Bellator 171 SpikeTV Odds For Friday

Bellator 171 SpikeTV Odds For Friday – The number two Mixed Martial arts brand out there, Bellator, is back this Friday with their 171st offering live from the Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane Kansas. The fourteen fight live event will see the four main fights air on SpikeTV.

The main event sees Melvin Guillard facing off against Chidi Njokuani in a three round “catchweight” bout. On paper the fight is promising as both men are top notch sluggers when at the top of their game, but at this point in Guillard’s career it is up in the air what version of Melvin you are going to get. Known as “The Yong Assassin”, Guillard is now approaching 34 years old and with over 50 fights under his belt already, he might as well change the moniker to the “Old Assassin.” Worse than the ring wear, he is still prone to the same mental lapses he has made throughout his career and the “catchweight” is Bellator catering to Guillard’s penchant for not making weight. He was cut by the UFC and he failed in a short lived stint with the WSOF before Bellator signed him to try and milk one more once of name recognition out of Guillard.

As for Njokuani, he is 16-4 overall and he is 7-0 in his last eight fights with one no contest. He has paid his dues on the regional circuit and he has put together a reputation as an exciting fighter. Now 3-0 with Bellator, Guillard is the type of fight that could help Njokuani raise his stock considerably. Guillard has gone 0-2 with Bellator in three fights, with a no contest due to a failed drug test as well, and ushering him out the door is Njokuani’s task on Friday.

Bellator veteran David “Caveman” Rickels returns to Bellator in desperate need of a clean win. Rickels has gone 2-2 with 2 No contests in his last six fights. He has been on the Bellator roster for more than five years but he has not cracked the title picture. For this match-up the opposition is Aaron Derrow, who is 2-0 in Bellator.

Undefeated AJ McKee Jr (6-0) is also on the main card as Bellator tries to get some attention and air time on a potential prospect. McKee is the son of MMA pioneer Antonio McKee, who fought his first fight back in the 90’s and who retired with a fine 29-6-2 overall record. The younger version is a more complete MMA fighter than his wrestling-based father and he appears to have some of his father’s natural athleticism. In Brandon Phillips he is facing a fighter that returned in 2016 after taking 20 months off to go 1-2.

The opening fight of the SpikeTV card is likely to feature ladies Flyweights Jessica Middleton and Alice Yauger. Middleton is 1-0 in her career but she is the fighter Bellator is hoping to showcase in this one.