Mike Richman will enter his third Bellator featherweight tournament tonight at Bellator 110 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut and he will meet Desmond Green in one of the four opening round tournament bouts on the card.
He was a finalist during the season eight tournament and returned at Bellator 106 in November as he defeated Akop Stepanyan by TKO in the first round.
The victory over Stepanyan was his fifth victory inside the Bellator cage and it was his fourth win in Bellator to happen via a TKO/KO in the first round.
Just like all of the opponents he has faced in his career, Richman (16-3) expects for Green to attempt top get the fight to the ground.
“Preparing for Des Green is no different than how I’ve been preparing for every opponent I’ve had,” Richman said. “I expect for everyone to try to take me down. It’s nothing I’m not ready for. I train with a bunch of [expletive] gorillas. I’m not concerned about his takedowns in the least. He should be concerned about me putting his lights out in front of any family he has in attendance. That’s what he should be worried about.”
During his time in Bellator, Richman has faced some of the best in the featherweight division and his only defeats have come against fighters that went on to win a tournament (Shahbulat Shamhalaev and Frodo Khasbulaev). This will only be the third fight for Green in Bellator as he has faced Fabricio Guerriero, who was a semifinalist in the season nine tournament and Angelo Sanchez, who was making his Bellator debut against Green.
Green (9-2) was disappointed with his performance in his first Bellator tournament and he doesn’t want to waste the opportunity that he had been given by Bellator. Just like Green, Richman is hungry and winning this tournament could change their life from a financial aspect.
“I know he’s hungry. Look, dude, we’re all hungry. At the end of the day, it comes down to skill and will. It really does. He’s hungry and he wants to win this tournament. Who gives a shit? I’m hungry too, motherfucker. I have two kids. I’m hungry as shit. Now, when the lights come on, you need to have the skill set and the will to go out and put on the performance of your life. That’s what it comes down to.”
When it comes to how this fight will finish, Richman sees himself once again winning by knockout, just like he has done in four of his five Bellator victories.
“This fight is going to end with me connecting so clean, and he’s going out.”