In what should be another fantastic showcase event, Bellator 276 is set to kick off this weekend at the Family Arena in St. Louis, Missouri. With a four-fight main card, this event will be particularly top-heavy, especially in the co-main event bouts. In the first main event of the evening, former Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion Phil Davis (the No. 2-ranked fighter in Bellator) will have a showdown with No. 4-ranked Julius Anglickas. For the main event, it will be a Featherweight title eliminator between Ádám Borics and Mads Burnell.
Below, SBS gives you the inside scoop on what to expect from each fighter and who will ultimately prevail in each bout.
What to look for from: Mads Burnell
A former Cage Warriors Featherweight champion, Burnell is currently recognized as the No. 2-ranked fighter in the Bellator Featherweight Rankings. An accomplished grappler, he also won the European Championship in Brazilian jiu-jitsu in 2014. Since losing to Arnold Allen back in 2018 by way of a guillotine choke, Burnell has been on a blistering hot streak. During his recent seven-fight win streak, the Danish fighter went undefeated in Cage Warriors competitions (4-0) and so far, has an unblemished record in Bellator (3-0) as well.
What to look for from: Ádám Borics
Coming into this bout with a career record of 17-1, “The Kid” is a rising star in MMA. Fighting for Bellator since 2017, the Hungarian has only lost once (to Darrion Caldwell at Bellator 238) and is currently riding a three-fight winning streak. With his last two victories coming by way of unanimous decision, the competition has been stiffening up for Borics so this will be a great test against Burnell on Saturday. With six of his victories coming by way of submission, Borics is not afraid to mix it up on the ground which is something to look for in the main event.
Prediction: A fairly even contest, look for the veteran Burnell to pull away here with a unanimous decision.
What to look for from Phil Davis
A former NCAA Division I wrestling champion (he won the title for Penn State back in 2008), Davis made his 2022 Bellator debut. Davis is currently ranked as the No. 4-ranked Light Heavyweight fighter in the world per Fight Matrix and is the No. 2 competitor in the Bellator Light Heavyweight division. Davis has an extensive track record in MMA fighting and currently holds a record of 23-1-6 in his professional bouts. Since his explosive Bellator debut, Davis has accrued a record of 13-3. The Nittany Lion is coming off a split-decision victory over Yoel Romero at Bellator 266.
What to look for from: Julius Anglickas
An extremely well-conditioned athlete, Anglickas is coming off of a loss to light heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov in the 205-pound title bout fight. Prior to that, Anglickas had been riding a nine-fight winning streak with several of his wins coming by way of knockout (two), submission (four), and unanimous decision (three). While his last fight had a disappointing finish against Vadim Nemkov (submission by Kimura lock), Anglickas is one of the most dominating athletes in the division.
Prediction: With these two big dogs squaring off on Saturday, it will be a must-watch bout. One note does stick out though as both fighters have come up short against Nemkov in recent fights. With Davis losing by unanimous decision at Bellator 257. Look for this bout to be another close battle though as Davis will win by split-decision Saturday night.
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About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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