The third event of Bellator’s 2021 and second to feature the light heavyweight grand prix arrives Friday night at Bellator 257. And as always, we’ve got our picks ready!
The main event will see Vadim Nemkov put his title on the line against Phil Davis, a rematch of their 2018 non-title affair. That’s one of two light heavyweight grand prix quarterfinals on the card, with the other featuring Corey Anderson up against newcomer Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov.
Also on the card, veteran Paul “Semtex” Daley finally throws down with Sabah Homasi, and in the women’s flyweight division, Desiree Yanez takes on Veta Arteaga.
| Writer | Daley vs. Homasi | Arteaga vs. Yanez | Anderson vs. Yagshimuradov | Nemkov vs. Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Behunin (29-14) |  |  |  |  |
| Ryan Fortune (39-23) |  | |  | |
| Justin Gibbons (38-24) | | | | |
| Heath Harshman (37-25) | | | | |
| Mike McClory (28-21) | | | | |
| Gabriel Gonzalez (33-29) | |  | | |
| Doug Murray (30-27) | | | | |
| Joe McDonagh (28-30) | | | | |
| Jay Anderson (27-35) | | | | |
Only one fight was a unanimous decision among our writers. Shockingly, every single writer responding sees light heavyweight champ Vadim Nemkov defending his title successfully against former champ Phil Davis. No love at all for “Mr. Wonderful,” apparently.
The other three main-card outings had at least one fighter choosing the underdog in all cases.
The 175lb catchweight bout between Daley and Homasi had our writers split, with five siding with veteran “Semtex,” while the other four see Homasi getting the upper hand. Either way, this fight just screams fireworks.
Two writers sided with Veta Arteaga in her bout with Desiree Yanez, leaving Yanez the clear favorite. Likewise, two fighters see newcomer Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov getting his hand raised against Corey Anderson in the night’s other light heavyweight grand prix semifinal.
The Bellator 257 card takes place Friday, April 16, airing live on Showtime following online prelims. We’ll bring you full coverage throughout the night, so stay tuned!
