Feathers will fly in September when the cream of Bellator’s 145-pound division goes at it in the organization’s 16-man featherweight grand prix.
Ahead of the first-round pairings announcement, we put together our fantasy featherweight grand prix lineup. And, not surprisingly, there were quite a few differences when the official version was revealed.
As we take a look at the tournament field, here are five key takeaways.
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‘The Wolf’ moves up
When we put together our fantasy featherweight tournament, we made sure there was space for former bantamweight champion Darrion Caldwell.
The fact he’d just lost his belt to a man who, at best, is only likely to return to the U.S. once or twice a year to defend it meant world title opportunities were starting to look a little thin on the ground.
But throwing “The Wolf” a bone in the form of a featherweight tournament spot makes all kinds of sense. It keeps him active, puts him in the hunt for a different title, and does it in a weight class that should allow him to focus on his fighting without the added pressure of having to cut weight.
He’s got a tough start against Henry Corrales, but if he gets through that test, he might take some stopping.
Aaron Pico left out for good reason
One big difference between our draw and the official lineup was the notable absence of featherweight super-prospect Aaron Pico. And while we thought Pico’s name value would seal his inclusion, it’s hard to argue against his omission given his recent career trajectory.
Pico has been on the wrong end of a couple of damaging knockouts recently – to Henry Corrales and Adam Borics – and Bellator’s top brass have wisely made the decision to ease him back into action gradually, away from the white-hot heat of a grand prix.
In a shark tank of a featherweight division, even a winnable first-round fight would only see Pico back in there with a 145-pound killer in the quarterfinals. And if you’re looking to build him back up from scratch, it could prove to be a case of too much, too young once again.
It’s probably time for Pico to take his foot off the gas and slow-play the next 12 to 18 months of his career. All things considered, missing the tournament will likely benefit him in the long run.
Missed opportunity?
Despite their strength in depth at 145 pounds, it still feels like Bellator missed an opportunity to bring an exciting new name into the mix.
Kickboxing aceRobin van Roosmalen is signed to Bellator and waiting for his next assignment. The inclusion of a world-class striking specialist might have shaken things up a little and generated additional interest, especially in the Netherlands, which is being targeted for a Bellator show in the not-too-distant future. And with Scott Coker waxing lyrical about the Dutchman not all that long ago, it’s a tad surprising not to see his name on the bout sheet for the first round.
We picked van Roosmalen vs Pico as one of our first-round matches in our fantasy featherweight grand prix. Given the fact that neither man is involved in the real-life tourney, there’s a possibility that the matchup could still take place, even if it is outside of the overall tournament structure.
As for the tournament itself, Bellator has an embarrassment of riches at 145 pounds, so they didn’t need to create interest with a wildcard pick. I can’t lie, though. In a tournament which, in a few different ways, is a throwback to the old days of kickboxing’s grand prix tourneys, I would still have pulled the trigger and found a spot for kickboxer van Roosmalen in the tournament lineup.
Young guns go for it
One interesting aspect of the first round is the way the matches have been made, with a number of rising prospects being thrown in with seasoned operators in the opening round.
It’s sink or swim time for the likes of Tywan Claxton, Adam Borics, Saul Rogers, and Pedro Carvalho, who have each been handed first-round matchups against more experienced opposition in the form of Emmanuel Sanchez, Pat Curran, Daniel Weichel, and Sam Sicilia respectively.
It’s a clear test by the Bellator matchmakers to see if the four rising stars can hang with the division’s established top guys, while also keeping the older heads on their toes by throwing young, dynamic opposition their way.
It will be very interesting to see who from that group passes their first-round test and moves on. Which bring us to to our final takeaway …
A live draw? Yes, please!
Coker warmed the hearts of everyone who enjoyed the K-1 grand prix tournaments of old when he said that Bellator would follow a similar draw format for the quarterfinals of the featherweight grand prix.
The eight remaining fighters all attend a draw event, where they secretly pick a numbered ball to denote the order of the draw. Then, in order, they place themselves on the stage in their chosen slot in the quarterfinal brackets, which will also determine each fighter’s potential path to the final itself.
Tactics and ego will be on display as the fighters have to decide where on the bracket to place themselves and who to line themselves up against. It creates more intrigue, more interest and more anticipation ahead of each fight. It might open the door to the psyche of one or two of the fighters involved, too.
To get an idea of how it works, check out the video below from the 17:12 mark, as Alistair Overeem documents his participation in the K-1 heavyweight grand prix draw back in 2010.
It’s a clear nod by Coker to the halcyon days of the K-1 tournaments and the rivalries created by those matchups. And it’ll make things that bit more interesting by the time the quarter-final matchups roll around.
For more on upcoming Bellator events, check out the MMA schedule.
