Tonight's Bellator show features the first of the tournament final fights, a lightweight battle between Toby Imada and Pat Curran. Another reason to be excited about tonight's Bellator card is the debut of the number one pound for pound women's fighter in the world, Megumi Fuji.
Women's fight special attraction:
Megumi "Mega Megu" Fuji (19-0) vs. Sarah Schneider (4-4)
Megumi Fuji is a blackbelt in both BJJ and Judo. She was also a Japanese National Champion in Sambo. She's got amazing quick takedowns and is without question the most decorated submission grappler in women's MMA. She's got 16 of 19 wins by submission most of them by armbar. Watch for that or her toe hold called the "Megulock". Sarah Schneider is also a jiu-jitsu specialist but certainly not on Fuji's level. She's coming off two straight losses but against some pretty good competition including Strikeforce 120lb women's champ Sarah Kaufman. Schneider is tough and has a lot of guts signing to fight Fuji, but her winning this fight would be one of the biggest upsets in MMA history.
Prediction - Megumi Fuji by submission in round 1, probably by armbar.
Lightweight tournament finals:
Toby Imada (25-13) vs. Pat Curran (11-3)
Toby Imada was a finalist in last year's Lightweight tournament losing the title fight to Eddie Alvarez. His semi final win was an upset over Jorge Masvidal and one of the greatest submissions ever. If you have never seen it, it's a must watch check it out here:
So beyond that Imada came back to this year's tournament after falling short to Alvarez with two more great submissions over James Krause and Carey Vanier. Pat Curran is the younger brother of MMA veteran and former WEC featherweight contender Jeff Curran. He debuted for Bellator in the lightweight tournament this with a nice upset KO over Georges St Pierre training partner Mike Ricci. He followed that up with stunning well deserved upset by decision over Sports Illustrated coverboy and former UFC Lightweight superstar Roger Huerta. Curran hits hard and that's his best shot against Imada. I think Imada has a huge advantage on the ground and that I believe will be the difference and Imada will get his rematch against Eddie Alvarez.
Prediction - Toby Imada by submission in round 2, more than likely an armbar but hopefully another crazy flying thing that almost another million people will watch on youtube.
There should be a couple more great fights like always on Bellator but those two are the big must see fights of Bellator 21.
Bellator 21 preview and predictions
