5 questions that will be answered at Bellator 281

#4. Could Denise Kielholtz earn another Bellator women’s title shot?

It’s no secret that Denise Kielholtz is looking to get another shot at the Bellator women’s flyweight championship. Many believed that she should’ve been awarded the decision when she challenged then champion Juliana Velasquez. If she wants to get another title shot, she’ll need an impressive win against Kana Watanabe on Friday night.

Despite having an MMA record of 6-3, ‘Miss Dynamite’ is a dangerous opponent for the top-5 in the division. She is a decorated kickboxing champion and has a black belt in judo. Her impressive judo background makes her more of a threat because she’s not primarily a striker.

During her media day availability, Kielholtz didn’t shy away from sharing her opinion on Watanabe’s recent performance:

“I was not really impressed by the last fight that she fought. But that’s why I know that she comes here to prove herself and to be the best version of herself.” – Denise Kielholtz speaking with the media during media day.

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#3. Will Lyoto Machida snap his losing skid at Bellator 281?

Lyoto Machida returns to the middleweight division when he takes on Fabian Edwards at Bellator 281. He hasn’t competed at 185 lbs since his split decision loss to middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi in 2019.

The former UFC light heavyweight champion is in an interesting situation at this stage of his career. He is currently on a three-fight losing skid that dates back to his 2019 loss to Mousasi. But his recent losses came at light heavyweight against former champions Phil Davis and Ryan Bader. He will get an opportunity to put himself back in the title picture as Edwards is the No.4-ranked middleweight.

‘The Dragon’ still has title aspirations and is committed to achieving that goal in the promotion. He has experience on his side and will look to snap his losing skid. ‘The Assassin’ on the other hand, is also looking to get back on track as he has lost back-to-back fights.