Bellator 208 Betting Guide

A weekend without the UFC? Don’t worry, because Bellator will keep fans of mixed martial arts busy with two excellent cards headlined by semifinal matchups of the Bellator World Heavyweight Grand Prix.

At Bellator 207 on Friday, October 12, Matt Mitrione and Ryan Bader will clash with the winner facing whoever comes out on top between Fedor Emelianenko and Chael Sonnen at Bellator 208 on Saturday, October 13. You can review our best bets for Bellator 207 here.

As always, we’ve done the research and analysis for you, and it’s now time to share our best bets for the Bellator 208 main card. Our MMA betting strategy has helped us secure positive returns from three of the last four major events from the UFC and Bellator, and we’re looking to keep these exceptional results going this weekend.

Let’s get started!

Fedor Emelianenko vs. Chael Sonnen

Yes, you’re reading this correctly – Fedor Emelianenko and Chael Sonnen are seriously getting set to fight each other in the heavyweight division in Bellator. It’s a thought that seemed somewhat impossible even just a few years ago, but here we are as Emelianenko and Sonnen are striving to move forward in the tournament and eventually claim Bellator’s Heavyweight Championship.

Fedor Emelianenko vs. Chael Sonnen odds:

• Fedor Emelianenko: +225 (SportsInt.)
• Chael Sonnen: -234 (SportBet)

As expected, the bookmakers and the public are favoring the natural heavyweight in Fedor Emelianenko.

Fedor Emelianenko

In case you’re new to the sport or have yet to watch fights outside of the UFC or Bellator, here’s a fun fact: Fedor Emelianenko is regarded as the best heavyweight mixed martial artist of all-time, and arguably one of the best mixed martial artists regardless of weight class.

Emelianenko made his Bellator debut mid-last year when he met Matt Mitrione at Bellator NYC. That fight ended in a fascinating way, and a near-double KO when Mitrione and Emelianenko simultaneously crashed heavy punches into each other and both fell to the mat. It was Mitrione who returned to his feet first, though, and finished off the legend in only 74 seconds. Fedor did bounce back superbly with a first-round KO/TKO victory against Frank Mir in the first round of the tournament, finishing him with a series of punches just 48 seconds into the contest.

Chael Sonnen

Chael Sonnen has had his series of ups and downs with Bellator since joining the promotion, as well. He managed to slip up and lose his debut fight with the promotion against Tito Ortiz but has since managed two consecutive victories against Wanderlei Silva and Quinton Jackson. Sonnen has looked impressive in these last two bouts, relying on his power double-leg takedown and working over his adversary from the top position while also making an impact with his boxing.

Fight Breakdown

Fedor Emelianenko and Chael Sonnen typically fight at an incredibly fast pace and attempt to overwhelm their opponent early and often. Fedor isn’t a massive heavyweight by any means but is usually quicker and more powerful than his opposition. We witnessed his power when he dropped Frank Mir recently, and it’s clear that he is more than capable of ending Sonnen’s night early if it comes down to punches at Bellator 208.

Sonnen’s path to victory here is undoubtedly his wrestling advantage. As mentioned earlier, Sonnen’s power double-leg takedown could be a critical defining factor in this fight, especially (and only) if he can leverage it to secure a top position and pin Fedor to the mat. If he gets lost in the scramble with the explosive Emelianenko, it’s likely he could be reversed and end up underneath the stronger and larger heavyweight.

That’s not to say that Sonnen doesn’t have a chance on the feet, because he does, but we’re just referencing his natural advantage and clearest path to victory in this main event. If a strong punch of Emelianenko’s clips him, it’s easy to see Sonnen desperately lunging in for a takedown.

Still, we’re not entirely sold that Fedor Emelianenko is excellent value at these odds and would typically lean to the side of Sonnen at underdog odds like these. There’s an improved betting opportunity for this fight, and that’s betting that the fight does not last the distance. Currently, this selection is worth odds of -215 at SportBet, and we recommend grabbing these odds before the value decreases.

As Fedor’s path to victory is likely an early finish, and Sonnen’s wrestling could help him control and fatigue Fedor in the middle rounds, a stoppage is indeed more than likely and will be our favorite play of the evening.

Bet on ‘Fight Doesn’t Last The Distance’: -215 at SportBet

Bellator 208 Main Card

There’s more to Bellator 208 than just a fantastic heavyweight main event, and we’ve broken down the remaining fights on the main card to bring you our recommended bets.

Benson Henderson vs. Saad Awad

Bellator 208’s co-main event will feature fan-favorite Benson Henderson in a lightweight contest with Saad Awad, who is riding a four-fight winning streak.

