5 Reasons Why Marcos Galvao Could Beat Joe Warren

Hello once more fans and friends and welcome to the second part of today’s two-part entry into my series “5 Reasons Why”. Today’s entry covers the Bellator 41 “super-fight” between Joe Warren and Marcos Galvao. For the first part of today’s two-parter, click here. Now it’s time for the reverse: these are the five reasons why Marcos Galvao could beat Bellator Featherweight Champion Joe Warren. Let’s dive right in.

5. Joe Warren is coming off an eight-month layoff.

Before this fight, the longest Joe Warren spent on the sidelines was from October 6, 2009 to April 8, 2010. When he heads into this fight on April 16, he will be stepping into the Bellator cage for the first time since September 2, 2010. Gilbert Melendez would have you think that ring rust isn’t real, but “El Nino” is the exception to the rule. If Warren isn’t able to shake off the rust in a timely fashion, he may find himself losing the all-important first two rounds.

4. Marcos Galvao has only lost by KO to very hard punchers.

If I were defending Joe Warren (which I already have) I would say that having two of your three official losses come by way of KO isn’t a good thing. But if I were defending Marcos Galvao (which I now am), I would point out that those two fighters who KO’d him were Damacio Page and former WEC Champion Brian Bowles. Those fighters weren’t “wrestlers who are evolving into good strikers” like Joe Warren, those two were iron-fisted power-punchers. Galvao’s chin may not be impenetrable, but it may take more than Joe Warren’s punches to crack it, especially with Warren fighting at a smaller weight (more on that later).

3. Galvao is coming off of a win that won him a championship in a regional promotion.

I admit, I don’t know anything about the “ROC” or “Ring of Combat” promotion. But I do know that Galvao’s last fight was in that promotion, and that by winning that won he won that promotion’s Featherweight Championship. I don’t pretend to know how prestigious that championship is, but I do know how big of a confidence boost it is when you reach the top of a promotion. Galvao knows what it takes to be a champion in one promotion, and that kind of confidence stays with you no matter how big or small the promotion is where you won the championship.

2. Marcos Galvao knows how to win a decision.

Even though he’s a very well-respect grappler outside of MMA, inside of the cage Marcos Galvao has never submitted anybody. That may change against Warren, it may not. Regardless, one thing Galvao does know how to do well… is win a decision. He’s won eight of them, after all. Warren’s cardio may be good, but so is Galvao’s. Warren should remain a threat in all three rounds… but so will Galvao.

And the number-one reason why I think Marcos Galvao could beat Joe Warren is…

1. Joe Warren has only ever fought at Featherweight.

When Joe Warren steps into the cage at Bellator 41, he will do so at a weight that isn’t 145: the bout is scheduled to be a 137-pound catchweight. That’s a career first for Warren. Warren has talked about wanting to hold both 135 and 145 gold in Bellator, and this fight will officially be his “testing the waters” fight. But Marcos Galvao knows what it takes to compete and win at 135, and that’s his biggest advantage over Warren heading into this fight.

So that’s what I think, fans and friends. What about you? One more time: it’s Joe Warren vs. Marcos Galvao. Who do you see winning and why?