On Friday, March 27, 2015, Bellator MMA heads back to the WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Okla., for Bellator 135, where Joe Warren will look to defend his bantamweight title against Marcos Galvao.

Having met once before back at Bellator 41, Warren and Galvao are not strangers to one another. Even though Warren went home with the unanimous decision victory in their first meeting, many felt like Galvao had truly one the bout. Not only will Galvao be looking to capture Bellator gold, but he will also be looking to right the wrong of 2011.
As two of the best grapplers in the bantamweight division, Warren and Galvao are as evenly matched as it gets.

Striking

Neither Warren nor Galvao are known for their technical brilliance on the feet. Both men prefer to grapple which is evident by their rudimentary style on the feet. But Galvao’s striking has developed more than Warren’s at this point and he utilizing more techniques on the feet.

Advantage: Galvao

Grappling

Warren and Galvao are two of the best grapplers in the bantamweight division; Warren a former World Champion amateur wrestler and Galvao a two-time World Champion in BJJ. Both men are as elite as they come in their respective disciplines, but because wrestlers have an edge in controlling where the fight takes place, Warren should have the advantage.

Advantage: Warren

Submissions

Even though Galvao has yet to win a bout by submission in his pro MMA career, as a two-time World BJJ Champion, it’s only a matter of time before he catches someone. Galvao is one of the best pure BJJ players in MMA today.

Advantage: Galvao

X Factors

Galvao’s X Factor heading into Bellator 135 is the chip on his shoulder. After dropping a controversial decision to Warren at Bellator 41, Galvao has gone 6-1 with three wins coming by knockout. Galvao wants to prove that the loss in their first meeting was a fluke.

Warren’s X Factor heading into Bellator 135 is his grit. Even though Warren is a world class wrestler, the rest of his MMA game is still very raw. But he makes up for his lack of technique with grit and determination. Warren presses the action and he forces his opponents to make mistakes.

Prediction: Warren by Unanimous Decision

 

About The Author

RJ Gardner
Content Coordinator

RJ Gardner is a rabid sports fan and a long time MMA enthusiast. After watching UFC 1 at ripe old age of 11 RJ was hooked and his passion for the sport has continued to blossom over the years. RJ has been covering MMA since 2007 and has had work featured on Bleacher Report, SI.com, CBSSports.com and UFC.com. RJ is also a Petroleum Transportation Operations Manager during the day.