Bellator 170 start time, TV schedule, who is fighting tonight at ‘Ortiz vs. Sonnen'

Bellator MMA will let loose one of its biggest cards of 2017 later tonight (Sat., Jan. 21, 2017) as Tito Ortiz and Chael Sonnen square off at Bellator 170 live on Spike TV from inside The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., in a main event tilt for the ages. Both combatants have struck verbal blows leading up to the light heavyweight battle and will shed all the blood they can. But, before Ortiz and Sonnen make good on their ill-willed promises, notable Bellator names like Paul Daley, Brennan Ward, Ralek Gracie, Georgi Karakhanyan, Hisaki Kato, Emmanuel Sanchez and Derek Anderson will take to the cage.

What Bellator MMA is on tonight? Bellator 170: "Ortiz vs. Sonnen"
Who is fighting tonight at Bellator 170? Tito Ortiz vs. Chael Sonnen is the headlining bout.
When does Bellator 170 start? Tonight (Sat., Jan. 21, 2017) beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET on Spike TV and Spike.com.
Where will Bellator 170 take place? The Forum in Inglewood, California.
How can I watch Bellator 170? Main card start time at 9 p.m. ET on Spike TV. "Prelims" undercard start time at 7 p.m. ET on Spike TV and Spike.com
Where can I get live Bellator 170 updates and results: MMAmania.com will deliver coverage of Bellator 170: "Ortiz vs. Sonnen" tonight (Sat., Jan. 21, 2017), with the televised portion airing LIVE on Spike TV at 9 p.m. ET and "Prelims" bouts airing at 7:00 p.m. ET.

What’s Hot:

Bellator 170 will not only mark the return of Sonnen after a three year absence from combat sports, but it will represent the very last time fight fans will be able to see Ortiz compete. Sonnen, who signed with the promotion last year after countless years of pestering Anderson Silva in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), will make his first walk to the Bellator cage in a momentous return on national television. His mouth has once again wrote a check his fists better cash. As for Ortiz, his main event scrap with "The Bad Guy" will be his ultimate swan song. He'll be looking to go out on his shield in a highly-anticipated clash of combat titans. What more can you ask for?

What’s Not:

The main card is pretty stacked for the promotion's crown jewel of 2017. However, with no championship title on the line and a pair of aging MMA veterans holding down the main event, there is cause for concern if Ortiz and Sonnen throw up stinkers. After all, Sonnen hasn't fought in nearly 40 months and Ortiz hasn't looked dominant in years.

Original Card vs. Actual Card:

Women's flyweight veteran Colleen Schneider was expected to take on Rebecca Ruth, but instead will meet Chrissie Daniels in a preliminary bout. Besides that, Bellator 170 has held up.

New Blood:

Ralek Gracie will compete for the first time in over six years and make his Bellator debut opposite exciting finisher Hisaki Kato. Also, former Ultimate Fighter and UFC combatant Kevin Casey will make his Bellator debut in a middleweight tilt opposite 29-year-old Keith Berry.

How The Prelims Look:

Actually the "Prelims" don't look too shabby. Casey is making his Bellator debut, rising welterweight prospect Gabriel Green tries to remain undefeated and Chinzo Machida, brother of Lyoto Machida, will make his return to action after earning a TKO victory in his promotional debut back in August.

Who Needs A Win Badly:

Out of every fighter on the Bellator 170 main card, it has to be Emmanuel Sanchez. The 26-year-old youngster is still considered the future of the featherweight division, but was unable to extend his win streak in his last outing when he dropped a split decision to veteran Dan Weichel. You also have to consider that Sanchez's last three wins inside of the Bellator cage have come by split decision, which leads us to believe he needs to start finishing to inch his way closer towards a title shot by year's end.

Interest Level: 9/10

With a main event fight fans can really sink their teeth into, as well as notable promotional staples like knockout artist Paul Daley, former title challenger Brennan Ward, knockout sensation Hisaki Kato and perennial lightweight contenders Derek Anderson and Derek Campos taking to the cage, Bellator 170 looks really good on paper. There is a lot of fire power up and down the main card, including the aforementioned Emmanuel Sanchez taking on MMA mainstay Georgi Karakhanyan and the return of Ralek Gracie. The promotion has really outdone itself with this card. While it's hard to label an event a nine or even a 10 before the action actually unfolds, Bellator 170 is certainly trending towards those numbers.

Full Bellator 170 Fight Card:

Bellator 170 "Ortiz vs. Sonnen" card (Spike TV):

205 lbs.: Tito Ortiz vs. Chael Sonnen
185 lbs.: Ralek Gracie vs. Hisaki Kato
170 lbs.: Paul Daley vs.Brennan Ward
145 lbs.: Georgi Karakhanyan vs. Emmanuel Sanchez
161 lbs.: Derek Campos vs. Derek Anderson

Bellator 170 "Prelims" card (Spike.com):

145 lbs.: Chinzo Machida vs.Jamar Ocampo
265 lbs.: Jack May vs. Dave Cryer
145 lbs.: Henry Corrales vs. Cody Bollinger
185 lbs.: Kevin Casey vs. Keith Berry
170 lbs.: Guilherme Vasconcelos vs. John Mercurio
170 lbs.: Gabriel Green vs. Jalin Turner
180 lbs.: Christian Gonzalez vs. Danial Rodriguez
155 lbs.: Jacob Rosales vs. Ian Butler
170 lbs.: Johnny Cisneros vs. Curtis Millender
155 lbs.: Mike Segura vs. Tommy Aaron
135 lbs.: Rob Gooch vs. James Barnes
125 lbs.: Chrissie Daniels vs. Colleen Schneider
145 lbs.: DeMarcus Brown vs. Alex Soto

For more on the upcoming Bellator 170 event click here.