Preview: Bellator 241 ‘Pitbull vs. Carvalho’

Lightweights

Nick Newell (16-3) vs. Zach Zane (14-9)

ODDS: Newell (-210), Zane (+170)

Newell, as most know by now, was born as a congenital amputee who is missing a hand and a significant portion of his left arm. Nevertheless, Newell has overcome his disability and become a successful mixed martial artist. Since failing to secure an Ultimate Fighting Championship contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, he has rattled off two straight submission wins, one of them in his Bellator debut. The party ended in his second appearance with the organization, as Newell lost a close decision to Luis Muro in October. The Fighting Arts Academy representative is known for his ground game. His drop-step entries are fast, and he has shown great strength to be able to wrap around his opponents’ hips and pick them up in the air. In the clinch, Newell can secure both hip throws and trips takedowns. Though he has a strong wrestling background, he has been taken down himself in several bouts. The strength of the fan favorite’s game is his Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He has an extremely tight rear-naked choke. He also has a fantastic front headlock series, out of which he attacks with guillotines and brabo chokes. He will also attack the lower body with kneebars, heel hooks and other leg locks. If Newell cannot find the submission, the Connecticut native has excellent top control and will get busy with heavy ground-and-pound. Obviously, Newell is somewhat limited on the feet and struggles to block the left side of his face. Offensively, he throws a stiff jab and hard overhand right. Kicks to the legs and body represent the best parts of his striking game. The biggest weakness in Newell’s game is his cardio, as he has slowed down in several fights.

Zane started his career 4-7 but then quickly turned things around by winning eight straight bouts. During this run, Zane moved up two weight classes to capture the X-1 World Events welterweight title. Since then, he has alternated wins and losses over his last four bouts but picked up a big victory over Nainoa Dung in his most recent appearance. The 30-year-old calls his style “Ninja striking.” The southpaw comes out aggressively while working behind an active jab, but his right hook remains his best punch. The Black House MMA representative crushes the body with kicks and loves to try knocking out opponents with flying knees. Zane will mix in a takedown but is a weak defensive wrestler himself. Though he is not a strong wrestler, he does own a deep arsenal of submissions. He enjoys pursuing the leg with ankle locks and toe holds, all while trying to quickly end fights. Zane has closed many holes in his game and appears to be surging at the moment. He has fought a full 15 minutes only three times in his career, leaving his gas tank as a question mark.

This is the toughest fight on the card to pick. Zane is the more well-rounded fighter, and if the action remains on the feet, he should be able to eke out a victory. However, his defensive wrestling is still porous, and Newell should find ways to take him down. The Hawaiian fighter is fairly strong in scrambles and should manage to make it interesting, but expect “Notorious Nick” to sneak past him by the closest of margins. Newell wins by split decision.

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