Bellator 236 breakdown: Can Derek Campos pull upset, end A.J. McKee’s unbeaten run?

How will the first featherweight grand prix quarterfinal fight play out? MMA Junkie’s Dan Tom walks you through the possibilities.

Point of interest: Grappling entanglements

Given the potential chaos on the feet, I would not be surprised to see either party attempt to take things to the floor.

Campos, though largely hallmarking his brand by slugging things out on the feet, is not beyond grounding the action when he needs to. A more-than-competent wrestler, Campos can capitalize on takedowns via corralling his opposition toward the cage, as well as shows the ability to doggedly scramble in the heat of combat.

When working from topside, Campos shows solid pressure and positional awareness, applying proper hip, head and shoulder placements while seeking opportunities to strike. Campos is also not beyond taking a submission should his foes leave something behind or unprotected, but I suspect control time may be more of a precedent in this matchup should the Texan end up in a dominant position.

McKee, who – like his father – comes from a wrestling base, does not seem worried about being taken down. Former Bellator featherweight champ, Pat Curran, was one of the only men to ground McKee (off of a well-timed takedown) but wasn’t able to get much done from his time on top.

Other than that, McKee, for the most part, seems to dictate the “when’s” and “where’s” of grappling equations. And when fighters try and shoot on him to take the initiative, McKee is quick to lock up front-choke threats, as he seems incredibly crafty from a front-headlock position.

For that reason, expect action anytime these two tangle in grappling scenarios.

Next point of interest: Odds, opinion and prediction