Only two cards left for our MMASucka staff picks in 2019. Our first event will come with Bellator 237, also termed “Bellator Japan,” taking place tonight, December 28 from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The event comes as a co-promotion between Bellator and RIZIN, the first collaboration between both companies.
Main card action for this monumental event will begin at 10:00pm ET (7:00pm PT) live on DAZN and Paramount Network. The “Post-lim” portion, powered by RIZIN, will begin following the conclusion of the main card on SKY PerfecTV!,GYAO!, and Bellator’s YouTube channel.
Our typical picks have only consisted of Bellator’s main card. However, for this special year-end event, eight fights at Bellator 237 will be counted for our staff picks; six from the main card and two from the post-lims.
Our final staff picks card of 2019, RIZIN 20, will be posted here at MMASucka.com Monday afternoon. Stay tuned.
Bellator 237/Japan Main Card
The main card’s featured bout will see a clash between heavyweight fan-favorite legends Fedor Emelianenko and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Former PRIDE and WAMMA heavyweight emperor Emelianenko will look to further his resume in mixed martial arts with a potential 39th career victory tonight. The all-time great also looks to rebound off a 35-second knockout loss to Ryan Bader from January in a fight for the heavyweight title. Emelianenko will take on Jackson, the UFC’s former heavyweight champion from 2007 to 2008. He shared a stint of his own competing in PRIDE’s middleweight division staying near the weight class peak although never capturing a title. Jackson and Emelianenko will both look to end the year and decade with a finish to remember in the future to come.
Former three-time Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler is set to battle former ROC and Titan FC champion Sidney Outlaw in the co-main event at a catchweight of 160 pounds. Chandler hopes to rebound with a massive statement following a knockout loss in May to now two-divisional king Patricio “Pitbull” Freire. His opponent, Outlaw, looks to extend upon his nine-fight win streak including two victories in the 2019 calendar year.
The main card will see four other fights including the entertaining Michael “Venom” Page, Tokyo’s own Keita Nakamura, and submission specialist Goiti Yamauchi.
Bellator 237/Japan Post-Lims
Two highly-anticipated post-lim fights will be additionally counted towards our staff picks. The featured fight of the post-lims and night will see former Shooto and PCX featherweight champion Yusuke Yachi face-off against former DEEP featherweight champ Hiroto Uesako. Yachi’s RIZIN tenure started strong with five-straight promotional victories including finishes over Satoru Kitaoka and Daron Cruickshank. Now, however, he is hungrier than ever for a win looking to snap a three-fight skid since August of last year. His opponent, Uesako, also looks to get back in the win column after an October loss to Luiz Gustavo. A victory would be his first with Bellator and his third this year.
Our second counted will come in bout twelve of the night, a rematch between Haruo Ochi and Jarred Brooks at 116.8 pounds. The two previously met in August at RIZIN 18, but a headbutt resulted in a “No Contest” to their match just eleven seconds in. DEEP and Shooto veteran Ochi will look for an eighth straight victory while Brooks aims for his first under the Bellator banner.
See our MMASucka staff picks for Bellator 237 further below.
Staff Picks
Throughout the year, staff picks will be composed of four different MMA promotions: UFC, Bellator, ONE, and RIZIN. Main cards will make up both UFC and Bellator picks, while the biggest fights to make up ONE and RIZIN events will be used. The WINNER of staff picks will have a choice between receiving a championship belt from ProAmBelts or a championship chain from Championship Chains. The 2018 winner was awarded to Michael DeSantis, compiling a record of 202-101.
Check out our MMASucka staff picks for Bellator 237 below.
Staff Records after Bellator 236:
1. Michael DeSantis: 311-172
2. Connor Deitrich: 307-176
3. Ed Gallo: 301-178
4. Mike Skytte: 284-199
5. Jeremy Brand: 283-199
6. Mitchell Banuelos: 277-172
7. Matt Bricker: 274-197
8. Ash Camyab: 243-191
9. Frazer Krohn: 180-135
10. Ryan Hobbs: 170-135
11. Andrew Benjamin: 135-94
12. McKenzie Guardiero: 134-104
13. Tanner Russ: 119-66
14. Dan Rose: 105-62
15. Mike Lynch: 66-59
~ Bellator 237/Japan Main Card ~
Goiti Yamauchi (24-4) vs. Daron Cruickshank (22-12, 1 NC)
Jeremy Brand: Yamauchi via UD
Mike Skytte: Cruickshank via UD
Michael DeSantis: Cruickshank via Round 1 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Cruickshank via UD
Ed Gallo: Cruickshank via Round 1 TKO
Matt Bricker: Cruickshank via Round 1 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Cruickshank via Round 1 TKO
Ash Camyab: Yamauchi via UD
Ryan Hobbs: Cruickshank via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Yamauchi via Round 2 SUB
Frazer Krohn: Cruickshank via UD
McKenzie Guardiero: Cruickshank via SD
Dan Rose: Yamauchi via Round 1 SUB
Mike Lynch: Yamauchi via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Yamauchi: 5
