Bellator announces full July 24th card; Sergio Pettis – Ricky Bandejas Headline

Bellator MMA is officially back and today they announced their full card for their return. The promotion is returning July 24th for Bellator 242.

Bellator 242 Notable Fights

Obviously the main event between Ricky Bandejas (13-3) and Sergio Pettis (19-5) is a fight that stands out. Banedjas has looked incredibly impressive in his last two outings.

Bandejas blew up in popularity back in 2018 after his highlight reel knockout over James Gallagher. After that fight, Bandejas lost two consecutive fights. He’s since knocked out two consecutive opponents, most recently Frans Miambo at Bellator 240.

Pettis comes into this fight after winning his Bellator debut back in January. The younger brother of former UFC champ, Anthony Pettis, S.P. is incredibly seasoned for someone who’s just about to turn 27.

Another fight that stands out is Aaron Pico (5-3) taking on Chris Hatley Jr (8-2). Hatley Jr comes into the contest after winning his Bellator debut by split decision in February.

Pico was once talked about as the future of MMA. Elite wrestling pedigree with elite boxing and speed. However, it has not been smooth sailing so far in his MMA career.

He lost his pro debut in 24 seconds then has since been knocked out two more times in seven fights. Pico possesses all the skills to be a world champion and he’s still very young at 23-years old.

Pico did win his last fight by knockout, but the standout from California has to show more poise when he’s inside the cage. As he matures, he can be a world beater, but it’s not ideal to see such a young prospect get starched a few times like he has been.

Bellator is coming out of the gates with a decent card. I was expecting the card to be a little stronger given it’s their first show back while the UFC has dominated the industry.