Benson Henderson vs. Saad Awad odds

• Benson Henderson: -398 (SportBet)
• Saad Awad: +342 (SportBet)

Henderson enters Bellator 208 with just one fight remaining on his contract. Regardless of the outcome, he’s looking to move on and sign with whichever promotion can give him ‘the best deal.’ However, his opinion might be swayed with a win over Awad, as he’ll likely be one of the next in line for a shot at Brent Primus and the lightweight title later this year.

You wouldn’t know it because he’s been flying under the radar but Saad Awad has developed into one of the best performing lightweight fighters right now. Awad dropped fights to some of the best contenders in the division, such as Patricky Freire and Brennan Ward before eventually cruising to the best winning streak of his career since when he first began fighting in 2007.

Betting on Benson Henderson isn’t as safe as it once was, but he makes for an excellent selection this time against Saad Awad. Awad is dangerous, of course, but he is open for the picking and Henderson will likely run over him inside three rounds.

Bet on Benson Henderson: -398 at SportBet

Alexander Shlemenko vs. Anatoly Tokov

Alexander Shlemenko and Anatoly Tokov are set for an all-Russian main card battle between two extremely heavy-hitting middleweight fighters.

Alexander Shlemenko vs. Anatoly Tokov odds:

• Alexander Shlemenko: -112 (SportBet)
• Anatoly Tokov: +100 (BetOnline)

Shlemenko has always been criminally underrated but his most recent performance suggests that he might not deserve the praise at all. The 34-year-old looked disinterested against Bruno Silva and somehow managed to lose by first-round KO/TKO despite entering the fight as a huge -850 betting favorite. He now returns to Bellator for the first time since losing to the current middleweight champion, Gegard Mousasi.

He’ll be up against an outstanding 28-year-old fighter in Anatoly Tokov, who has remarkably only lost one of his last 20 bouts. That defeat was to Ramazan Emeev in M-1 Challenge, but he has since recovered with two consecutive wins under the Bellator banner.

Anatoly Tokov isn’t a household name and the public is more likely to be backing Alexander Shlemenko in this contest. We’ll take the other side and cash in as Tokov lands his patented right hand down the line and busts up Shlemenko here at Bellator 208.

Bet on Anatoly Tokov: +100 at BetOnline

Cheick Kongo vs. Timothy Johnson

Timothy Johnson will enter Bellator this weekend and take on a heavyweight who is in remarkably good form.

Cheick Kongo vs. Timothy Johnson odds:

• Cheick Kongo: +113 (SportBet)
• Timothy Johnson: -110 (BetOnline)

One of the most surprising (and almost unbelievable) winning streaks in any heavyweight division is Cheick Kongo’s current six-fight winning streak that stretches back to 2015. Accumulating consecutive victories in the highly-volatile heavyweight division is no easy task, but Kongo has achieved this despite glimpses of inconsistency.

Kongo will enter the cage with a fighter who hasn’t experienced any consistent results in that same time. Since joining the UFC in 2015, Johnson went back-and-forth between wins and losses before ending up in Bellator for his first fight this weekend at Bellator 208.

This fight is a true heavyweight coin flip, and it seems like Kongo is winning more 50/50 bouts than he should right now. Johnson opened as an underdog and was great value there, but he has since been crushed into -110. We’ll make the most of the changes and profit from Kongo being an underdog in what should be a very competitive fight.

Bet on Cheick Kongo: +113 at SportBet

Henry Corrales vs. Andy Main

Getting the main card started is a featherweight bout between Henry Corrales and promotion debutant Andy Main.

Henry Corrales vs. Andy Main odds:

• Henry Corrales: -450 (BetOnline)
• Andy Main: +431 (SportBet)

If you haven’t watched any mixed martial arts in the last couple of years, you’d likely remember Corrales as a guy who entered Bellator with an impressive winning streak but came up short in his first three fights against stiff competition. However, he’s changed all of that in the last two years and has now managed to defeat Cody Bollinger, Noad Lahat, and Georgi Karakhanyan to return to winning ways.

Andy Main is known for his appearance on The Ultimate Fighter many years ago but has since worked up a nice career as a mixed martial artist through several different promotions before finally making his way to Bellator.

This is Henry Corrales’ fight to lose, but he’s not exactly the safest of bets – even at odds of -450. We’ll be avoiding the danger here and refrain from betting on this fight.

Bellator 208 Best Bets

• Fedor vs. Sonnen – ‘Fight Doesn’t Last The Distance’: -215 at SportBet
• Benson Henderson to win: -398 at SportBet
• Anatoly Tokov to win: +100 at BetOnline
• Cheick Kongo to win: +113 at SportBet