Preview: Bellator 232 ‘MacDonald vs. Lima’

Nick Newell vs. Luis Muro

In case you are unfamiliar with Newell, the best way to describe him is to say he is one of a kind. The Connecticut native was born as a congenital amputee. In layman terms, he is missing a hand and a large portion of his left arm. It would be reasonable to say that with his disability he would never compete in sports. That is not the case with Newell. He hasn’t just competed; he is a professional mixed martial artist, who has compiled a 16-2 professional record and even won the XFC lightweight title. His only losses have come to UFC standout Justin Gaethje and blue-chip prospect Alex Munoz on the DWCS. Since not earning a contract with the UFC on the DWCS, he has rallied off two submission wins, including getting a W in his Bellator debut in front of his home state crowd. The 33-year-old returns once again in front of his home crowd on Saturday. The Fighting Arts Academy team member is known for his ground game. The former NCAA wrestler is a solid grappler, but not elite. His drop-step entries are fast and he has shown great strength to be able to wrap around his opponent’s hips and pick them up in the air. In the clinch, Newell can get both hip throws and trips takedowns. Though he has a strong wrestling background, he has been taken down himself in several bouts. The strength of the fan favorite’s game is his Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He has an extremely tight rear-naked choke. He also has a fantastic front head lock series, where he attacks with guillotines and brabo chokes. He will also attack the lower body with knee bars, heel hooks and leg locks. If he can’t find the submission, the New Englander has great top control and will get busy with heavy ground-and-pound. Obviously, Newell is a little limited on the feet, and struggles to block the left side of his face. Offensively, he throws a stiff jab and hard overhand right. The best part of his striking game is his hard kicks to the body and legs.

Muro is a veteran fighter, who has trudged along the regional scene amassing a 10-6 record along the way. The Dragon can’t rely on great athleticism because he doesn’t have any. He is a just a blue-collar guy that depends on grit and toughness. He does throw some hard chopping leg kicks but prefers to just stand and invite his opponents into a brawl. The 32-year-old makes the mistake of dropping his hands and looping his punches without much strategy behind it. His lack of head movement also has led to him being tagged with several shots. The Oklahoma native is a weak wrestler and doesn’t offer much in the grappling game, having only two submission wins in his career. The American Elite MMA product has been stopped in four of his six losses.

This should be a showcase fight for Newell in front of his home crowd. Plain and simple, Muro isn’t on the same level of “Notorious.” The New England is faster, stronger, more explosive and more technical. Newell should get Muro down within the first minute of the fight and during a scramble find a submission. Newell wins via first round submission.

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