This Saturday presents a double dip for fight fans as Bellator's welterweight title will be put on the line in Dublin, while the UFC will showcase two rising stars in the main event of their light heavyweight division at the UFC Apex.
Bellator MMA welterweight champion, Yaroslav Amosov, will return to the cage after a 20-month layoff to battle current interim champion Logan Storley at Bellator 291 in Dublin, Ireland. Amosov, ranked No. 7 in ESPN's divisional rankings, decided to pause his MMA career to return to Ukraine and defend his country in the war against Russia. Storley, unranked by ESPN, will get his rematch after suffering a loss to Amosov at Bellator 252 in Nov. 2020. Amosov would defeat Douglas Lima by unanimous decision to win the welterweight title in June 2021.
The UFC takes the reins during the evening hours in Nevada. Nikita Krylov, ranked No. 9 in ESPN's divisional rankings, has won two fights in a row, including a performance of the night win over Alexander Gustafsson in July 2022. Ryan Spann, unranked by ESPN, is also riding a two-fight winning streak, including a performance of the night win over Ion Cutelaba in May 2022.
Who has the edge in the Bellator and UFC main events? Brett Okamoto spoke to Combat Sports Academy coach Kirian Fitzgibbons to get his perspective on Saturday's main events. In addition, ESPN's betting experts Reed Kuhn and Ian Parker offer their picks for both main events and the best bets on the UFC Fight Night card.
Editor's note: Responses have been edited for clarity and brevity