Bellator 234: Kharitonov vs. Vassell Odds, Picks & Betting Preview
- Sergei Kharitonov takes on Linton Vassell in possible number one contender bout
- Sidney Outlaw makes Bellator debut against Roger Huerta
- Austin Vanderford looks to stay undefeated
Bellator MMA is in Tel Aviv, Israel on Thursday, November 14 for Belllator 234. In the main event, Sergei Kharitonov looks to extend his winning streak when he takes on Linton Vassell. The co-main attraction sees former UFC fighter, Roger Huerta welcome Sidney Outlaw to the Bellator cage. Bellator 234 also features Austin Vanderford and Olga Rubin vs. Sinead Kavanagh.
Sergei Kharitonov vs. Linton Vassell Odds
| Fighter | Odds 1 | Odds 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Sergei Kharitonov | -200 | -200 |
| Linton Vassell | +160 | +160 |
All odds taken Nov. 13
Does a Win Get Kharitonov a Title Shot?
Sergei Kharitonov (30-7) is coming off of a TKO win over Matt Mitrione in the main event of Bellator 225 back in August. Many expected the win to earn Kharitonov a title shot but he may need one more win. He has fought for Strikeforce, Pride and M-1 Global with notable wins over Andrei Arlovski, Fabricio Werdum, Alistair Overeem, and Roy Nelson.
Linton Vassell (19-8) is on a three-fight losing streak but is always a dangerous opponent. The Englishman used to be a light heavyweight and challenged for the Bellator 205-pound title. He has been in Bellator since 2013 and has fought some of the top names like Muhammed Lawal, Emmanuel Newton, Liam McGeary, Ryan Bader, and Phil Davis.
Tale of the Tape
| 39 | Age | 36 |
| 6’4″ | Height | 6’4″ |
| 74″ | Reach | 82″ |
| 3 | Bellator finishes | 4 |
| 2 | Bellator main events | 1 |
This is a fight that I believe is to keep Kharitonov busy and get him another win for his eventual title fight against Ryan Bader. The Russian is one of the top heavyweights in Bellator and proved that in his last fight with a dominant win over Mitrione.
?? Sergei Kharitonov has arrived in Tel Aviv and is ready to do battle in just a few, short days when he faces @LDV_TheSwarm on Friday, November 15th.#Bellator234 pic.twitter.com/V4JDdIzhj3
— BellatorMMA (@BellatorMMA) November 13, 2019
In this fight, although Vassell will have a massive reach advantage, I think Kharitonov will be able to close the distance and get inside. Once he does, Vassell’s chin is something to be worried about as he has been knocked out in two of his last three fights. He also did not look good in his heavyweight debut against Valentin Moldavsky.
I believe Kharitonov will get another finish win in the second or third round to pick up another win and earn a title shot.
Pick: Sergei Kharitonov (-200)
[crosspost]Sidney Outlaw vs. Roger Huerta Odds
| Fighter | Odds 1 | Odds 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Sidney Outlaw | -500 | -450 |
| Roger Huerta | +350 | +350 |
Does Outlaw Get a Win in Bellator Debut?
Sidney Outlaw (13-3) is on an eight-fight winning streak including a win on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2017 where he picked up a win but did not get a contract. On this winning streak, he has five submission wins. But, this will be his toughest fight to date and he is making his Bellator MMA debut in this fight.
May28.2007
Roger Huerta makes history,
as he becomes the 1st UFC fighter to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated pic.twitter.com/V7jZKOHHtA
— MMA History Today (@MMAHistoryToday) May 29, 2016
Roger Huerta (24-11-1) is on a two-fight losing streak although those losses are to Patricky Freire and Benson Henderson, which are two of the top lightweights in Bellator. Huerta is a UFC veteran who was touted as the next superstar years ago as he was on the cover of Sports Illustrated among many other magazines.
Yet, in the UFC, he was not the Hall of Famer many touted him as, as he then went to Bellator in 2010 and haven’t had much success as he is 1-4 in the promotion along with a brief stint in ONE Championship during that run.
Tale of the Tape
| 27 | Age | 36 |
| 5’8″ | Height | 5’9″ |
| 74″ | Reach | 69″ |
| 0 | Bellator finishes | 1 |
| May 2019 | Last Fight | September 2018 |
Sidney Outlaw should be in the UFC and that is one of the biggest mistakes Dana White made on the Contender Series by not signing him. Now, with Bellator, he has a chance to get into the top of the division with a win over Huerta.
In this fight, Outlaw will need to use his reach to keep the distance and test Huerta’s takedown defense as Outlaw will have the advantage on the ground and that is where I expect him to win. He will be able to get the UFC-veteran down and get a submission win in the second or third round.
Pick: Sidney Outlaw (-450)
Bellator 234 Odds
Here are the other fights with odds available.
Olga Rubin vs. Sinead Kavanagh Odds
| Fighter | Odds 1 | Odds 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Olga Rubin | -300 | -270 |
| Sinead Kavanagh | +230 | +210 |
Austin Vanderford vs. Grachik Bozinyan Odds
| Fighter | Odds 1 | Odds 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Austin Vanderford | -650 | -500 |
| Grachik Bozinuan | +425 | +375 |
Cole graduated from Sheridan College in April of 2019 with a diploma in journalism. He now is a full-time freelance writer, focusing on MMA for sites like BJPENN, while also covering the Toronto Blue Jays as a credentialed media member. At SBD, Cole covers the four major sports and MMA.
