Barry Recks
Another huge event is coming the way of MMA fans this week, with Bellator 297 set to take place on Friday at Wintrust Arena in Chicago.
Read on for more about Bellator 297 in Chicago, including our predictions, picks, and latest odds in each bout, as brought to you by JefeBet. Also, don’t forget to check out the other MMA content here to help you make the best betting decisions.
Betting Preview for Bellator 297 Featuring Vadim Nemkov vs Yoel Romero Other Big Cards on June 16 2023
Vadim Nemkov (-560) vs Yoel Romero (+430)
Light Heavyweight
Nemkov will be putting on the line not just his light heavyweight title but also his 11-fight undefeated streak. In his most recent bout, he managed to keep his championship belt by scoring a majority decision over Corey Anderson back at Bellator 288.
The 30-year-old Nemkov has stunning power, with 10 wins via knockouts, while also having a 16-2-1 overall record. Romero, on the other hand, will look to prove that he’s got plenty of gas left in the tank even at age 46. Romero has a two-fight win streak going for him after back-to-back knockout victories over Alex Polizzi and Melvin Manhoef. He has a 15-6-0 record and a 13-1 knockout slate, so he also has intimidating power just like Nemkov.
Prediction: Nemkov wins via KO.
Sergio Pettis (+160) vs Patrício Freire (-190)
Bantamweight
Pettis is the champion right now in Bellator’s bantamweight division even though it’s been so long since he last saw action. An injury put Pettis on the shelf, but he will finally be getting a shot at defending his title again this week.
The 29-year-old Pettis owns a 22-5-0 record, with four knockout victories and also four submission victories. His first fight back from a long layoff will be against the promotion’s top pound-for-pound fighter in Friere, who has a 35-5-0 record. Freire is moving to bantamweight from the featherweight ranks and will be bringing with him to his showdown against Pettis a three-fight win streak.
Prediction: Freire wins via decision.
Corey Anderson (-180) vs Phil Davis (+155)
Light Heavyweight
After a failed attempt at a title in the light heavyweight division against Nemkov, Anderson will look to get back on track with a matchup against Davis.
Anderson had not won a fight since a KO victory against Ryan Bader in October 2021, but he still owns a solid 17-6-0 record, featuring eight wins via knockouts. Davis comes across as a more well-rounded fighter than Anderson, a man they call Mr. Wonderful has a 6-0 KO record and 5-0 submission slate. His six career losses were all from fights that went the distance.
Prediction: Davis wins via submission.
Daniel James (+100) vs Gökhan Saricam (-120)
Heavyweight
James is on a roll, as he has won each of his last five bouts. Not only that but he’s scored knockouts in all of those victories, so clearly, James is a man who feels unstoppable at the moment.
With a 15-6-1 record and 11-1-1 knockout slate, James’ power can easily intimidate anyone, but Saricam can still pull off a shocker this week. The Turkish heavyweight lost in his last fight via decision against Oleg Popov last February, but he is also eight years younger than the 41-year-old James.
Prediction: James wins via KO.
All odds courtesy of DraftKings. Read our review here!
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