The second-half of our double-header MMASucka staff picks weekend is set.
Bellator 274 will begin in just a few short hours tonight, February 19 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. This marks the promotion’s first event of 2022 from the arena after ten fight cards in Uncasville a year prior. The main card will begin live at 9:00pm ET (6:00pm ET) on Showtime.
Results from the entire Bellator 274: Gracie vs. Storley fight card will be available here at MMASucka.
See the first part of our staff picks for tonight’s UFC Vegas 48: Walker vs. Hill with its main card at a start time of 7:00pm ET (4:00pm PT).
The Fights
Top-ranked welterweights Neiman Gracie and Logan Storley will meet in tonight’s first ever Bellator five-round, non-title fight main event. A dominant win for either man would put one in prime position for a title elimination bout.
Gracie, hailing from the great Brazilian jiu-jitsu family tree, look look for his second win in five months lastly defeating Mark Lemminger by first-round knockout, his first finish by way of strikes. Former NCAA Division I wrestler Storley hopes to showcase his growing skillset having twelve wins in 13 professional fights; a lone defeat to now-divisional champion Yaroslav Amosov in November of 2020.
Chance Rencountre has stepped in on short notice, replacing Mukhamed Berkhamov, to battle Andrey Koreskhov in co-main event. Due to the late change, however, this fight will not be counted towards our Bellator 274 staff picks.
See our three fight picks for tonight’s main card below.
Staff Picks
Staff picks in 2022 will follow the same set of rules from the 2021 season. Throughout the calendar year, staff picks will be composed of main card fights from both UFC and Bellator events. Main card fights and selected preliminary fights will be selected for PFL MMA. Dana White’s Contender Series will be composed of the entire fight card.
Dates for the return of both PFL MMA and Dana White’s Contender Series in 2022 are soon-to-be announced.
The WINNER of staff picks in 2022 will have a choice between receiving a custom-made championship belt from ProAmBelts or a chain from Championship Chains. A winner is determined simply by the individual correctly picking the most victorious fighters at the year’s end. Nate Freeman secured his first victory with MMASucka in 2021 with a compiled record 243-136.
See below for our UFC Vegas 48: Walker vs. Hill staff picks.
Staff Records after UFC 271:
1. Brandon Joint: 17-7
2T. Frazer Krohn: 15-9
2T. Mike Lynch: 15-9
2T. Coby Weinsier: 15-9
2T. Jacek Okninski: 15-9
6T. Andrew Benjamin: 14-10
6T. Ash Camyab: 14-10
8T. Wesley Riddle: 13-11
8T. William Dong: 13-11
8T. Julio Monteros Jr.: 13-11
8T. Chinyere Okafor: 13-7
12T. Jeremy Brand: 12-12
12T. Michael DeSantis: 12-12
12T. Nate Freeman: 12-12
15T. Chris Presnell: 10-14
15T. Tim Wheaton: 10-9
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
*Note – UFC Vegas 48 picks will be added to the above records NEXT weekend*
Davion Franklin (4-0), +150
vs.
Said Sowma (8-2), -170
Heavyweight Division, 265 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Franklin via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Sowma via Round 3 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Franklin via Round 1 TKO
Ash Camyab: Sowma via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Franklin via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Sowma via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Franklin via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: Sowma via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Franklin via Round 1 TKO
Chris Presnell: Sowma via Round 2 SUB
Coby Weinsier: Sowma via Unanimous Decision
Brandon Joint: Franklin via Round 2 TKO
Jacek Okninski: Sowma via Round 3 SUB
William Dong: Franklin via Round 1 TKO
Chinyere Okafor: Franklin via Round 2 TKO
Julio Monteros Jr.: Franklin via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Franklin: 9
Staff picking Sowma: 7
Georgi Karakhanyan (31-12-1, 1 NC), +235
vs.
Adam Piccolotti (12-4), -300
Lightweight Division, 155 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Piccolotti via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Piccolotti via Split Decision
Michael DeSantis: Piccolotti via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Karakhanyan via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Piccolotti via Split Decision
Frazer Krohn: Karakhanyan via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Karakhanyan via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Karakhanyan via Split Decision
Tim Wheaton: Karakhanyan via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Piccolotti via Split Decision
Coby Weinsier: Piccolotti via Split Decision
Brandon Joint: Piccolotti via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Karakhanyan via Round 1 TKO
William Dong: Piccolotti via Unanimous Decision
Chinyere Okafor: Piccolotti via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Karakhanyan via Majority Decision
Staff picking Karakhanyan: 7
Staff picking Piccolotti: 9
Neiman Gracie (11-2), -165
vs.
Logan Storley (12-1), +145
Welterweight Main Event, 170 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Gracie via Round 2 SUB
Wesley Riddle: Gracie via Split Decision
Michael DeSantis: Storley via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Gracie via Round 2 SUB
Andrew Benjamin: Gracie via Round 3 SUB
Frazer Krohn: Gracie via Round 2 SUB
Mike Lynch: Gracie via Round 1 SUB
Nate Freeman: Storley via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Gracie via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Gracie via Unanimous Decision
Coby Weinsier: Storley via Split Decision
Brandon Joint: Storley via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Gracie via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Gracie via Unanimous Decision
Chinyere Okafor: Gracie via Round 2 SUB
Julio Monteros Jr.: Gracie via Round 1 SUB
Staff picking Gracie: 12
Staff picking Storley: 4
*Fight Odds from DraftKings*
FEATURED IMAGE:
Welterweights Georgi Karakhanyan (left) and Adam Piccolotti at weigh-ins ahead of their Bellator 274 fight taking place Saturday, February 19th from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut (photo credits to Bellator MMA).
