Bellator Milan Odds, Picks & Betting Preview – Edwards vs Van Steenis
By Cole Shelton in Mixed Martial Arts News
Published:
- Bellator is returning to Europe this weekend
- A pivotal middleweight fight headlines the card on Saturday, Sep. 26
- See the odds, picks, and betting preview for the full Bellator Milan main and co-main event, below
Bellator MMA has always held multiple events in Europe every year but, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that wasn’t the case in 2020, until now.
For the next several weeks, the Viacom-owned promotion will host multiple Euro Series events with the first taking place in Milan, Italy, this Saturday (Sep. 26, 5:00 pm ET). The event will air live on Bellator’s YouTube channel.
In the main event, undefeated prospect Fabian Edwards takes on the toughest test of his career in Costello Van Steenis. The co-main event sees Mike Shipman battle Pietro Penini at middleweight.
The table below shows odds for the main and co-main events.
Bellator Milan Odds
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Fabian Edwards | -127 |
| Costello Van Steenis | +107 |
| Fighter | Odds |
| Mike Shipman | -145 |
| Pietro Penini | +125 |
All odds taken Sept. 22.
Does Edwards Earn a Title Shot with a Win?
Fabian Edwards, the brother of UFC welterweight contender Leon Edwards, is one of Bellator’s top prospects and takes a big step up in competition here. For Costello Van Steenis, a win over Edwards gets him right back into the title picture, so stakes are high for this one.
Edwards & Van Steenis Recent Fights
| Mike Shipman, win by split decision | Fight 1 | John Salter, loss by decision |
| Jonathan Bosuku, win by decision | Fight 2 | Mike Shipman, win by TKO |
| Falco Neto, win by KO | Fight 3 | Chris Honeycutt, win by split decision |
| Lee Chadwick, win by decision | Fight 4 | Kevin Fryer, win by KO |
This fight will really tell if Edwards is as good as everyone has made him out to be. The Englishman is undefeated and has shown immense talent in his Bellator career. Yet, he has not fought a top-tier opponent like Van Steenis, a man who has beaten a lot of up-and-comers before.
Entering the fight, there is no question Edwards wants to keep this fight standing and use his jab and footwork to piece up Van Steenis. The Dutchman has a solid kickboxing background and has shown he can hang with the best on the ground.
Yet, Edwards should be able to keep the fight standing, use his jab to pile up points, and edge out a very close decision win.
The odds are close for a reason; this is close to a pick’em fight, but Edwards at -127 is a playable line.
Pick: Fabian Edwards (-127)
Edwards vs Van Steenis Stats
| 27 | Age | 28 |
| 6’1″ | Height | 6’1″ |
| 79.5″ | Reach | 78.5″ |
| 1 | Bellator finishes | 3 |
Will Shipman Get Back On Track?
Mike Shipman looked like a future title contender before he then ran into Costello Van Steenis and Fabian Edwards in back-to-back fights, losing both. Now, he is looking to prove he still can be a top contender when he battles rising star Pietro Penini.
Shipman & Penini Recent Fights
| Fabian Edwards, loss by split decision | Fight 1 | Charlie Ward, win by decision |
| Costello Van Steenis, loss by TKO | Fight 2 | Nihad Nasufovic, win by decision |
| Scott Futrell, win by submission | Fight 3 | Francesco Demontis, win by TKO |
| Carl Noon, win by KO | Fight 4 | Leon Aliu, loss by TKO |
This should be a phenomenal fight. Neither man likes to step backward and both will take a punch to give a punch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH0D-rJm9OQ&ab_channel=BellatorMMA
Early on, expect Penini to be the more aggressive fighter as he looks to finish Shipman early. Yet, Shipman will use his wrestling and clinch game to get Penini down and eventually get a submission win or a ground-and-pound TKO . Shipman’s -145 moneyline is a fair price for a deserving favorite.
Pick: Mike Shipman (-145)
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.
