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After a long wait, the tenth season of the Bellator Fighting Championships is upon us and it kicks off on Friday Night. The event will be kicking off with the opening rounds of both the light heavyweight and featherweight tournaments. The preliminary card is stacked with seven fights as well, including a featherweight tournament opening round bout.
Kicking off the action is a light heavyweight division fight as Dave Roberts (5-8-0) competes against Pat Schultz (8-2-1). Roberts has only won one of his last seven bouts and he has not competed in a fight in nearly four years. Schultz has won two of his last three bouts and he is returning to competition after a three-plus year layoff. How this fight got on this card is beyond my comprehension, but it will be Schultz making a successful return to the cage.
A pair of bantamweights will clash next as Rico DiSciullo (1-0-0) steps into the cage to battle Jacob Smith (0-0-0). DiSciullo made his professional MMA debut last year at Bellator 98, having defeated Glenn Allaire by first round knockout. Smith will be making his professional MMA debut in this fight and he has spent some time competing as an amateur. DiSciullo looked great in his professional debut late last year and he will look great again as he spoils the pro debut of Smith.
Heavyweight division action will be happening next as Chris “The Big Buck†Birchler (5-1-0) is in action against Josh Diekmann (14-5-0). Birchler will be looking to rebound from his first professional MMA defeat, which came to Johnny Curtis at Cage Fury Fighting Championships 28. Diekmann is currently undefeated in Bellator competition, having defeated Parker Porter at Bellator 98. These are two fighters who should have been a part of the heavyweight tournament, but it will be Diekmann scoring the win either way.
We move to the lightweight division for the next bout as Andrew Calandrelli (6-3-0) does battle against Ryan Quinn (9-4-1). Calandrelli is currently undefeated under the Bellator banner, defeating both Matt Nice and Eric Brown. Quinn is another fighter who is undefeated in Bellator competition, most notably defeating Brylan Van Artsdalen at Bellator 98. These are two talented lightweight competitors, but it is going to be Quinn coming out on top in the end.
The featherweight division will be featured next as Saul “The Spider†Almeida (13-5-0) battles Andrew Fisher (12-5-1). Almeida has only won one of his last five fights, including a loss to tournament participant Goiti Yamauchi at Bellator 109. Fisher competed in the season nine featherweight tournament, losing to Joe Taimanglo in the opening round. Fisher is looking for another tournament opportunity and he should get one after he defeats Almeida.
Up next is a light heavyweight division bout as Atanas Djambazov (18-3-0) takes on Egidijus Valavicius (25-10-0). Djambazov competed in the season eight light heavyweight tournament, losing to Emmanuel Newton in the opening round. Valavicius has won seven of his last eight bouts and he has previously fought Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion Attila Vegh. This is an interesting battle of international talents to keep an eye on, but it will be Djambazov coming away with a victory.
Headlining this portion of the card in a featherweight tournament opening round bout as Will Martinez (8-2-1) faces Goiti Yamauchi (16-1-0). Martinez will enter the tournament riding a seven fight winning streak, with three of those wins coming under the Bellator banner. Yamauchi has won his previous two bouts in Bellator competition, defeating both Saul Almeida and Musa Toliver. Yamauchi is a great talent that is going to look even better as he advances to the semi-finals when he defeats Martinez.
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