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MMAjunkie Radio co-host and MMAjunkie contributor Dan Tom breaks down Bellator’s top bouts. Today, we look at the main event for Bellator 214.

Bellator 214 takes place Saturday at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The main card airs on Paramount and streams on DAZN following prelims on MMAjunkie.

Fedor Emelianenko (38-5 MMA, 2-1 BMMA)

Staple info:

• Height: 6’0″ Age: 42 Weight: 236 lbs. Reach: 74.5″
• Last fight: TKO win over Chael Sonnen (Oct. 13, 2018)
• Camp: Alexander Nevsky (Stary Oskol, Russia)
• Stance/striking style: Orthodox/kickboxing
• Risk management: Good

Supplemental info:

+ Multiple MMA championships
^ Pride, Strikeforce, Rings, WAMMA
+ FIAS world combat sambo titles
+ 14 KO victories
+ 15 submission wins
+ 26 first-round finishes
+ KO power
+ Aggressive pace and pressure
+ Dangerous right hand
^ Coming forward or off the counter
+ Strong inside of the clinch
^ Strikes well off the breaks
+ Good transitional grappler
^ Crafty submissions and scrambles
+ Excellent ground striker

Ryan Bader (26-5 MMA, 4-0 BMMA)

Staple info:

• Height: 6’2″ Age: 35 Weight: 229 lbs. Reach: 74″
• Last fight: Decision win over Matt Mitrione(Oct. 12, 2018)
• Camp: Power MMA (Arizona)
• Stance/striking style: Orthodox/kickboxing
• Risk management: Good

Supplemental info:

+ Bellator light heavyweight champion
+ 2x Division I All-American wrestler
+ 3x Pac-10 champion
+ 11 KO victories
+ 3 submission wins
+ 9 first-round finishes
+ KO power
+ Good cardio and conditioning
+ Improved striking and footwork
^ Accurate left hand
+ Excellent wrestling ability
^ Explosive power-double takedown
+ Strong inside the clinch
+ Good transitional grapplers
^ Solid positional awareness and rides

Point of interest: The strike zone

The main event for Bellator 214 features a heavyweight final between two grapplers who have steadily refined their striking throughout their careers.

Ryan Bader, who initially came on to the scene as a heavy-handed wrestler, has slowly evolved into a well rounded, stick-and-move stylist. Since his time spent working with striking coach Chaz Turner, we’ve seen legitimate fight-to-fight improvements in Bader’s techniques. With a focus on opening up Bader’s hips and stance, the two-time All-American wrestler has shown to more fluidly hit and move while stringing his strikes together.

Quietly developing an active and accurate left hand, Bader has been able to bludgeon the eyes of both Phil Davis and Rashad Evans with jabs, as well as drop Muhammed Lawal with an authoritative left hook to kickstart his heavyweight run in the Bellator grand prix. That said, Bader’s defenses will have to be up to par to avoid the potent shots that will be coming back his way, especially when considering who his counterpart is.

Enter Fedor Emelianenko.

A sambo champion who stormed the Japanese MMA scene in the early 2000s, violence has been the tried and true theme throughout all the iterations of the Russian’s career.

Setting an aggressive pace and pressure that’s almost palpable, Emelianenko will come forward behind feints that make space seem fleeting. Pawing with his left-hand lackadaisically while maintaining a deadpan stare in his face, the 19-year pro keeps his right hand cocked and ready to release.

Once able to get a bite from his opponent, Emelianenko will crash the distance with casting style punches in conjunction with his counterpart, something that helps him compensate for his reach. This approach, however, also makes for unforgiving collisions, a street that runs two ways in MMA. And lest we not forget – despite Emelianenko carrying the perceived edge in exchanges – Bader’s looming wrestling threats might open up more striking opportunities than meets the eye.

Next point of interest: Chaos or control?