Yahoo Sports Bellator 297: Make your predictions for Nemkov vs. Romero, Pettis vs. Freire title fights in Chicago
We want your predictions for Friday’s Bellator 297 event in Chicago.
Our staff picks feature includes the consensus picks from MMA Junkie readers. Simply cast your vote for each bout below, and we’ll use the official tallies that are registered by Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT).
Those MMA Junkie reader consensus picks will be part of the Bellator 297 main card staff predictions we release Thursday ahead of the event. Bellator 297 takes place Friday at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.
Make your picks for the fights below.
Edwin Chavez vs. Cody Law
Records: Edwin Chavez (6-4 MMA, 0-0 BMMA), Cody Law (6-2 MMA, 6-2 BMMA)
Past five: Chavez 2-3, Law 3-2
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 06.12.23): Chavez +300, Law -400
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-edwin-chavez-vs-cody” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Jordan Newman vs. Matthew Perry
Records: Jordan Newman (5-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA), Matthew Perry (5-3 MMA, 0-0 BMMA)
Past five: Newman 5-0, Perry 2-3
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 06.12.23): Newman -1000, Perry +500
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-jordan-newman-vs-mat” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Timur Khizriev vs. Richie Smullen
Records: Timur Khizriev (12-0 MMA, 1-0 BMMA), Richie Smullen (10-2-1 MMA, 4-1 BMMA)
Past five: Khizriev 5-0, Smullen 5-0
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 06.12.23): Khizriev -450, Smullen +300
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-timur-khizriev-vs-ri” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Karl Moore vs. Alex Polizzi
Records: Karl Moore (11-2 MMA, 3-0 BMMA), Alex Polizzi (10-2 MMA, 4-2 BMMA)
Past five: Moore 4-1, Polizzi 3-2
Division: Light heavyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 06.12.23): Moore -105, Polizzi -125
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-karl-moore-vs-alex-p” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Archie Colgan vs. Emmanuel Sanchez
Records: Archie Colgan (7-0 MMA, 4-0 BMMA), Emmanuel Sanchez (20-8 MMA, 12-7 BMMA)
Past five: Colgan 5-0, Sanchez 1-4
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 06.12.23): Colgan -450, Sanchez +300
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-archie-colgan-vs-emm” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Norbert Novenyi Jr. vs. Kamil Oniszczuk
Records: Norbert Novenyi Jr. (6-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA), Kamil Oniszczuk (9-2 MMA, 0-1 BMMA)
Past five: Novenyi 5-0, Oniszczuk 3-2
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 06.12.23): Novenyi -250, Oniszczuk +175
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-norbert-novenyi-jr-v” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Mike Hamel vs. Shamil Nikaev
Records: Mike Hamel (10-5 MMA, 3-2 BMMA), Shamil Nikaev (10-0 MMA, 1-0 BMMA)
Past five: Hamel 3-2, Nikaev 5-0
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 06.12.23): Hamel -105, Nikaev -125
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-mike-hamel-vs-shamil” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Ramazan Kuramagomedov vs. Jaleel Willis
Records: Ramazan Kuramagomedov (10-0 MMA, 0-0 BMMA), Jaleel Willis (16-4 MMA, 4-2 BMMA)
Past five: Kuramagomedov 5-0, Willis 3-2
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 06.12.23): Kuramagomedov -400, Willis +275
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-ramazan-kuramagomedo” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Pieter Buist vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov
Records: Pieter Buist (17-5 MMA, 0-0 BMMA), Gadzhi Rabadanov (19-4-1 MMA, 4-0 BMMA)
Past five: Buist 3-2, Rabadanov 5-0
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 06.12.23): Buist +400, Rabadanov -650
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-pieter-buist-vs-gadz” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Kyle Crutchmer vs. Bobby Nash
Records: Kyle Crutchmer (9-2 MMA, 5-2 BMMA), Bobby Nash (12-4 MMA, 0-0 BMMA)
Past five: Crutchmer 3-2, Nash 4-1
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 06.12.23): Crutchmer -350, Nash +240
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-kyle-crutchmer-vs-bo” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Wladmir Gouvea vs. Gabriel Sayeg
Records: Wladmir Gouvea (1-0 MMA, 1-0 BMMA), Gabriel Sayeg (1-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA)
Past five: Gouvea 1-0, Sayeg 1-1
Division: Heavyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 06.12.23): N/A
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-wladmir-gouvea-vs-ga” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Daniel James vs. Gokhan Saricam
Records: Daniel James (15-6-1 MMA, 3-0 BMMA), Gokhan Saricam (8-2 MMA, 4-2 BMMA)
Past five: James 5-0, Saricam 4-1
Division: Heavyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 06.12.23): James -110, Saricam -120
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-daniel-james-vs-gokh” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Corey Anderson vs. Phil Davis
Records: Corey Anderson (17-6 MMA, 3-1 BMMA), Phil Davis (24-6 MMA, 11-3 BMMA)
Past five: Anderson 3-2, Davis 4-1
Division: Light heavyweight
Rankings: Anderson No. 7, Davis honorable mention
Odds (as of 06.12.23): Anderson -175, Davis +130
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-corey-anderson-vs-ph” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Sergio Pettis vs. Patricio Freire
Records: Sergio Pettis (22-5 MMA, 4-0 BMMA), Patricio Freire (35-5 MMA, 23-5 BMMA)
Past five: Pettis 5-0, Freire 4-1
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: Freire No. 3 featherweight, No. 9 pound-for-pound;
Odds (as of 06.12.23): Pettis +165, Freire -225
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-sergio-pettis-vs-pat” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Vadim Nemkov vs. Yoel Romero
Records: Vadim Nemkov (16-2 MMA, 8-0 BMMA), Yoel Romero (15-6 MMA, 2-1 BMMA)
Past five: Nemkov 5-0, Romero 2-3
Division: Light heavyweight
Rankings: Nemkov No. 9
Odds (as of 06.12.23): Nemkov -350, Romero +240
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-vadim-nemkov-vs-yoel” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Bellator 297 fight card (as of May 7, 6 p.m. ET)
MAIN CARD (Showtime, 9 p.m. ET)
Champ Vadim Nemkov vs. Yoel Romero – for light heavyweight title
Champ Sergio Pettis vs. Patricio Freire – for bantamweight title
Corey Anderson vs. Phil Davis
PRELIMINARY CARD (MMA Junkie, 6 p.m. ET)
Wladmir Gouvea vs. Gabriel Sayeg
Kyle Crutchmer vs. Bobby Nash
Pieter Buist vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov
Ramazan Kuramagomedov vs. Jaleel Willis
Mike Hamel vs. Shamil Nikaev
Norbert Novenyi Jr. vs. Kamil Oniszczuk
Archie Colgan vs. Emmanuel Sanchez
Karl Moore vs. Alex Polizzi
Timur Khizriev vs. Richie Smullen
Jordan Newman vs. Matthew Perry
Edwin Chavez vs. Cody Law
