Bellator 140 Preview and Predictions

Lost in the shuffle of the massive influx of UFC events in the last week is Bellator 140, which goes down Friday on Spike TV. Headlined by a welterweight bout between Douglas Lima and Andrey Koreshkov, the card is filled with what the wrestling community would call "squash" matches.

Stars like Paul Daley, Michael Page and Brennan Ward are all gracing this card. That said, they are taking on heavy underdogs, which makes this a showcase event for those stars to win.

With that, let's examine the card and make some picks.

Prelim Picks

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135 pounds: Kin Moy def. Blair Tugman via submission

155 pounds: Waylon Lowe def. Ryan Quinn via decision

125 pounds: Kaline Medeiros def. Sarah Payant via TKO

155 pounds: Dean Hancock def. Alex Dunworth via TKO

125 pounds: Billy Giovanella def. Remo Cardarelli via TKO

265 pounds: Eric Bedard def. Parker Porter via TKO

170 pounds: Nicholas Sergiacomi def. Ilya Kotau via decision

Brennan Ward vs. Roger Carroll

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The welterweights kick things off, as former middleweight contender Brennan Ward meets up with late-replacement opponent Roger Carroll. He fills in for Gavin Sterritt, who dropped out late in the lead-up to the fight.

Ward is a brawler with solid all-around skills. He is tough as they come, with good killer instinct that allows him to finish fights when he hurts his opponents.

He is a former middleweight tournament winner and has challenged Alexander Shlemenko for the Bellator Middleweight Championship. He has since dropped to 170 pounds, and in his only bout in the division, he finished Curtis Millender in the first round.

Carroll is a veteran of the East Coast circuit who has won most of his fights by submission. His record sits at 16-12, though he has faltered in most fights against better competition.

Carroll took this on late notice against a solid 170-pound fighter. This will be tough for him, so expect The Irish Bad Boy to succeed here.

Prediction: Ward def. Carroll via TKO

Paul Daley vs. Dennis Olson

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The next fight is a welterweight bout, as British knockout artist Paul Daley meets New England's own Dennis Olson.

There is no secret as to what Daley wants to do when he enters the cage. He is an explosive, powerful striker who has an array of techniques to knock your block off.

Daley made his return to Bellator in February, where he took on the tough and gritty Andre Santos. He used a balanced attack to win a barnburner of a match via decision, hurting Santos on multiple occasions.

As for Olson, the New Hampshire rep is a submission fighter with a 14-8 record, with nine of those wins coming by way of tapout. He is 3-5 in his last eight bouts, showing that when he steps up in competition, he usually falters (losses to John Howard, Rick Hawn, Dan Cramer, etc.).

Olson is a tune-up for Daley, as the Brit has a Glory Kickboxing bout upcoming, as well as a likely showdown with new Bellator member Josh Koscheck. That's why this should be an easy victory for the brash Brit.

Prediction: Daley def. Olson via KO

Michael Page vs. Rudy Bears

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We stay in the welterweight division for the next bout, as British phenom Michael Page returns to American soil to take on American journeyman Rudy Bears.

Page is a phenomenal striker who uses flashy technique, uncanny movement and insane quickness to evade punishment and dish out his own damage. His ground game has yet to be tested, though he has shown an ability to finish a fight on the ground if he can hurt his opponent.

Page is 3-0 in Bellator so far, which has upped his competition level in comparison to his time in Super Fight League and the British regional circuit. Under the Bellator banner, he has earned knockouts of Ryan Sanders and Ricky Rainey. He earned a decision over Nah-Shon Burrell in his most recent affair.

As for Bears, the 16-13 veteran has been all over the place in his career, from M-1 Global to Titan FC to Bellator. In that time, he has only gone to a decision five total times, as he either kills or goes out on his shield.

Like the bout before this, there is a sacrificial lamb in Bears and a man set up for success in Page. It will be flashy and fun, as Page takes his opponent's head off with a brutal striking display.

Prediction: Page def. Bears via KO

Chris Honeycutt vs. Paul Bradley

Guess what? That's right, we have another welterweight bout, as undefeated blue-chipper Chris Honeycutt meets up with veteran journeyman Paul Bradley in the co-main event.

Honeycutt is a future welterweight contender, as the talented wrestler is only getting better at this point. He is a physical brute with insane strength and athleticism, which allows him to achieve takedowns with ease and hold opponents on the mat.

He has performed twice in Bellator thus far, going 2-0 to add to his undefeated 6-0 record overall. In both outings, he finished his adversaries with ground-and-pound, as Aaron Wilkinson and Clayton MacFarlane stood no chance against him.

Bradley has been running with Alliance MMA as of late, hoping to add more to his arsenal other than his wrestling. He has fought three times with Bellator, going 1-2 in that time. He took a loss to Nathan Coy but beat Karl Amoussou and Josh Neer.

Bradley's wrestling is good but not on the level of Honeycutt's, and he's less athletic. Honeycutt should reign supreme and continue his march toward the title.

Prediction: Honeycutt def. Bradley via TKO

Douglas Lima vs. Andrey Koreshkov

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The main event will be for the Bellator Welterweight Championship, as reigning king Douglas Lima looks to keep his title intact against powerful Russian Andrey Koreshkov.

Lima is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt with tremendous striking, which has led him to become the champion in Bellator's welterweight division. He is a threat on the mat or upright, as he can tap you out or put you to sleep with his good power.

Since winning the Bellator welterweight tournament, where he knocked out Michail Tsarev, Bryan Baker and Ben Saunders, he went on to claim the vacant title. In that fight, he chopped down Rick Hawn with his vicious leg kicks to earn the gold. This is his first defense.

Korehkov is a brutal striker with tremendous power that mixes well with his aggressive style. He knocks opponents out in proficient manner, making him one of the most feared strikers around.

His last three fights with Bellator were in a tournament that earned him a title shot. In that tournament, he knocked out Nah-Shon Burrell and Justin Baesman before decisioning Adam McDonough to earn this opportunity.

Koreshkov is a true threat to Lima in this bout, especially since Lima isn't even half the wrestler Ben Askren is. However, the leg kicks will take their toll, and Lima will pull this one out in a thriller.

Prediction: Lima def. Koreshkov via decision