Tonight in the headliner of Bellator 288 we are going to finally see the conclusion of the light heavyweight Grand Prix and we will see who walks away light heavyweight champion. Current champion Vadim Nemkov (15-2, 1 NC) takes on challenger Corey Anderson (16-5, 1 NC).
These two met back in April in a fight that was supposed to determine who was the best light heavyweight in Bellator. Through nearly three rounds, it sure looked like Corey Anderson was going to be that guy. After some initial success from Nemkov, Anderson really started to take over.
Late in the third round, there was an accidental clash of heads that opened up a huge cut on Nemkov. It was bad enough for the fight to be stopped and it was ruled a No Contest. Now, they will run it back to determine who is the winner of the Grand Prix.
Bellator 288 Prediction
Heading into the first fight, I really liked Vadim Nemkov. I liked his striking, specifically his kicks, and I thought he would be prepared to defend takedowns from Anderson. However, watching the first fight really started to change the way I saw this fight.
Corey Anderson actually got the better of striking exchanges and he was able to get Nemkov down to the ground. I think he has a clue blueprint for what he needs to do to get his hand raised tonight. That being said, Nemkov knows what he needs to do to stop Anderson.
Who will win out? After watching the first fight, I just believe that Corey Anderson is the best light heavyweight in Bellator. I think he’ll use a combination of his wrestling and striking to win four rounds tonight and he will get his hand raised.
Prediction: Corey Anderson by Decision