The fight card is getting quickly filled up for Bellator 162 and there are certainly already some head turners in there, but here is all the low down you need in terms of which fights you should not miss and where all the exciting stuff is happening.
Firstly, a definite must watch is fighter Alexander Shlemenko who is determined to prove himself after having tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. Shlemenko is on the path to regain respect and reputation for himself as a fighter after the doping allegations and he certainly has everything to fight for. Shlemenko has a lot running on the line and you can bet your bottom dollar that he is training like he has never done before to win this fight, it is going to something special and we can already sense it. Shlemenko maybe focused and may have all the desire in the world for victory, but his opponent is no slouch. He is going to be put up against the one and only Kendall Grove and this will be the headliner for Bellator 162 which is scheduled to happen at FedEx Forum (venue name) in Memphis, Tennessee.
People may have doubts about Shlemenko’s form considering he has not fought competitively in Bellator in over 20 months. Shlemenko was supposed to serve a ban which should have lasted for just over three years and was imposed by the California State Athletic Commission. He doping was uncovered in a post fight drug screening just after he had fought and defeated Melvin Manhoef courtesy of a technical knockout. This was back in 2015 and luckily for Shlemenko, the ban was later reduced to a one year suspension. Since his ban has been lifted, Shlemenko has been in the ring twice, but both times the M-1 Global banner. People, understandably, think that he might be a bit rusty to get throw right back into the action. However, if you think about it, his opponent Kendall Grove has also not exactly been fighting week in and week out.
Changing focus to Grove – Grove has in a recent interview with media personnel expressed his bitter feelings and resentment towards Bellator saying that he felt like he was chewed up and spat out by the industry and since then Grove returned to Maui, his hometown, and is focused more on being there for his family and his young children. Grove did train and fight intensely for two years when he was down at Las Vegas, but said since he has had children of his own, his priorities have change quite a bit.
So for those that think Shlemenko is rusty, we say, he has been evenly matched. Two top shelf fighters coming back from their own respective hiatuses and looking to return on the right foot – this has everything in the making to be an incredible display of courage, sheer determination, technical ability, finesse and form.
The fight of the night in our books!
Author : Rory McGregor