MMA Junkie Radio co-host and MMA Junkie contributor Dan Tom breaks down the Bellator’s top bouts. Today, we look at the co-main event for Bellator 220.
Bellator 220 takes place Saturday at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. The main card streams on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (9-0 MMA, 8-0 BMMA)
Staple info:
- Height: 5’4″ Age: 29 Weight: 125 lbs. Reach: 66″
- Last fight: Submission win over Valerie Letourneau (Dec. 15, 2018)
- Camp: Team Hurricane Awesome (San Diego, CA)
- Stance/striking style: Orthodox/kickboxing
- Risk management: Good
Supplemental info:
+ Bellator flyweight champion
+ EBI women’s flyweight title
+ 1 KO victory
+ 6 submission wins
+ 3 first-round finishes
+ Consistent pace and pressure
+ Steadily developing striking game
^ Shows fight-to-fight improvements
+ Strong inside the clinch
^ Knees, elbows, takedowns
+ Serviceable wrestling ability
+ Solid submission grappler
Veta Arteaga (5-2 MMA, 4-2 BMMA)
Staple info:
- Height: 5’4″ Age: 31 Weight: 125 lbs. Reach: 64″
- Last fight: Submission win over Denise Khielholtz(Sept. 21, 2018)
- Camp: Combat Fitness (Idaho)
- Stance/striking style: Orthodox/kickboxing
- Risk management: Fair
Supplemental info:
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt
+ 1 KO victory
+ 1 submission win
+ Has only lost by split decision
+ Deceptively heavy hands
+ Improved boxing technique
+ Relentless pace and pressure
^ Gets better as fight goes on
+ Strong inside the clinch
^ Favors takedowns from the fence
+ Solid transitional grappler
^ Busy ground striker
Point of interest: Controlling the exchanges
The co-main event for Bellator 220 features a fun flyweight matchup that might straddle the line between a brawl and a tactical fight.
The challenger, Veta Arteaga, is no stranger when it comes to brawling but quietly offers more than meets the eye.
Although she is known for coming forward, Arteaga does well when waiting out her opponents strikes so that she can counter by following her counterparts strike retractions to get on the inside. Staying low and loaded on the feet, the 31-year-old can unleash jabs, hooks and crosses with conviction, almost resembling an early Gilbert Melendez when in motion.
Nevertheless, Arteaga is not beyond being caught stagnant at range or when she rushes in, which makes me curious about how the champion will go about containing the exchanges.
Enter Illima-Lei Macfarlane.
Initially starting off her career a bit raw in the standing department, Macfarlane has made legitimate strides to her game in recent fights. The Hawaiian champ still shows patience to play on the outside or the ability to pressure her way forward, but she does so in a much more efficient manner than before.
Utilizing a steady dose of fakes and feints, Macfarlane now throws her punches straighter and with more purpose, smartly variating between simple combinations to maximize her effectiveness. The 29-year-old also has displayed upgraded head movement, rolling her head offline when committing to her crosses – something that will come in handy given the palpable power coming back her way.
Still, if Macfarlane can’t get or maintain a hold on the exchanges, then Arteaga’s aggressive assaults could start to build in momentum, changing the temperature of this fight.
Next point of interest: Swimming with sharks
Point of interest: Swimming with sharks
Considering that both fighters either make their money or, at the very least, consistently find themselves in the clinch, then I suspect we will see important tactical battles inside of this space.
Thankfully for Macfarlane, the clinch seems to be a theme that, more often than not, tends to materialize in a positive way throughout most of her fights. Whether she is looking for double legs against the fence or trying to establish the Thai clinch in the open, Macfarlane sticks to her opposition and the objective at hand.
Nevertheless, Arteaga – who is no striking slouch in this space – is also not shy when it comes to throwing elbows in close, so the champ cannot afford to be complacent. Macfarlane will also have to mind when clinching with her back to the fenceline because Arteaga, like her Hawaiian counterpart, also attempts takedowns from here.
Once topside, Arteaga’s aggression does not stop. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt’s submission defense allows her to stay active with ground strikes while passing when applicable. That said, she will be facing a unique threat in Macfarlane.
Hailing from the 10th Planet jiu-jitsu system, Macfarlane displays an unorthodox but effective way of maneuvering through positions, reminding us of the craft of her high-guard game in her last few outings.
Regardless of who ends up on top, measured urgency will likely be the theme for both ladies. But if Macfarlane ends up topside (which I believe is the more likely scenario), then Arteaga will need to be careful in how she tries to both attack and scramble.
Macfarlane, who works well from topside, shows some mean transitional chops and will sink her hips into a mount or back-mount position as soon as she sees daylight for it. Couple that with the fact that Arteaga has either been taken down and/or had her back taken in her past four fights, then I suspect that we will be holding our breath anytime scrambles ensue.
Next point of interest: Odds, opinion and prediction
Point of interest: Odds and opinions
The oddsmakers have yet to release a betting line for this fight as of this writing, but I suspect that the spread should moderately favor the champion.
You seemingly can’t stay undefeated in this sport forever, but Macfarlane continues to impress and overachieve when you consider her experience, which makes it hard to doubt her here. Arteaga’s “Diego Sanchez-like” pace and pressure makes her a live dog in any fight she takes part in, but unless she can seriously hurt her Hawaiian counterpart to take a dramatic lead, then I suspect her style may sway her right into Macfarlane’s strengths.
Arteaga has been able to get away with giving her back to turn into her opposition thus far. I just think that her willingness to get into these dogged scrambles may cost her against the submission savvy of the champ.
I definitely don’t mean to come off like I’m counting out the challenger’s brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but MMA is a different ocean and Macfarlane is a different kind of shark. I’m picking the champion to retain her belt with a second-round submission.
Prediction: Macfarlane inside the distance
For more on Bellator 220, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.
