thursday Night.
Welterweights will step into the cage next as Amir Khillah (10-5-0) does battle with John “The Machine†Schulz (4-0-0). Khillah has won five of his last six fights and once competed against current Bellator Featherweight Champion Pat Curran. Schulz is currently undefeated in Bellator competition, having defeated Hector Garcia at Bellator 62. Schulz is a quality up and coming welterweight fighter and he will show why with a victory over the UFC Ultimate Fighter alumni.
A heavyweight division fight is taking place next as Karl Etherington (7-0-0) is in action against Jason “Hook ‘em†Fish (2-2-0). Etherington is an undefeated fighter who has finished all seven of his opponents in under a minute. Fish has spent the majority of his career in the King Of The Cage promotion, where he won one of three fights. Etherington could find himself in a future heavyweight tournament with a win on Thursday Night, which is what he will be getting.
We move to the lightweight division for the next fight as Justin “J-Ho†Houghton (5-2-0) stands across the cage from “Mr. Wonderful†Cody Stamann (2-0-0). Houghton enters the fight riding a two fight losing streak, with one of those losses coming to UFC veteran Cameron Dollar. Stamann is an undefeated fighter who has finished both of his professional fights in the opening round. Stamann’s undefeated streak will be coming to an end this week as Houghton secures his sixth victory.
Another lightweight division fight is up next as James “JP†Reese (8-4-0) takes on David Shepherd (5-2-0). Reese is currently undefeated in Bellator competition, having defeated Martin Brown all the way back at Bellator 50. Shepherd has won four of his last five entering this fight, with that lone loss coming to Bellator veteran Dom O’Grady. Reese has been a fighter who is always a victory or two away from a major promotion signing him and he will get that last big win over Shepherd.
Up next is a middleweight division fight as Ben “Bad News†Lagman (6-2-0) battles Samuel Quito (11-4-0). Lagman has spent the majority of his career in the King Of The Cage promotion, where he won six of seven fights. Quito will enter the fight riding a two fight winning streak, but this fight will mark his first MMA fight of 2013. This is definitely an interesting fight to check out, but it will be Quito notching up the victory as the event.
Headlining this portion of the card is a welterweight division affair as Saad Awad (12-4-0) faces Jason “The Finisher†Fischer (5-1-0). Awad will enter the fight winning a two fight winning streak, with two victories coming in the Gladiator Challenge promotion. Fischer made it all the way to the semi-finals of the season seven lightweight tournament before losing to David Rickels. Fischer is a talented fighter worthy of another tournament appearance in the future and he will show why by winning on Thursday Night.
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