Vadim Nemkov vs. Corey Anderson is the co-main event for Bellator 277 betting on April 15, from the SAP Center in San Jose, California.
This is one of the most stacked cards in Bellator history and with president Scott Coker claiming that the promotion's light heavyweight division is the best in MMA, all eyes will be watching this title fight.
Bellator betting lines opened with the current 205-pound champ Nemkov as a -180 favorite before shifting to approximately -165, while Anderson comes back at +145.
Here are our best free Nemkov vs. Anderson picks and predictions for Bellator 277 tonight.
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Nemkov vs Anderson odds
| Bet | Odds | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | Vadim Nemkov (-160) | Corey Anderson (+130) |
| To win by KO, TKO, DQ or submission | Vadim Nemkov (+110) | Corey Anderson (+450) |
| To win by decision | Vadim Nemkov (-350) | Corey Anderson (+325) |
| Over/Under Rounds | Over 3.5 (-110) | Under 3.5 (-120) |
Odds courtesy of Betway as of April 13, 2022
Nemkov vs Anderson picks
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
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Nemkov vs Anderson betting preview
Vadim Nemkov has won nine fights in a row, most recently defeating Julius Anglickas by way of submission at the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Semifinal in October.
The 29-year-old has a perfect 7-0 record in the promotion and won the light heavyweight title with a knockout win against Ryan Bader in 2020 before making his first successful defense against Phil Davis last year.
Nemkov trains under legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko and is a four-time combat sambo world champion. He has a very well-rounded skill set that combines highly technical kickboxing with strong grappling ability and punishing ground-and-pound.
Corey Anderson is fresh off a first-round knockout victory against Ryan Bader in the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Semifinal in October. Anderson has made short work of all three of his opponents since signing with Bellator, racking up three-straight wins by way of KO/TKO.
The 32-year-old left the UFC in 2020 following a knockout loss to former 205-pound champ Jan Blachowicz. He departed the promotion with a 10-5 record in the octagon, which included impressive wins against current title-holder Glover Teixeira, ranked lightweight Johnny Walker, and a dominant decision victory against Blachowicz in 2015.
Anderson was an All-American wrestler in college and uses level changes and powerful takedowns to take his opponents to the mat where he unleashes devastating ground-and-pound.
Nemkov vs Anderson tale of the tape
| Vadim Nemkov | Corey Anderson | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 | Age | 32 |
| 6-foot | Height | 6-foot-3 |
| 205 lbs | Weight | 205 lbs |
| 76 inches | Reach | 77.5 inches |
| 14-2 (9 KO) | Record | 16-5 (8 KO) |
Nemkov vs Anderson prediction and best bet
Our prediction is compiled from the analysis of the fighters and is an indication of who we are leaning with to win this bout.
Our best bet is the play that we like the most for this fight or where the most value lies, and is where we would put some of our bankroll behind.
Prediction: Nemkov (-160)
Nemkov has a high fight IQ and does a great job of taking advantage of his opponents' weaknesses. He used his more polished striking to twice defeat a durable, wrestling-heavy fighter in Phil Davis, was too fast for Bader, too powerful for the smaller Rafael Carvalho, destroyed the 6-foot-6 Liam McGeary with low kicks, and dominated Anglickas with his ground game.
While Anderson has elite offensive wrestling with impressive top control and dominant ground-and-pound, he doesn't have the all-around arsenal of Nemkov, especially in the striking department.
Nemkov has shown (especially in those bouts against Davis) that he has good enough takedown defense and grappling off his back to hold his own against high-end wrestlers.
Standing up, Nemkov is far more polished as a kickboxer with too many tools for Anderson to deal with, and the Russian also has the edge in durability with four of Anderson's five career losses coming by way of KO/TKO.
Best bet: Nemkov (-160 at DraftKings)
Anderson is definitely a live underdog in this spot, especially with his wrestling, knockout power, and experience. That said, Nemkov is much more diverse as a striker and has more paths to victory. While ground-and-pound looks like the best way for Anderson to win, Nemkov can win with volume, speed, technical striking, or his dangerous submission game.
Although Nemkov hasn't always looked sharp against overmatched foes, he seems to elevate his game against his toughest opponents and typically displays excellent defense as well, which will be a big help in this fight. Being able to grab the reigning champ at this price is too good to pass up.
