Bellator 136: Main Card Preview and Predictions

Bellator continues its show under the reign of Scott Coker, as Bellator 136 airs live this weekend. Bolstered by a lightweight title tilt, the card has some big names and should pull some good ratings.

Will Brooks will defend his lightweight championship against Dave Jansen in the main event. Brooks has become one of the best lightweights in the world and a fighter who could be the future of the 155-pound division.

Also on the card are kickboxing star Joe Schilling, former Bellator heavyweight king Alexander Volkov and Russian stud Alexander Sarnavskiy.

Without further ado, let's take a look at Bellator 136 and make some picks.

Preliminary Card Picks

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185 pounds: Joey Beltran def. Brian Rogers via decision

155 pounds: Rob Sinclair def. Saad Awad via TKO

125 pounds: Jonathan Santa Maria def. Steve Ramirez via TKO

145 pounds: John Teixeira def. Fabricio Guerreiro via decision

145 pounds: Antonio McKee Jr. def. Marcos Bonilla via decision

185 pounds: Luc Bondole def. Ben Jones via submission

145 pounds: Chad George def. Mark Vorgeas via submission

145 pounds: Cleber Luciano def. Aaron Miller via submission

170 pounds: John Mercurio def. Greg Parker via decision

Alexander Volkov vs. Tony Johnson Jr.

Kicking off the main card are the big boys, as One FC vet Tony Johnson Jr. returns to Bellator for the first time since 2011 to take on former Bellator champion Alexander Volkov. 

Volkov is known for his great size (6'7") and length, which complements his great striking ability. His ground game is also underrated, as he has good submission ability and top control.

He comes into this bout on a five-fight streak, as his last loss previous to this streak was his failed title defense against Vitaly Minakov. On his current run, he has finished four of five opponents, including Blagoi Ivanov, Mighty Mo and Mark Holata.

As for Johnson, he is a wrestler with good explosiveness on his takedowns and ground-and-pound. At 6'1", he will have a great size disadvantage in terms of height and length, which means he will have to close the distance.

Johnson has some big wins on his resume, including wins over UFC fighter Derrick Lewis, former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia and M-1 staple Kenny Garner. That said, it appears the blueprint for Johnson's demise here comes in his loss to Chris Lokteff.

Johnson will be stuck on the outside, given the great length of Volkov. If Johnson can wrestle, he'll be in good shape, but Volkov has proved in most fights that he can use his size effectively.

Prediction: Volkov def. Johnson via decision

Marcin Held vs. Alexander Sarnavskiy

A pair of young bulls in the lightweight division are set to compete next in a potential top contender's bout, as Polish prodigy Marcin Held takes on Russian ravager Alexander Sarnavskiy.

Sarnavskiy is a protege of Alexander Shlemenko and one of the best young Russians in the big leagues today. He displays a mix of knockout power and excellent ground work, which makes him especially dangerous in any situation.

He has lost just twice in 32 pro fights, showing how good he is. Since a loss to Bellator champ Will Brooks in late 2013, Sarnavskiy has won five straight, most of which were outside of Bellator.

As for Held, he is a grappler who has developed his boxing in recent times. He is known for his leglock submissions, which he performs on a consistent basis to fan appreciation.

Since a loss to Dave Jansen at Bellator 93, Held has gone on a five-fight winning streak, all of which came in Bellator. Impressively, he has taken out solid names such as Ryan Healy, Rodrigo Cavalheiro, Derek Anderson and Patricky Freire.

This should be a competitive fight. Both men are well-rounded, but when it comes to overall ability, Sarnavskiy should edge this one out in a Fight of the Night outing.

Prediction: Sarnavskiy def. Held via decision

Joe Schilling vs. Rafael Carvalho

The co-main event will pair off some powerful middleweights, as Glory and Bellator fighter Joe Schilling looks for another spectacular knockout against Brazilian striker Rafael Carvalho.

Schilling is a kickboxer, plain and simple. He is immensely technical and powerful, which allows him to knock guys out and batter them in both the cage and the boxing ring. However, his ground game is his blaring weakness. 

Schilling made his return to MMA after a six-year layoff at the spectacle that was Bellator 131, where he took on fellow bruiser Melvin Manhoef. After a rough start where he showed great toughness, Schilling put down Manhoef with a massive one-punch KO that had fans on their feet.

As for Carvalho, he is also a striker who will give Schilling the fight he wants. All of his finishes are by knockout, as he loves the striking game as much as his current opponent does.

He hasn't lost since his pro debut in 2011, setting out on a path of destruction along the way. His Bellator debut was also a big win for him, as he put Brian Rogers away in just over three minutes.

This should be a fun one, especially if it breaks out into a kickboxing match. However, Schilling is world-class on the feet and will lose striking battles in an MMA bout to few men.

Prediction: Schilling def. Carvalho via KO

Will Brooks vs. Dave Jansen

The main event will see the lightweight title up for grabs, as champion Will Brooks puts his belt on the line against Dave Jansen.

Brooks has become one of the best lightweights in the world, using athleticism, wrestling and improved striking to climb the ranks rapidly. His natural and physical gifts give him automatic advantages, but his work ethic and quick improvements make him one of the best in the world.

Since a setback in his sophomore Bellator effort to Saad Awad, Brooks has not lost. He owns an impressive resume on his current winning streak, including victories over Awad in a revenge fight, Alexander Sarnavskiy and Michael Chandler (twice).

As for Jansen, the WEC and Bellator vet is similarly a wrestler who is a little more one-dimensional than Brooks. However, he is efficient and aggressive in takedowns and aggressive, making opponents uncomfortable with his always-charging style.

Jansen is undefeated at 7-0 since coming to Bellator. This includes wins over Rick Hawn, Marcin Held and Ricardo Tirloni.

Jansen will need to use his wrestling to be successful here, but Brooks can hang in that regard. The champ has the superior striking and quickness, which will make this his fight.

Prediction: Brooks def. Jansen via decision