Bellator LX: Preview and Predictions

Bellator's sixth season kicks off this weekend on MTV 2 from Hammond, Indiana. The sixth season features tournaments in the bantamweight, featherweight, lightweight, welterweight and middleweight tournaments to decide the next set of challengers to each respective title.

Bellator LX features a championship bout, the opening round of the featherweight tournament and a number of UFC vets gracing the undercard.

Let's examine the entire card.

Galloway vs. Nauracy/Oria vs. Surma

A pair of bouts start off the undercard, with all four participants making their professional debuts.

In the bantamweight division, Cory Galloway squares off with Jake Nauracy, who possesses an undefeated amateur record, all by submission.

In the featherweight division, Lance Surma squares off with Eric Oria, who has an undefeated amateur record, again all by submission.

It will be interesting to see how all these debuting fighters fare in their fights.

Kenny Foster vs. Bobby Reardanz

In one of many featherweight battles on the night, former Bellator tourney participant Kenny Foster meets up with veteran Bobby Reardanz.

Foster, despite a 9-5 record, is currently riding a three-fight skid. He was ousted from the season four tournament by Daniel Straus by submission, which accounts for three of Foster's five losses. That being said, a majority of his wins have come by submission as well.

Reardanz holds a less than impressive 8-10 record, but finds himself a winner in his last two bouts. Despite a majority of his wins coming by submission, he is also the victim of four submission defeats himself.

Prediction: Foster defeats Reardanz via TKO.

Sean McCorkle vs. Richard White

In what is billed as a 280-pound catchweight bout (basically super heavyweight), UFC veteran Sean McCorkle takes on fellow giant Richard White.

Since a less than impressive 1-2 run with the UFC, McCorkle has gone undefeated in the regional circuit, finishing every opponent by submission. His 15-2 record brags 10 submission victories in itself, proving his dangerous game on the ground.

Richard White is 15-12, but is 1-7 in his last eight bouts. The chink in White's armor is his submission defense, which will play right into McCorkle's strength.

Prediction: McCorkle defeats White via submission.

Travis Wiuff vs. Anthony Gomez

How the athletic commission approved this next bout is beyond me, as the next catchweight (215 pounds) bout is between Travis Wiuff (80 career fights) and Anthony Gomez (six career fights).

Wiuff looks to build off his latest victory, which saw him knock off light-heavyweight champion Christian M'Pumbu in a non-title affair. Wiuff has finished 46 of his 65 victories, showing off his well-rounded game with an almost equal amount of submissions and knockouts.

Meanwhile, Gomez has won all of his fights since dropping his pro debut. He has notably won a decision over Lew Polley, who is best remembered as the vocal wrestling coach for Junior dos Santos on The Ultimate Fighter.

Prediction: Wiuff defeats Gomez via submission.

Shamar Bailey vs. Josh Shockley

In yet another catchweight affair (165 pounds), UFC veteran Shamar Bailey takes on Bellator veteran Josh Shockley.

Shamar Bailey was first seen in the UFC during his stint on The Ultimate Fighter, for which he failed to win the show. He then went on a 1-2 run in the organization before being cut. Since his departure, he has won his only fight by submission, running his total record to 13-5.

Josh Shockley is 8-1 in his professional career, while going 1-1 in Bellator. He was notably included in the season four lightweight tournament, where he was expelled in the first round by Toby Imada. Shockley looks to push his winning streak to three-straight.

Prediction: Bailey defeats Shockley via decision.

Alexandre Bezerra vs. Genair Da Silva

In the first main card bout of the night, as well as the first of four featherweight quarterfinal battles, fellow Brazilians Genair da Silva and Alexandre Bezerra square off.

Bezerra is a 12-1 professional, possessing a strong ground game. He has finished 11 of 12 of his opponents, including his most recent victory over Doug Evans under the Bellator banner. In fact, he is 4-0 during his time with Bellator.

His opponent, Genair da Silva, holds a 11-4 record, with a majority of his wins coming by way of knockout. Da Silva was in the summer series featherweight tournament, where he dropped a close decision to tournament favorite Marlon Sandro. He came back recently with a submission over Bryan Goldsby.

Prediction: da Silva defeats Bezerra via TKO or decision.

Marlon Sandro vs. Roberto Vargas

In the next quarterfinal of the night, tournament favorite Marlon Sandro takes on underdog Roberto Vargas.

Sandro holds a 20-3 record, 11 of which were finishes. He has lethal striking and a good ground game. He lost in the summer series tournament final against Pat Curran, but looks to gain a championship this time around. He holds notable wins over Nazareno Malagarie, fellow tournament participant Genair da Silva and UFC bantamweight Nick Denis.

Meanwhile, Vargas has had a successful career thus far, running his record to 12-1. He even holds a victory over hot UFC featherweight Daniel Pineda. He has finished seven of his victories by knockout or submission, so he could make this fight interesting.

Prediction: Sandro defeats Vargas via TKO.

Ronnie Mann vs. Mike Corey

In the next quarterfinal, UK standout Ronnie Mann squares off with late replacement Mike Corey.

Mann is a 21-4 veteran, who has powerful striking, but a majority of his victories have come by way of submission. He made it to the semifinals of the summer series tournament before being defeated by eventual champ Pat Curran. He has defeated the likes of Kenny Foster and Doug Evans.

Meanwhile, Corey takes this bout on short notice for Wagnney Fabiano. He drew in his last bout with standout Chris Horodecki, but holds notable wins over Tyler Combs and Brian Cobb. Six of his wins in his 11-2 record have come via tapout.

Prediction: Mann defeats Corey via TKO.

Daniel Straus vs. Jeremy Spoon

In the final of the four quarterfinal fights, Daniel Straus and Jeremy Spoon meet up to settle who makes it to the next round.

Straus was the runner-up in the season four tournament, where he lost out to Patricio Friere. He is 17-4 since his debut in 2009, holding wins over Jason Dent, Kenny Foster, Nazareno Malagarie and Karen Darabedyan. A majority of his wins have come by decision.

Undefeated at 12-0, Spoon comes into this fight with all sorts of momentum. A submission specialist who is 2-0 in Bellator, Spoon has won eight of his fights by way of tapout.

Prediction: Straus defeats Spoon via decision.

Joe Warren (c) vs. Pat Curran

In the main event of the evening, featherweight champion Joe Warren defends his crown against top contender Pat Curran.

Warren returns to the featherweight division following a failed conquest at bantamweight. In addition to a controversial win over Marcos Galvao, Warren was brutally knocked out by Alexis Vila. This will be the first time Warren defends his title since winning it. He is 7-2 with a majority of his wins coming by decision.

Curran is the hottest featherweight fighter in the world right now, as he has made a name for himself beating the best. He is 16-4 in his career, having won not only a lightweight tournament in Bellator, but the summer series featherweight tourney as well, which earned him this title shot. He ran the table, defeating the likes of Luis Palamino, Ronnie Mann and Marlon Sandro.

Prediction: Curran defeats Warren to become the new featherweight champion.