MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom breaks down the UFC’s top bouts. Today, we look at the co-main event for Bellator 297.

Bellator 297 takes place Friday at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

Sergio Pettis (22-5 MMA, 4-0 BMMA)

Staple info:

• Height: 5’6″ Age: 29 Weight: 135 lbs. Reach: 69″

• Last fight: Knockout win over Kyoji Horiguchi (Dec. 3, 2021)

• Camp: Roufusport (Milwaukee, WI)

• Stance/striking style: Orthodox/kickboxing

• Risk management: Good

Supplemental info:
+ Bellator bantamweight champion
+ RFA flyweight title
+ Taekwondo black belt (2nd degree)
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt
+ 4 knockout victories
+ 4 submission wins
+ 6 first-round finishes
+ Solid footwork
+ Accurate jab and cross
^ Pulls and returns well
+ Dangerous head kicks
^ Strikes well off of the breaks
+ Improved wrestling ability
^ Good hips and wrist controls
+ Aggressive and attacking guard

Patricio Freire (35-5 MMA, 23-5 BMMA)

Staple info:

• Height: 5’6″ Age: 35 Weight: 135 lbs. Reach: 65.5″

• Last fight: Decision win over Kleber Koike Erbst (Dec. 31 2022)

• Camp: Pitbull Brothers MMA (Brazil)

• Stance/striking style: Orthodox/kickboxing

• Risk management: Good

Supplemental info:
+ Bellator featherweight champion
+ Former Bellator lightweight champion
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt
+ 11 KO victories
+ 12 submission wins
+ 12 first-round finishes
+ KO power
+ Explosive athlete
^ Deceptive distance closer
+ Accurate hooks and crosses
^ Coming forward or off the counter
+ Hard leg kicks
+ Underrated wrestling ability
+ Good transitional grappler
+ Dangerous guillotine choke

Point of interest: Kicks and counters

Point of interest: Winning the wrestling

Point of interest: Odds and opinions

The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the Brazilian, listing Freire -205 and Pettis +166 via FanDuel.

Despite not disagreeing with the chosen favorite, I do warn anyone who is completely writing off the underdog in this spot.

Aside from the fact that Freire is not beyond being taxed on the two-way street that is counter-striking, this will be the featherweight champion’s first fight down at 135 pounds.

Although this is the weight class that I and many believe Freire should have been fighting in all along, I can’t pretend that this is the ideal part of a career for a 35-year-old to be making a drop to bantamweight. For that reason, no one should be shocked if Pettis continues to buck his decision trend with another upset knockout this weekend.

I, however, will still be siding with the proven pound-for-pound talent in “Pitbull.”

Not only do I see Freire having success with calf kicks given the weight distribution of his opponent’s stance, but the Brazilian is particularly potent when countering jabs – something that will serve him well when looking at Pettis’ reliance on said technique.

Add in Pettis’ propensity to surrender precarious positions in grappling stanzas, and I can’t help but see a submission victory for Freire come the second round.

Prediction: Freire inside the distance

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 297.

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie