· Bellator 37 - Main Card Preview

· Article author: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Posted on 03/18 at 10:57 PM

This Saturday marks the 37th installment of Bellator Fighting Championships as it makes its first visit to Concho, Oklahoma. Bellator 37 will host the opening round of the promotion's featherweight tournament, as well as such notables as decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Wilson Reis, WEC/UFC alumni Jake Rosholt, and "The Ultimate Fighter" veteran Roli Delgado. The main card of the show features four featherweight quarterfinal bouts that should supplement the preliminary card perfectly.

The Main Card:

Georgi Karakhanyan (14-2-1) vs. Patricio "Pitbull" Freire (14-1)
Patricio Freire, a Nogueira black belt, will take on Armenian fighter Georgi Karakhanyan in what is sure to create fireworks. Since suffering his first loss via split decision to Joe Warren in June of 2010, Freire has not fought since and will look to avenge his only career loss as he attempts to get through Karakhanyan. “My goal is for 'The Pitbull Brothers' to become the first brothers to hold major championships at the same time. We will make history,” says Freire. In retort, Karkhanyan has other plans in mind for the fight as he expects to win it wherever it may go. “If I have to win a decision, I'll win a decision. If I see a submission, I'll take the submission; and if I see an opening for a flying knee, I'm going to use my flying knee.”

Wilson Reis (11-2) vs. Zac George (20-3)
Wilson Reis, a frequent and decorated jiu-jitsu competitor, will take on the always game and tough Zac George. “I definitely think I'll have the advantage on the ground, but I'm also very confident on my feet as well,” thinks Reis. However, as Zac George is any indication, one does not get to 20-3 in professional mixed martial arts without touting a myriad of high quality skills. George is not afraid of Reis's ground attack as he states “I'm sure it's going to go to the ground at some point in the fight, but it's going to be me on top, punching him and busting him up.”

Kenny Foster (8-2) vs. Eric Larkin (3-0)
Somewhat of a newcomer to MMA, Larkin has not made it out of the first round where he has stopped all three of his opponents before the three minute mark. A wrestler to the core, Larkin will look to finish early but says, “I'm definitely excited about the fact that he's a better competitor than I've faced up to this point in my fighting career.” Meanwhile, his opponent Foster, will try to test the waters and send Larkin to the deep end. “Eric only has three fights and he hasn't been in a dog fight yet. I plan on putting my hands on him. I want to hurt him and see how he reacts from there,” says Foster.

Daniel Straus (14-3) vs. Nazareno Malegarie (19-0)
In a traditional jiu-jitsu vs. wrestling bout, Straus vs. Malegarie pits two fighters with heads of steam who are both trying to derail the other in this quarterfinal bout. Malegarie will be making his Bellator debut as he is coming off of a rear-naked choke victory from his last fight in November of 2010. Meanwhile, Straus will also be making his debut for the organization and is 10-0 since June of 2009. “I've never fought a wrestler like Daniel, but I'm ready for anything,” says Malegarie of Straus. Straus, however, knows he needs to be cautious as he states “I know Nazareno [Malegarie] is a really good jiu-jitsu guy, and that's my biggest weakness.”