This Friday, Bellator makes a return to Canada as Casino Rama will feature Bellator 119. The fight card will be headlined by the stalwart promoter’s Featherweight Tournament Final, highlighting finalists Daniel Weichel and Desmond Green in a battle slated for five heats. The main televised spectacle will also host contests between featherweights Chris Horodecki and Marlon Sandro, welterweights Marius Zaromskis and Vaughn Anderson, and heavy weight Raphael Butler taking on Nick Rossborough. The vast majority of the promotion will be televised on the Spike Television network.
Weichel (38-3), a Frankfurt, Germany native, arrived to the tournament final by defeating Scott Cleve by rear naked choke in the opening round and then vanquished Matt Bessette in the semifinal round via a three round unanimous decision. The German grappling specialist is known for his pure strength, toughness and submission abilities: 20 of his 33 wins have come by way of submission. Weichel is on a late-career tear as he has won 10 out of his last 11 bouts, including his last fight. The German has also shown solid leg-striking throughout his career and can take a punch. He has all of the tools to end the night with a victory but it will not be an easy one, as Weichel will need to be on the mark with his takedown defense when facing Green.
Desmond Green (11-2), a product of Buffalo, New York, is a well-conditioned athlete used to going in the distance in bouts. His path to the final began with a unanimous decision victor over former tournament finalist Mike Richman, and Green followed up with another unanimous decision in the semifinals when he defeated Will Martinez. Like Weichel, the American is on a winning streak, claiming victory on his last three contests. He is an educated wrestler that rarely uses a vertical game, and he understands clearly that his best shot at winning is on the cage floor.
Since Green knows that he is cannot compete with Weichel in an upright match, the fight will likely end up on the mat. The pressure will be on the German to keep things vertical, while the American will shoot in looking for the takedown. Green will do his best to grind out another decision victory but the bout is five rounds. Weichel is the more experienced and better skilled fighter, so a victory for the German is expected in the end.
Sergio L. Martinez
www.convictedartist.com
