MMAjunkie Radio co-host and MMAjunkie contributor Dan Tom breaks down Bellator’s top bouts. Today, we look at the main event for Bellator 209.

Bellator 209 takes place Thursday at Menora Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv, Israel. The card airs on Paramount and streams on DAZN via tape-delay.

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Patricio Freire (27-4 MMA, 15-4 BMMA)

Patricio “Pitbull” Freire

Staple info:

• Height: 5’5″ Age: 31 Weight: 145 lbs. Reach: 65″
• Last fight: Decision win over Daniel Weichel (July 14, 2018)
• Camp: Pitbull Brothers MMA (Brazil)
• Stance/striking style: Orthodox/kickboxing
• Risk management: Good

Supplemental info:

+ Bellator featherweight champion
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt
+ 9 KO victories
+ 11 submission win
+ 9 first-round finishes
+ KO power
+ Explosive athlete
^ Deceptive distance closer
+ Accurate hooks and crosses
+ Hard leg kicks
+ Underrated wrestling ability
+ Good transitional grappler
+ Dangerou
s guillotine choke

Emmanuel Sanchez (17-3 MMA, 9-2 BMMA)

Emmanuel Sanchez

Staple info:

• Height: 5’9″ Age: 28 Weight: 145 lbs. Reach: 76″
• Last fight: Submission win over Sam Sicilia (April 28, 2018)
• Camp: Roufusport (Milwaukee)
• Stance/striking style: Orthodox/kickboxing
• Risk management: Fair

Supplemental info:

+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt
+ 1 KO victory
+ 7 submission victories
+ 6 first-round finishes
+ Relentless pace and pressure
^ Improves as the fight wears on
+ Solid combination striker
^ Punctuates well with kicks
+ Excellent transitional grappler
+ Superb scrambler
^ Impeccable improvisation
+ Active and attacking guard
^ Strikes, sweeps, scrambles

Point of interest: The bull vs. the matador

Despite the nicknames of each fighter, the style of fight they produce will likely lead you to think that their proverbial hats have been switched come fight time.

Emmanuel Sanchez, who bears the nickname of “El Matador,” often appears to be the bull in his fights.

Hailing from the Roufusport academy, Sanchez possesses all the well-rounded tools you would suspect to see from that gym, something that further fills the bank of techniques that his combinations draw from. Not afraid to string his punches together, Sanchez will vary his levels of attack, punctuating with a variety of weapons that range from switch-kicks to spinning assaults.

The 28-year-old’s talents and vigor only seem to pick to up steam as the fight wears on, but his aggression tends to make him a bit hittable early, which could be troublesome when considering who Sanchez is facing.

Enter Patricio Freire.

Despite being known as “Pitbull,” Freire has shown a much more mature and dangerous attitude in recent years.

Initially hitting the Bellator scene as a heavy-handed brawler with a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, Freire steadily sharpened his striking skills during his formative fighting years with the promotion. He quickly demonstrated the ability to work forward off of feints and pressure, as well as be able to sit back and counter when needed.

In recent times, we have seen Freire and other fighters from his camp embrace more of a karate-centric form of kickboxing. Staying lighter on his toes than you might expect to see from a power puncher, the 31-year-old can either enter space quickly to intercept his opposition or exit to safety when appropriate.

But improvements aside, Freire’s newfound role of a playing the matador could get tricky the further he allows Sanchez into the fight.

Next point of interest: Chaos vs. control