Subscribe
Follow Us
Bellator 298 Storley vs. Ward continues on the main card with a fight in the featherweight division between James Gallagher and James Gonzalez. Gallagher is coming off a 21-month layoff meanwhile, Gonzalez is coming off his Bellator debut loss. With that said, check out our Bellator odds series for our Gallagher-Gonzalez prediction and pick.
James Gallagher (11-2) will be making his Bellator featherweight debut after being a big part of the bantamweight division for a while now. He has been on the shelf for almost two years after numerous fight withdrawals and cancelations. Gallagher will be looking to get back on track and get a big win to make a run in his new featherweight weight class this Friday night against James Gonzalez at Bellator 298.
James Gonzalez (10-6) had the daunting task of going up against Aaron Pico in his second shot in Bellator after getting a win of the PFL Challenger Series but not the contract. Gonzalez has only fought the cream of the crop on the regional scene fighting the who's who before they made it to the big shows and now gets his chance to spoil another coming-out party when he takes on James Gallagher at Bellator 298 on Friday night.
Here are the Bellator Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
Bellator 298 Odds: James Gallagher-James Gonzalez Odds
James Gallagher: -132
James Gonzalez: +108
How to Watch James Gallagher vs. James Gonzalez
TV: Showtime
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT (Main Card)
Why James Gallagher Will Win
Article Continues Below
James Gallagher is looking to make a triumphant return to the Bellator cage after being on the shelf for 21 months. He is taking his talents to the featherweight division to take on James Gonzalez in his third fight with the promotion. Gallagher hasn't fought since losing to Patchy Mix back in November 2021. He has had fight cancelations and injuries derail his road back to the Bellator cage.
Gallagher was deemed the next Conor McGregor in his early days at Bellator being a brash outspoken Irish MMA fighter that so happened to train with Conor McGregor. He has since calmed down and moved to different gyms around the United States. He has developed his game to be more of a well-rounded fighter than strictly a grappler which was earlier in his career. Gallagher definitely has some stiff competition in his first fight at featherweight when he takes on James Gonzalez who's no slouch. If Gallagher wants to get back on track he will need to mix it up and not be predictable and if he's able to do that he will get his first win in nearly two years this Friday night.
Why James Gonzalez Will Win
James Gonzalez may not be a household name but he is as tough as they come. He tends to face off against elite prospects which is who he was paired with in each of his first two fights inside the Bellator. He derailed the hype train of Cody Law serving his first loss but came up short against Aaron Pico in his next bout.
Gonzalez is as well-rounded as they come, he may not be great in one area but he is solid all around. In the Cody Law fight, Gonzalez was able to defend the takedowns and really make Law work for positions and ultimately drowning him with pace and pressure. That is something he can replicate against Gallagher who will be looking for the takedown in an attempt to take his back and sink in the rear naked choke. If he can keep this fight standing and make Gallagher work like he did Law in his first fight at featherweight he can get another win in the Bellator cage.
Final James Gallagher-James Gonzalez Prediction & Pick
It's going to be interesting to see what kind of shape Gallagher is in and how he will look in his new weight class. He did get worked by Patchy Mix but that is the interim bantamweight world champion who is levels above James Gonzalez. Even though Gonzalez may have some size on him, Gallagher should be able to get in there and look like his old self where he is flowing on the feet and then mixes in the well-timed takedowns. As long as he isn't using too much cardio on failed takedown attempts he should be able to outwork Gonzalez here in this matchup. Ultimately, Gonzalez looks to take control on the feet for a bit before Gallagher hits a well-timed takedown, secures the back, and eventually sinks in the rear naked choke.
Final James Gallagher-James Gonzalez Prediction & Pick: James Gallagher (-132)
