Bellator finally sets 115lb women's tournament matches

Megumi Fujii

So Bellator finally got around to setting up the first round matches for the women's 115lb tournament. They announced previously that Megumi Fujii will face Angela Magana and Jessica Aguilar will face Lynn Alvarez Aug. 12 at the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, FL. And they announced today that Zoila Frausto will face Jessica Pene and Lisa Ward will face Aisling Daly Aug. 19 at the Chicago Theatre. So what's the logic behind the matches. Psst. I'll tell you a little secret. There is no logic. They didn't do seedings or anything like that. I think they just wanted to avoid Magana vs Aguilar as they have faced each other multiple times. And I assume they didn't want Fujii vs Ward in the first round as they are the two most experienced fighters. I'm not sure it matters much. Fujii is the favourite in this tournament and the experience gap between Fujii, Ward and the other fighters is very wide. None of the other fighters have ever faced that level of competition. Will any of them step up to a new level? Who knows? It's uncharted territory for all of them. But Fujii is the 800lb gorilla that would need to be dealt with if any of them wants to win. And Lisa Ward is very formidable but she has lost before. So I'm not going to predict the individual matches because Megumi Fujii will do the same things she has done in her previous fights. She will beat whoever is put in front of her with superior technique and quickness. Not to mention Megumi's determination to take advantage of this opportunity. This is what she's been waiting for. She doesn't need Josh Barnett on her ass but he'll be there.