Bellator 65: Main Card Predictions

Tonight, Bellator holds a world championship in its main event, live on MTV2. Bantamweight king Zack Makovsky will meet tournament winner Eduardo Dantas to decide the best bantamweight in Bellator.

Also on the card will be tournament bouts that will progress the current bantamweight and featherweight tournaments. Tonight, the landscape of Bellator will shift, despite the overshadowing of the return of the UFC tomorrow.

Who will win tonight? Let's take a look.

Alexis Vila vs. Luis Nogueira

The first bantamweight quarterfinal of the night takes place between fellow imports Alexis Vila and Luis Nogueira.

Alexis Vila was the runner-up in last year's tournament, dropping a decision to Eduardo Dantas. In his two wins in last season's tournament, Vila knocked out Joe Warren and won a close decision against Marcos Galvao. The 41-year old is 11-1 in his career, finishing nine opponents.

Luis Nogueira is 12-2 in his career, including a 2-1 run in Bellator. He has notably lost to fellow tournament participant Ed West. A majority of his wins have come by decisions, as he is a skilled grappler. 

Prediction: Vila def. Nogueira by mid-round knockout or decision

Ed West vs. Marcos Galvao

The second of two bantamweight quarterfinals sees tournament veterans Marcos Galvao and Ed West meet to see who will fight in the semifinals.

Ed West exited last season's bantamweight tournament after losing to eventual tournament champion Eduardo Dantas. The 17-6 veteran is a skilled submission artist, putting away nine foes by tapout. West will want to get this fight down immediately, with himself in top control.

Marcos Galvao is 10-5, but not much of a finisher. He has won nine of his fights by decision, including wins over Chase Bebee and Jacob Kirwan. Galvao is a WEC veteran as well, so he has very good experience.

Prediction: Galvao def. West via decision

Daniel Straus vs. Mike Corey

A featherweight semifinal is in the cards, with the winner facing Marlon Sandro in the finals.

Daniel Straus is a former runner-up in featherweight competition, falling to Patricio Freire in that tournament's finale. Straus is a strong wrestler with sharp boxing, holding an 18-4 record since debuting in 2009.

That is a lot of experience for only 3 years of professional competition.

Mike Corey stepped up as a replacement in this season's tournament, making the most of his opportunity by beating Ronnie Mann. Corey is a lot like Straus, in that he is a big, strong wrestler.

He will have his hands full here with Straus.

Predicition: Straus def. Corey via decision

Zack Makovsky vs. Eduardo Dantas

In the main attraction of the night, bantamweight champion Zack Makovsky meets top contender Eduardo Dantas.

Makovsky holds an impressive record of 14-2, with six of those fights in Bellator. He is a strong wrestler with solid submission skills, which he will need to utilize tonight. He holds notable wins over Ed West, Ryan Roberts and Bryan Goldsby.

Dantas has been very impressive so far in his career, going 13-2 in his young MMA journey. He is very well-rounded, but he is going to want to strike with Makovsky to increase his chance at winning. Notably, he has defeated Wilson Reis, Ed West and Alexis Vila.

Prediction: Dantas def. Makovsky by mid-round knockout or decision