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Bellator 298 Storley vs. Ward keeps it moving on the main card in the co-main event with a fight in the heavyweight division between Valentin Moldavsky and Steve Mowry. Moldavsky is coming off back-to-back losses for the first in his career meanwhile, is coming off a no-contest and a draw in his last two fights. With that said, check out our Bellator odds series for our Moldavsky-Mowry prediction and pick.
Valentin Moldavsky (11-3) was the former interim heavyweight champion before Ryan Bader dominated him for all five rounds. He was already matched with Steve Mowry back in August 2022 before an accidental eye poke less than a minute into round one derailed the fight. Moldavsky will be looking to get back on track in his second attempt at fighting Steve Mowry this Friday night at Bellator 298.
Steve Mowry (10-0-1) is in a rare case that his last two fights didn't count as a win or loss on his record after one ended as a no-contest after he got poked in the eye and then his next fight ended in a draw. He will be looking to finally get a win when he attempts to take on Valentin Moldavsky for a second time this Friday night at Bellator 298.
Here are the Bellator Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
Bellator 298 Odds: Valentin Moldavsky-Steve Mowry Odds
Valentin Moldavsky: -240
Steve Mowry: +192
How to Watch Valentin Moldavsky vs. Steve Mowry
TV: Showtime
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT (Main Card)
Why Valentin Moldavsky Will Win
Moldavsky and Mowry attempted to fight in 2022 but an inadvertent eye poke ended the fight in the first minute of the fight. They get to go to battle again as two of the top heavyweight contenders. Moldavsky will need to get back to his bread and butter that made him the interim heavyweight champion which is his boxing skills and his wrestling to stifle any offensive attacks thrown his way.
Moldavsky has a record of 11-3, while Mowry has a record of 10-0-1. Moldavsky has fought more experienced fighters and has more experience in high-pressure situations. This experience will be valuable in a rematch against Mowry. Moldavsky is a former Combat Sambo World Champion and has excellent grappling skills. In their previous fight, Moldavsky was able to take Mowry down and control him on the ground. Moldavsky's grappling skills will be a significant advantage in this rematch.
Why Steve Mowry Will Win
Mowry is a towering heavyweight with a height of 6'8″ and a reach of 81 inches In contrast, Moldavsky is 6'0″ with a reach of 74 inchesMowry's size and reach advantage could make it difficult for Moldavsky to close the distance, and land strikes. Mowry has been working on improving his striking skills, which were on full display in his last fight against Ali Isaev. He was able to land some heavy shots and even dropped Isaev in the first round. If he can continue to develop his striking, he could pose a serious threat to Moldavsky on the feet.
Steve Mowry has a good chance of defeating Valentin Moldavsky in their upcoming rematch. With his size and reach advantage and his improved striking, Mowry could emerge as the victor at Bellator 298.
Final Valentin Moldavsky-Steve Mowry Prediction & Pick
Valentin Moldavsky and Steve Mowry are set to face each other in a highly anticipated rematch at Bellator 298. Both fighters are looking for that big win to get that back into title contention in the wide-open heavyweight division. Moldavsky got finished in a fight he was seemingly dominating against Linton Vassell which wasn't a good look for him. He wilted under the pressure and he was just dominated when his back hit the mat. It shows that Moldavsky doesn't do well when he has to fight through adversity especially when he gets flattened out on his back.
At distance however, he has good calf kicks which will serve him well against the taller Mowry and a piston of a right hand but if he doesn't hurt Mowry in the process he will just keep coming forward. Mowry has the chance to really put a hurting on Moldavsky as long as he keeps at his preferred range and not let him inside the pocket and then when it hits the mat Mowry is undoubtedly the better grappler, especially on top. There are just seemingly more ways for Mowry to get the win in this matchup. Ultimately, Moldavsky looks to pressure Mowry and get him on his back foot but Mowry pops long-range attacks at him scoring at the range when Moldavsky looks to pressure him up against the cage Mowry will reverse the position land a takedown of his own and get the finish from on top and get the biggest win of his career.
Final Valentin Moldavsky-Steve Mowry Prediction & Pick: Steve Mowry (+192)