Bellator 66: Main Card Predictions

Season six of Bellator continues Friday, coming live on MTV 2 from Cleveland, Ohio. The headlining fight is a rematch between former champion Eddie Alvarez and Japanese submission ace, Shinya Aoki.

Also on the card will be the semifinals of the lightweight and middleweight tournaments. As a result of this night, we will figure out who will be fighting in the finals of those respective tournaments.

Let's take a look at the main fights on the card.

Brent Weedman vs. Thiago Michel

In the first of two lightweight quarterfinals, Brent Weedman looks to make his first tournament final in three tries. In his way is Brazilian prospect Thiago Michel, who looks to be a very impressive fighter.

Weedman definitely has the experience advantage here, owning a 19-7-1 record since 2005. An under-rated fighter, Weedman is well-rounded, as he owns 10 knockout victories and eight submission wins.

In the first round of the tournament, he choked out Ultimate Fighter veteran, JJ Ambrose, with a rarely seen Von Flue choke.

Michel was my upset special in the first round of the tournament, defeating Rene Nazare by split decision. Michel has beautiful striking, which has helped him win nine fights via knockout. He showed composure on the ground, which is good, seeing as Weedman will probably be the more skilled submission fighter.

Prediction: Weedman def. Michel via decision 

Lloyd Woodard vs. Rick Hawn

In the other lightweight semifinal, Olympian Rick Hawn meets Lloyd Woodard with a spot in the championship on the line.

Rick Hawn has been impressive in every one of his fights as a professional, showing powerful striking to go with his Olympic judo background. He is 12-1 in his career, with his only loss coming in the welterweight tournament final of season four.

In his opening bout of the tournament, Hawn blasted through Ricardo Tirloni with a vicious knockout. The performance even impressed lightweight champion Michael Chandler, who was calling the action.

Lloyd Woodard continues to embrace the role of the underdog; a role he has had in both tournaments he has participated in. Woodard, also 12-1 in his career, has shown how well-rounded he is, showcasing solid striking and submission skills so far in his MMA career.

His first-round bout saw him upset Patricky Freire with a brutal kimura that disfigured Freire's arm.

Prediction: Hawn def. Woodard via knockout 

Vyacheslav Vasilevsky vs. Maiquel Falcao

In one of the more intriguing bouts of the night, middleweight tournament adversaries Maiquel Falcao and Vyacheslav Vasilevsky are set to meet to see who will make it to the tournament final.

Maiquel Falcao, a one-time UFC veteran, is a brute in any aspect of the sport. He has sickening power in his hands and scary submission skills to go with his striking. At 29-4 (1 NC) in his career, it is easy to see why he is one of the favorites in the tournament. 

In the first round, he won an entertaining decision over Norman Paraisy. In that fight, he showcased a better all-around attack to earn the judges nod.

Vyacheslav Vasilevsky is no slouch himself, holding a 16-1 record in MMA. The well-rounded Russian absolutely manhandled Victor O'Donnell in the first round, earning a clear-cut decision. He is a very physical fighter who uses an aggressive style that could play into Falcao's hands.

Prediction: Falcao def. Vasilevsky via decision

Brian Rogers vs. Andreas Spang

The other middleweight semifinal sees Brian Rogers take on tournament replacement Andreas Spang.

Brian Rogers is 9-3 in his career, establishing himself as a knockout artist in the process. This is exemplified in the eight career knockouts that Rogers possesses on his record.

In his first-round bout, he knocked Vitor Vianna senseless with a beautiful flying knee. That knockout will be on highlight reels for a long time.

Andreas Spang steps up as a tournament replacement as original participant, Bruno Santos, was injured in training for this fight. Spang is a Strikeforce veteran, holding an overall record of 7-1. He is a well-rounded fighter, owning three submission wins and two knockouts.

Prediction: Rogers def. Spang via late knockout or decision 

Eddie Alvarez vs. Shinya Aoki

In the main event of the evening, Eddie Alvarez meets Shinya Aoki in a rematch from 2008, where Aoki submitted Alvarez with a heel hook.

Eddie Alvarez is coming off the loss of his lightweight championship, succumbing to a rear naked choke at the hands of Michael Chandler. This is one of the few blemishes on his record, as he holds an impressive 22-3 record.

Alvarez is extremely well-rounded, as he has great boxing, wrestling and submission abilities. He has finished 19 of his victories, knocking out 12 and submitting seven.

Shinya Aoki is considered by many to be one of the best lightweights not currently in the UFC. Aoki is a submission master, holding 19 wins via tapout in 30 career victories. He is very raw on the feet, but a maestro on the mat.

Aoki is more of a ring fighter than a cage fighter, which may play into Alvarez's hands. Aoki struggled big-time against Gilbert Melendez, another highly regarded lightweight. Melendez is a top lightweight in his own right, but Japanese fighters have historically struggled in the United States. On top of that, I think Aoki is not as comfortable in a cage as he is in a ring.

Prediction: Alvarez def. Aoki via knockout or decision