Bellator 266 Odds, Picks & Betting Preview – Davis vs Romero
- Yoel Romero finally makes his Bellator debut and moves up to light heavyweight
- Neiman Gracie returns in the co-main event against Mark Lemminger
- Bellator returns to San Jose on Saturday, September 18 for Bellator 266
Bellator returns to the SAP Center in San Jose, California on Saturday, September 18 for Bellator 266. In the main event, former champion, Phil Davis welcomes former UFC title challenger, Yoel Romero to Bellator. The Bellator 266 odds list the main event as even at FOX Bet, with both fighters at -118.
The co-main event sees Neiman Gracie looking to get back into the win column as he battles Mark Lemminger, who picked up a big win last time out. Gracie is a heavy favorite in the Bellator 266 odds over Mark Lemminger.
Bellator 266 airs live on Showtime and on YouTube for Canadians on September 18, 2021, at 9 PM EST. The table below shows odds for the main card followed by best bets.
Make sure to check out the latest online sportsbook promos before locking in your bets for Bellator 266.
Bellator 266 Odds
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Phil Davis | -118 |
| Yoel Romero | -118 |
| Fighter | Odds |
| Neiman Gracie | -300 |
| Mark Lemminger | +200 |
| Fighter | Odds |
| DeAnna Bennett | +125 |
| Alejandra Lara | -175 |
| Fighter | Odds |
| Christian Edwards | -700 |
| Ben Parrish | +400 |
| Fighter | Odds |
| Georgi Karakhanyan | +100 |
| Saul Rogers | -133 |
All odds as of September 15 at FOX Bet
Does Romero Win His Debut?
Yoel Romero signed to Bellator last December and was supposed to be a part of the light heavyweight grand prix, and he was set to fight Rumble Johnson. Unfortunately, Romero failed his pre-fight physical, which kept him out of the grand prix, but he will remain at light heavyweight for his debut as he faces Phil Davis, who lost in the first round of the grand prix earlier this year.
Davis & Romero Recent Fights
| Vadim Nemkov, loss by decision (title fight) | Fight 1 | Israel Adesanya, loss by decision (title fight) |
| Lyoto Machida, win by split decision | Fight 2 | Paulo Costa, loss by decision |
| Karl Albrektsson, win by TKO | Fight 3 | Robert Whittaker, loss by split decision (title fight) |
| Liam McGeary, win by TKO | Fight 4 | Luke Rockhold, win by KO |
Romero has not fought since March of 2020 where he dropped a lackluster decision to Israel Adesanya for the UFC’s middleweight title. It was a very boring fight as Romero didn’t throw anything, and after he pulled out of a main event fight against Uriah Hall in August of 2020, he was released from the promotion.
It will be interesting to see how Romero looks at light heavyweight as he’s 44-years-old and has been competing at middleweight since 2013. He is massive at 185lbs, so the move to 205lbs might be a good one, however, he does have a tough test in front of him in Phil Davis, who has a style that can make a fight boring and grind out a win.
Romero vs Davis Stats
| 44 | Age | 36 |
| 6’0″ | Height | 6’2″ |
| 73.5″ | Reach | 78″ |
| 0 | Bellator Finishes | 5 |
Davis has been at the top of the UFC and Bellator’s light heavyweight division as he has beaten the likes of Glover Teixeira, Lyoto Machida, and King Mo. Yet, Romero is a different kind of fighter as he has a ton of power and is hard to put away, but he also has an Olympic wrestling background which he can pull out at any time.
The first round should tell a lot about how this fight will play out as if Romero is gunshy like he was against Adesanya, Davis will be able to just jab Romero and win a decision. Ultimately, I do think Romero will be more active, but Davis has the style that he can clinch Romero against the fence and use his jab to just out volume the Cuban and win a decision.
Pick: Phil Davis (-118)
Can Lemminger Pull Off The Upset?
Neiman Gracie was once considered a top prospect, and some thought he would become a future champion. However, he has had mixed results as of late but gets a favorable matchup in Mark Lemminger.
Gracie & Lemminger Recent Fights
| Jason Jackson, loss by decision | Fight 1 | Demarques Jackson, win by TKO |
| Jon Fitch, win by submission | Fight 2 | Jaleel Willis, loss by decision |
| Rory MacDonald, loss by decision (title fight) | Fight 3 | Yaroslav Amosov, loss by TKO |
| Ed Ruth, win by submission | Fight 4 | Jake Smith, win by TKO |
Neiman Gracie should be able to use his jab to keep Lemminger at distance and then use his wrestling to get the fight to the ground. Once he has Lemminger on the ground, his jiu-jitsu is way better than his opponents, and he’ll eventually find a submission and get back into the win column in a big way.
Gracie’s odds don’t hold a lot of value at -300. However, if you can find Gracie to win in the first or second round, take it.
Pick: Neiman Gracie (-300)
Other Bellator 266 Picks:
- Alejandra Lara (-175): Lara should be able to outstrike Bennett and on the ground, she has a massive advantage to possibly get a submission win.
- Christian Edwards (-700): This is a total mismatch as Edwards looks like the real deal and should find get the KO early.
- Georgi Karakhanyan (+100): Although Karakhanyan is taking the fight on short notice, he’s the better striker and should do enough to win a decision.
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.
