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#5 David Rickels vs. Yaroslav Amosov
This might actually be the best fight on this card, when all is considered. Rickels is a real Bellator veteran – he’s been around in the promotion since the Bjorn Rebney era, and this will be his 23rd fight under their banner. More to the point, his only losses have come to real top fighters like Michael Chandler, Patricky Freire and Michael Page. And with his recognizable ‘Caveman’ gimmick, he might well be Bellator’s top gatekeeper.
Amosov meanwhile signed with Scott Coker’s promotion in 2018 after putting together an extensive 19-0 record on the Russian circuit. The Ukrainian fighter has since picked up a pair of pretty big wins in Bellator, beating UFC veterans Gerald Harris and Erick Silva.
‘Dynamo’ came into Bellator with a reputation for serious violence; of his 19 wins, only 2 had gone the distance, but that hasn’t really been the case since he arrived in Coker’s promotion. His win over Silva came primarily from his wrestling skill – essentially he just held the Brazilian down for three rounds – which could suggest he’s not quite as brilliant as his record makes him out to be.
This fight should tell us a hell of a lot about where Amosov stands in the grand scheme of things, then. Rickels can wrestle, he can strike, and while he’s not the best in any single area, he’s hard-nosed enough to give anyone difficulties.
With that said, ‘The Caveman’ is definitely a more natural 155lbs, and against a large 170lber like Amosov, I do wonder whether he can keep the Ukrainian from recycling the Silva fight – a lot of clinching and takedowns – while also getting off on his own offense.
I like Amosov to pull off another stifling decision here, but to see Rickels outwork him and take a decision wouldn’t be a shock either as I’d argue that at this stage, he’s definitely the toughest opponent that ‘Dynamo’ has faced.
The Pick: Amosov via unanimous decision
