Preview: Bellator 238 ‘Budd vs. Cyborg’

Ava Knight vs. Emilee Gettys

Former IBF boxing champion Ava Knight will return to the cage once more looking to move to 2-0 in her professional MMA career. The 31-year-old, who has been training under the tutelage of UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture, made her debut last September with a third-round knockout of Shannon Goughary. The boxing champion displayed lightning fast and accurate hands with her straight right acting like a heat-seeking missile. She dodged the striking attacks with smooth footwork and head movement. She varied her strikes by mixing up hooks and uppercuts to the head mixed with crushing body blows. The most impressive aspect of her striking might have been her ability to effectively land strikes while moving back. The only negative on the feet was that Knight was not checking leg kicks. The “Lady of Boxing” also displayed a weak ground game, easily being taken down and quickly mounted in the first round. While the Las Vegas native struggled to get up to her feet, she didn’t panic while fighting off submission holds.

Gettys is the wife of Jason King, who is also fighting on the card. The Invicta Fighting Championships veteran is making her Bellator debut after winning her last three appearances. It is hard to get a firm grasp on Getty’s skill, as there isn’t much film of the Invicta veteran besides a few fights and an interview with her holding a cat. The 26-year-old does have professional Muay Thai experience. She is a southpaw who throws a lot of kicks but who doesn’t generate much power. She likes to just throw wild haymakers with her chin in the air and she does a good job of stopping punches with her face. She displayed the ability to take the fight to the ground from the clinch but was easily taken down and submitted by Kay Hansen in her first fight.

In the limited video I have seen of Gettys, she doesn’t look very promising. I expect Knight to have made improvements in the wrestling and submission departments since her last fight. If she keeps the fight on the feet, it will be like firing into a shooting gallery. Expect her to pick Gettys apart before finishing her off late in the first round.