Bellator 225 Odds: Mitrione vs. Kharitonov 2
By Cole Shelton in Mixed Martial Arts News
Updated: April 8, 2020 at 7:43 am EDTPublished:
- Mitrione and Kharitonov will run it back on Saturday, Aug 24th
- The first fight ended in a no-contest
- See the odds and breakdown for Bellator 225’s main event
In the main event of Bellator 225 (Aug. 24th), Matt Mitrione and Sergei Kharitonov will meet again. In their first fight back in February, Mitrione landed an accidental groin strike that stopped the fight in 15 seconds.
Now, after months of wanting to fight Kharitonov, the former NFL player will finally get the chance. The card airs live on Paramount Network at 9:00 PM ET.
Matt Mitrione vs Sergei Kharitonov Odds
| Fighter | Odds at Book 1 | Odds at Book 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Matt Mitrione | -125 | -115 |
| Sergei Kharitonov | -105 | -105 |
*All odds as of 08/21/19.
Mitrione Looking to Get Back into the Win Column
Mitrione (13-6, 1 NC) hasn’t fought since the no-contest. In his fight before that, he was dominated for 15 minutes by Ryan Bader. Before the loss to the now-heavyweight champion, the 41-year-old Mitrione was on a four-fight winning streak during which he beat Carl Seumanutafa, Oli Thompson, Fedor Emelianenko, and Roy Nelson.
He is also a UFC veteran who has beaten the likes of Philip de Fries, Derrick Lewis, Kimbo Slice, and Tim Hague.
Like Mitrione, Kharitonov (28-6, 2 NCs) hasn’t fought since February. Before that, he knocked out Roy Nelson in the first round in his return to Bellator. The Russian spent time in M-1 and Russian Cagefighting Championship.
During his career, he has beaten Andrei Arlovski, Alistair Overeem, and Fabricio Werdum, among others.
| 41 | Age | 39 |
| 6’3″ | Height | 6’4″ |
| 79″ | Reach | 76″ |
| 3 | Bellator finishes | 2 |
| 4-1 (plus 1 no contest) | Record in Bellator | 2-1 (plus 1 no contest) |
The odds, which are basically even, reflect the fact that heavyweight MMA is incredibly volatile and unpredictable.
There is no question Matt Mitrione will have the advantage in the striking department. But Kharitonov can have success using his wrestling and jiu-jitsu skills to get this fight to the mat. Mitrione has made it known he is not a good wrestler and wants to void the ground at all costs. Instead, he would rather stand and trade.
This fight will be a matter of who implements his game plan better. Ultimately, I think the 41-year-old in Mitrione will do more than enough in the striking department to either win by decision or a second or third-round TKO.
Pick: Matt Mitrione (-115)
Sports Writer
Cole graduated from Sheridan College in April of 2019 with a diploma in journalism. He now is a full-time freelance writer, focusing on MMA for sites like BJPENN, while also covering the Toronto Blue Jays as a credentialed media member. At SBD, Cole covers the four major sports and MMA.
