Undefeated light heavyweight Alex Polizzi made his Bellator debut in his last fight. Making an immediate splash.
Polizzi (7-0) took on veteran Rafael Carvalho at Bellator 245 in September, winning a unanimous decision. Now, the former LFA 205lb champ returns to take on a fellow up-and-comer in Julius Anglickas at Bellator 251.
For those that scoffed at Scott Coker’s claim that Bellator’s light heavyweight division rivals that of the UFC, Polizzi is proof that, if it doesn’t do so now, it soon may. Among the names on Polizzi’s hit list are Daniel Jolly and Jamal Pogues, UFC and Contender Series alumni, respectively.
For Polizzi, the next name that matters is his opponent. He’s looking no further than that ahead of Bellator 251. “As cliche as it sounds, I’m just looking forward to the fight,” he said during the event’s media day this week, speaking in a virtual media scrum. “Pressing forward, it’s just kind of the next guy. I’m going to be disappointing to a lot of folks who follow MMA, but you guys know a lot more of the names than I do. I just show up and punch who they want me to punch.”
The same can be said for where a win over Anglickas will put him in Bellator’s light heavyweight ranks. Suggesting those sort of questions were “a little bit above my pay grade,” Polizzi seems content to leave it to the promotion.
One surprise heading into the event this week was that Polizzi is down on the preliminary card. Coming off a win over an ex-champ, one might expect a bit more. Polizzi, however, is taking it in stride. “This is still just my second fight in Bellator. I know that you kind of have to earn your way up,” he said.
So while a main card placement would be great, “at the same time, I realize that it’s a process, and I’m willing to keep punching people til I make my way up there.’
Watch the full Bellator 251 virtual media day press scrum with Alex Polizzi above. The event takes place this Thursday, November 4 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. The main card airs live on CBS Sports Network.
