Bellator 206 Preview: Mousasi v MacDonald

Bellator 206 Preview: Mousasi v MacDonald

By Dan McConnell

Bellator’s biggest card of the year takes place this Saturday night inside the SAP Centre in San Jose California. The card features champions, legends and upcoming talents in an event that seems to have it all for fight fans.

In the main event Welterweight Champion Rory MacDonald (20-4) moves up in weight to face Middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi (44-6) in a huge super fight for the 185 pound title. This fight is a mark of how far the organisation has come and the high level of talent they have secured. Since both fighters have left the UFC they have captured the gold that has evaded them within their previous company.

Both Mousasi and MacDonald have won their two respective contests under the Bellator banner and look to make more history of their own. With ‘The Red King’ MacDonald in his move up to 185, he will look to become Bellator’s first ever two division weight world champion. While the ‘The Dreamcatcher’ Mousasi looks to cement his name as undisputed Bellator Middleweight champion and add a huge name to list of defeated fighters.

In the co-main event Heavyweights Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson (37-13) faces familiar foe in Wanderlei Silva (35-13) in a bout that should be nothing short of fireworks. This will be the fourth time both have seen eye to eye inside the cage, Wanderlei has the upper hand with a 2-1 record. Both men are past their prime but the bad blood between the two is still visible. Can Rampage equal the scores?

The start of the Bellator Welterweight grand-prix also begins on Saturday. Former Bellator Welterweight champion Douglas Lima (29-7) looks to start his comeback trail against another former champion Andrey Koreshkov (21-2). There is history between the two as Koreshkov defeated Lima first to capture the title back in July 2015. Lima then went on to overcome his loss by earning a rematch knock-out victory in November 2016 to lift the title. This trilogy fight will look to settle the score once and for all, as well as progressing the winner to the next stage within the tournament.

Bellator promising talent Aaron Pico (3-1) will face experienced Brazilian Featherweight Leandro Higo (18-4) on this stacked card. Higo’s last fight was against Featherweight champion Darrion Caldwell for the title at Bellator 195 but was defeated via submission due to a guillotine choke. Pico will take a step up in competition that will edge him closer to being in the title discussion.

Main Card
Gegard Mousasi vs. Rory MacDonald
Quinton Rampage Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva
Andrey Koreshkov vs. Douglas Lima
Leandro Higo vs. Aaron Pico
Keri Melendez vs. Dakota Zimmerman

Pre-lims
Adam Piccolotti vs. James Terry
Gaston Bolanos vs. Ysidro Gutierrez
Jeremiah Labiano vs. Justin Smitley
Danasabe Mohammed vs. Salvador Becerra
Arlene Blencowe vs. Amber Leibrock
Joe Neal vs. Josh San Diego
Abraham Vaesau vs. DeMarco Villalona
Cass Bell vs. Ty Costa
Isaiah Batin-Gonzalez vs. Khai Wu
Ignacio Ortiz vs. Jacob Ycaro
Ricky Abdelaziz vs. Laird Anderson
Chuck Campbell vs. Joseph Ramirez
Anthony Figueroa vs. Samuel Romero