Bellator 299 is coming this weekend from Dublin, Ireland, with a card full of talent from around the world. In the main event, the middleweight title is up for grabs as Johnny Eblen looks to defend his belt against Fabian Edwards. Read more for a closer look at this bout and some advice on making Bellator best bets, along with the official Eblen vs Edwards prediction. This should be one of the better bouts on the MMA schedule this weekend.
Johnny Eblen (184.6) vs. Fabian Edwards (185)#Bellator299 pic.twitter.com/wMVuGXJXfE
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) September 22, 2023
Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards Information
Johnny Eblen vs Fabian Edwards
Location of the fight: 3Arena, Dublin, Ireland
Date & Time: September 23, 2023. 4 PM ET main card start
How to Watch: Showtime and Paramount+
Last Fight Record
Eblen is coming off his first title defense against Anatoly Tokov in February at Bellator 290.
Edwards is coming off an impressive decision win over Gegard Mousasi in May at Bellator 296.
Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards Betting Analysis
Johnny Eblen
Eblen is an American mixed martial artist with a professional record of 13-0, with five TKO/KO victories and one submission under his belt at the age of 31. His combat sports background goes back to being a state-champion wrestler in Kansas City, then a D-1 wrestler at the University of Missouri–compiling an 87-24 career record in college.
Nicknamed “The Human Cheat Code,” he’s famed for his exceptional cardio, toughness, elite wrestling skills, and knockout power. He’s listed at 6’3″ with a 74″ reach and trains out of the American Top Team in Florida. He fights primarily out of the orthodox stance as well.
Fabian Edwards
Edwards is a 30-year-old British fighter with a professional MMA record of 12-2, with three TKO/KO wins and three submissions. He is listed as 6’1″ with a crazy 79.5″ reach–one that’s almost exactly the same as the 6’4″ Israel Adesanya.
Edwards, brother of UFC welterweight champ Leon, had his own title-winning surprise last year with a victory over Kamaru Usman. As the middleweight division’s #1 contender, he secured this spot by defeating three consecutive ranked opponents in recent fights.
Updates
No injuries have been reported to Bellator MMA.
Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards Betting Preview
Before making the best Eblen vs Edwards prediction possible, we have to take the time to look through the available betting lines and watch some tape from both of these athletes to get a feel for how they stylistically match up with each other.
According to the betting odds, Eblen is coming in as the massive -550 betting favorite over the +385 Edwards as we get to the end of the fight week. The fight is expected to last, with -150 odds for the distance, +145 for Eblen to win inside, and +750 for Edwards.
After watching tape on both of these guys, it’s easy to understand why Eblen is such a big betting favorite. He fights with an aggression that’s second to none in Bellator, and he has a ton of wrestling skill–which is a very important thing to have in your arsenal in MMA.
Edwards has an uncanny resemblance to his older brother in how he fights. His southpaw style is aesthetically pleasing but occasionally hesitant, reminiscent of his brother’s occasional hesitations in the ring. Watching his brother defy the odds and become a champion should influence him in the lead-up and during the fight.
The key to the outcome of this fight will be the wrestling of Eblen. If Edwards can earn respect early on by stuffing takedowns and touching up Eblem as he comes into range, this fight can be a lot closer than the odds suggest.
Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards Betting Prediction
Making Bellator picks is slightly easier than the UFC because of the skill gap, even at the championship level, but this fight might be a lot trickier than usual.
You can’t count Edwards out of this fight. The left body kick will be open due to the orthodox vs. southpaw matchup, and that can even set up a head kick later in the fight–much like his brother’s first title fight.
But the smarted Eblen vs Edwards prediction and the best bet to make is for Eblen to win. Predicting Eblen getting a finish is challenging; his wrestling might break Edwards’ spirit. It’s a risky fight for big bets.
If you were to bet on a method of victory, go with Eblen by TKO ground-and-pound in the 4th round.
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