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Since the Scott Coker era of Bellator MMA began in 2014, each passing event is becoming better than the one that proceeded it. Bellator 133 will be no different as former middleweight champion Alexander Shlemenko faces Melvin Manhoef in the main event. Also, former featherweight champion Pat Curran competes and female MMA star Julia Budd makes her promotional debut.
Main Card
Main Event
Bellator MMA Middleweight Division Fight
Melvin “No Mercy†Manhoef (29-12-1-1NC) vs. Alexander “Storm†Shlemenko (51-9-0)
Manhoef will be looking to rebound from his first defeat in Bellator MMA competition, which came to Joe Schilling at Bellator 131. Shlemenko will be returning to Bellator MMA after losing his middleweight title to Brandon Halsey at Bellator 126. Manhoef is a fighter known for finishing fights as he has not seen a fight go to the judge’s scorecards in nearly three years. Shlemenko actually fought once outside of Bellator MMA since dropping the strap, which was a win over Yasubey Enomoto at Fight Night Moscow 18. This fight is going to be a monster slugfest from beginning to end, but Manhoef’s chin is virtually gone at this point and Shlemenko will knock him out in the first.
Co-Main Event
Bellator MMA Featherweight Division Fight
Pat “Paddy Mike†Curran (20-6-0) vs. Daniel “The Weasel†Weichel (34-8-0)
Curran will be returning to action for the first time since losing the featherweight title to Patricio Freire at Bellator 123. Weichel is currently undefeated in Bellator MMA, which includes a win over current Titan FC Featherweight Champion Desmond Green. This fight against Weichel will mark the first time in nearly four years that Curran will not be competing in a title bout. Weichel will enter the fight riding a six fight winning streak, with only one of those fights going to a decision. Curran is a fighter known for starting slow in fights, Weichel will use his wrestling game to take advantage and notch an upset decision win over the former champion.
Bellator MMA Women’s Featherweight Division Fight
Julia “The Jewel†Budd (6-2-0) vs. Gabrielle “The Gabanator†Holloway (4-1-0)
Budd will be returning to action after a year-plus layoff and she has previously competed against current UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey. Holloway is a late replacement in this fight, she also fought less than a month ago when she defeated Lacie Jackson at Rumble At Raxx 23. Budd is one of the more underrated wrestlers in women’s MMA right now and she will outwrestle Holloway to get a decision.
Bellator MMA Welterweight Division Fight
Chris “The Cutt†Honeycutt (5-0-0) vs. Clayton MacFarlane (4-0-0)
Honeycutt is coming off of a win over UFC veteran Aaron Wilkinson at Bellator 125 and he is the current Up & Comers MMA Welterweight Champion. MacFarlane has spent his entire career until this point in the Xplode Fight Series promotion and only one of his fights went to a decision. Honeycutt is somebody that Bellator MMA is banking on to become their next big star and he will use his striking skills to finish MacFarlane in the second.
Preliminary Card
Nick Bustamante over Luis Jauregi
Cody Sons over John Paul Elias
Ryan Tobar over Jonathan Contrestano
Ray Cervera over Adam Piccolloti
Art Arciniega over Emilio Chavez
George Zuniga over Blake Watkin
Nick Sperling over Paul Ruiz