Staff picking Cruickshank: 9
Ilara Joanne (9-4) vs. Kana Watanabe (8-0-1)
Jeremy Brand: Watanabe via UD
Mike Skytte: Watanabe via Round 2 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Watanabe via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Watanabe via UD
Ed Gallo: Watanabe via UD
Matt Bricker: Watanabe via UD
Connor Deitrich: Watanabe via UD
Ash Camyab: Watanabe via UD
Ryan Hobbs: Watanabe via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Watanabe via UD
Frazer Krohn: Watanabe via Round 2 TKO
McKenzie Guardiero: Joanne via UD
Dan Rose: Watanabe via Round 1 TKO
Mike Lynch: Watanabe via Round 1 TKO
Staff picking Joanne: 1
Staff picking Watanabe: 13
Lorenz Larkin (21-7, 1 NC) vs. Keita Nakamura (35-10-2)
Jeremy Brand: Larkin via Round 1 TKO
Mike Skytte: Nakamura via Round 3 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Larkin via Round 2 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Larkin via UD
Ed Gallo: Larkin via Round 1 TKO
Matt Bricker: Larkin via Round 3 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Larkin via UD
Ash Camyab: Larkin via Round 2 TKO
Ryan Hobbs: Larkin via Round 3 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Nakamura via Round 3 SUB
Frazer Krohn: Larkin via Round 2 TKO
McKenzie Guardiero: Larkin via Round 2 TKO
Dan Rose: Larkin via Round 1 TKO
Mike Lynch: Larkin via UD
Staff picking Larkin: 12
Staff picking Nakamura: 2
Michael Page (16-1) vs. Shinsho Anzai (11-3)
Jeremy Brand: Page via UD
Mike Skytte: Anzai via UD
Michael DeSantis: Page via Round 1 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Page via Round 1 TKO
Ed Gallo: Anzai via UD
Matt Bricker: Page via Round 1 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Page via Round 1 TKO
Ash Camyab: Page via Round 3 TKO
Ryan Hobbs: Page via Round 1 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Page via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Page via Round 2 TKO
McKenzie Guardiero: Page via Round 1 TKO
Dan Rose: Page via Round 3 TKO
Mike Lynch: Page via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Page: 12
Staff picking Anzai: 2
Michael Chandler (19-5) vs. Sidney Outlaw (14-3)
Jeremy Brand: Chandler via UD
Mike Skytte: Chandler via Round 2 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Chandler via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Chandler via UD
Ed Gallo: Chandler via UD
Matt Bricker: Outlaw via Round 1 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Chandler via UD
Ash Camyab: Chandler via Round 2 SUB
Ryan Hobbs: Chandler via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Chandler via UD
Frazer Krohn: Chandler via UD
McKenzie Guardiero: Chandler via UD
Dan Rose: Chandler via UD
Mike Lynch: Outlaw via Round 1 TKO
Staff picking Chandler: 12
Staff picking Outlaw: 2
Fedor Emelianenko (38-6, 1 NC) vs. Quinton Jackson (38-13)
Jeremy Brand: Emelianenko via UD
Mike Skytte: Emelianenko via Round 1 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Jackson via Round 1 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Jackson via Round 1 TKO
Ed Gallo: Emelianenko via Round 1 SUB
Matt Bricker: Emelianenko via UD
Connor Deitrich: Jackson via Round 1 TKO
Ash Camyab: Jackson via Round 1 TKO
Ryan Hobbs: Emelianenko via Round 2 SUB
Andrew Benjamin: Emelianenko via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Emelianenko via UD
McKenzie Guardiero: Jackson via Round 1 TKO
Dan Rose: Emelianenko via Round 1 TKO
Mike Lynch: Emelianenko via Round 1 TKO
Staff picking Emelianenko: 9
Staff picking Jackson: 5
~ Bellator 237/Japan Post-lims ~
Haruo Ochi (19-7-2, 1 NC) vs. Jarred Brooks (15-2, 1 NC)
Jeremy Brand: Brooks via UD
Mike Skytte: Ochi via Round 2 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Brooks via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Brooks via UD
Ed Gallo: Ochi via Round 1 TKO
Matt Bricker: Brooks via Round 2 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Ochi via UD
Ash Camyab: Brooks via Round 3 TKO
Ryan Hobbs: Brooks via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Brooks via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Brooks via UD
McKenzie Guardiero: Brooks via UD
Dan Rose: Ochi via UD
Mike Lynch: Brooks via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Ochi: 4
Staff picking Brooks: 10
Yusuke Yachi (20-9) vs. Hiroto Uesako (16-8)
Jeremy Brand: Yachi via UD
Mike Skytte: Yachi via UD
Michael DeSantis: Yachi via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Yachi via UD
Ed Gallo: Yachi via Round 1 TKO
Matt Bricker: Yachi via UD
Connor Deitrich: Yachi via Round 2 TKO
Ash Camyab: Yachi via UD
Ryan Hobbs: Yachi via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Uesako via UD
Frazer Krohn: Yachi via UD
McKenzie Guardiero: Yachi via UD
Dan Rose: Yachi via UD
Mike Lynch: Yachi via UD
Staff picking Yachi: 13
Staff picking Uesako: 1
FEATURED IMAGE:
Long-time veterans Fedor Emelianenko (left) and Rampage Jackson face-off at Bellator & RIZIN’s press conference from October 9th ahead of their Bellator 237 main event fight taking place Saturday, December 28th from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan (photo credits to RIZIN Fighting Federation)
