To open up a stacked Bellator 301 card, the lightweight grand prix is set to be featured this week on the MMA schedule. Lightweights Patricky ‘Pitbull’ Freire and Alexander Shabliy will meet in the cage for an awesome matchup between two of the best lightweights that Bellator has to offer.
Freire vs. Shabliy Picks
Pick: Alexander Shabliy to win.
Read more for the official Freire vs Shabliy betting analysis and prediction ahead of placing your MMA bets on this weekend’s betting slate.
Patricky Freire vs. Alexander Shabliy Information
Patricky Freire vs Alexander Shabliy
Location of the game: Wintrust Arena, Chicago, Illinois, United States
Date & Time: November 17, 2023. 10 PM ET main card start
How to Watch: Showtime and Paramount+
Last Fight Record
Freire aims to maintain momentum, following his significant TKO victory over Roberto Satoshi de Souza at Bellator x Rizin.
Shabliy is coming off a TKO win over a tough Tofiq Musayev in March at Bellator 292.
Patricky Freire vs. Alexander Shabliy Betting Analysis
Patricky Freire
Freire is one of the Pitbull brothers who are arguably the two most legendary fighters in Bellator’s history. Patricky is a Brazilian mixed martial artist with a 25-11 record, including 17 TKO/KO wins and 1 submission.
Freire is a former lightweight world champion at Bellator, and he holds countless records. He has the most stoppage wins in Bellator lightweight history (11), the most total wins in lightweight history (16), the most fights (24), and tied for most KO wins in Bellator history with Michael Page (11).
Alexander Shabliy
Shabliy is a Russian mixed martial artist with a professional MMA record of 23-3 with 12 TKO wins and 7 submissions. Entering this week, he boasts an 8-fight winning streak and holds a 4-0 Bellator record, including two TKO victories. In his career, only three losses mar his record: two by split decisions and one submission defeat back in 2013.
Updates
No injuries have been reported to Bellator MMA.
Patricky Freire vs. Alexander Shabliy Betting Preview
The Freire vs Shabliy betting analysis can only do so much if you’re trying to figure out who you should bet on. Freire, with a record suggesting one of the all-time greats, now faces a crucial matchup against the new Russian contender.
Starting with the Bellator odds for this week, Shabliy is actually the massive -650 betting favorite over the +475 former champion. As the fight week progresses, stay alert for the release of more betting lines, currently limited for this upcoming bout.
From studying the film on both guys, this is going to be a tough fight to pick if you are an OG fan of MMA and Bellator. Freire is a legendary figure of MMA and has been in a lot of the biggest fights of Bellator’s existence. He has advantages in his experience and that power in his right hand. Even as he ages out of his prime, that power is usually the last thing to go.
Shabliy is a very talented mixed martial artist with very good skills in every aspect of the sport. Skillfully moving around the cage, he displays excellent timing and speed in boxing and adeptly employs grappling when necessary.
Patricky Freire vs. Alexander Shabliy Betting Prediction
After going through the Freire vs Shabliy betting analysis and previewing the betting lines and the styles of both guys, the prediction is pretty self-explanatory. You can’t really bet against Shabliy right now.
The underdog pick in Freire is still justifiable because of his power and the legendary career he has leading up to this moment, but Shabliy is becoming the biggest threat to the dominant Usman Nurmagomedov as champion.
Shabliy’s speed in his hands and his kicks are going to wear down the older former champion and get his hand raised on Friday night. Bellator predictions are easier to make when you don’t overthink the picks. Shabliy is a big favorite for a reason, don’t fight it because you are biased toward the Pitbull brothers.
- Pick: Alexander Shabliy to win.
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