Two fight cards are ready to go this weekend for MMASucka staff picks.
Kicking things off features Bellator 292 set for action from the SAP Center in San Jose, California. Preliminary fights begin at 7:30pm ET (4:30pm PT) on Bellator’s YouTube channel and here at MMASucka. Four matchups composing the main card start at 10:00pm ET (7:00pm PT) on Showtime.
MMASucka will also provide live results from the entire Bellator 292: Nurmagomedov vs. Henderson event. Stay tuned.
Be on the lookout for the second half of our double-header weekend as UFC Fight Night 221: Yan vs. Dvalishvili takes place Saturday afternoon from Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Fights
Bellator’s Lightweight World Grand Prix is officially underway. Tonight sees the first two quarter-final pairings as four talented fighters look to advance their way through to the semi-finals which will take place later on this year.
In the night’s featured main event, 24-year-old Usman Nurmagomedov looks to defend the 155-pound title for the very first time against former WEC and UFC lightweight champion as well as two-time Bellator championship challenger Benson Henderson. The victor will be next in line for the winner of May 12th’s Bellator 296 quarter-final between Mansour Barnaoui and Brent Primus.
Additionally, Azerbaijan’s Tofiq Musayev targets a possible 19th finishing performance after a blistering 27 second debut last year battling well-rounded Alexandr Shabliy, a winner in 14 of his last 15 outings, in the co-main event. A win for either Musayev or Shabliy will advance their way into the semi-finals for a fight with either A.J. McKee or Patricky Pitbull (a date for McKee and Pitbull T.B.D.).
Two additional fights make up the main card ahead including a rematch between Valentin Moldavsky and Linton Vassell and a “striker versus grappler” matchup to open the televised portion between Michael Page and Goiti Yamauchi. Find our Bellator 292 staff picks further below.
Two eras collide in the #BellatorLWGP main event!
Will it be #AndStill @Usmannmgdv or #AndNew @BensonHenderson?#Bellator292 | Friday 10pm ET / 7pm PT | @SHOsports pic.twitter.com/j3LzrqJjkj
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) March 9, 2023
2023 Staff Picks
MMASucka staff picks are composed of five promotions: the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Bellator MMA, ONE Championship, the Professional Fighters League (PFL), and Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS). UFC and Bellator events feature picks from only main cards. PFL will feature select fights from the main and preliminary card while DWCS sees all fights counted from the event. ONE Championship returns to picks for the first time since 2020 and will feature only mixed martial arts (MMA) fights selected from cards with a minimum three matchups.
The WINNER of staff picks at the end of 2023, who picked the most victorious fighters, will have a choice between receiving a custom-made championship belt from ProAmBelts or a chain from Championship Chains. Staff picks in 2022 was won by Wesley Riddle with a record of 264-135.
Who are the MMASucka staff picking to win at Bellator 292: Nurmagomedov vs. Henderson? See below.
2022’s ProAmBelts Championship Belt.
2023 Staff Records after UFC 285:
1T. Nate Freeman: 34-13
1T. Ben Jamieson: 34-13
3T. Jeremy Brand: 31-16
3T. Tim Wheaton: 31-16
5T. Frazer Krohn: 30-17
5T. Jack Goodwillie: 30-17
7T. Wesley Riddle: 29-18
7T. Michael DeSantis: 29-18
9. Roemello Reyes: 28-16
10. Julio Monteros Jr.: 26-13
11. Brian Knight: 25-18
12. Andrew Benjamin: 21-21
13. Brandon Joint: 12-9
14. Andrew Harbaugh: 10-7
15. Joshua Yule: 7-6
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
Michael Page (20-2), -115
vs.
Goiti Yamauchi (28-5), -105
Welterweight Division
– 170 LBS. ~ 77.1 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Page via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Page via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Page via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Yamauchi via Round 2 SUB
Frazer Krohn: Page via Round 1 TKO
Nate Freeman: Yamauchi via Split Decision
Tim Wheaton: Page via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Page via Round 2 TKO
Brian Knight: Page via Unanimous Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Page via Unanimous Decision
Roemello Reyes: Page via Unanimous Decision
Ben Jamieson: Page via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Page: 10
Staff picking Yamauchi: 2
Valentin Moldvasky (11-2, 1 NC), -345
vs.
Linton Vassell (23-8, 1 NC), +285
Heavyweight Division
– 265 LBS. ~ 120.2 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Moldavsky via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Moldavsky via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Moldavsky via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Vassell via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Moldavsky via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Moldvasky via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Vassell via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Moldavsky via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Moldvasky via Round 2 TKO
Jack Goodwillie: Moldvasky via Round 2 TKO
Roemello Reyes: Moldvasky via Round 3 TKO
Ben Jamieson: Moldvasky via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Moldvasky: 10
Staff picking Vassell: 2
Tofiq Musayev (20-4), +140
vs.
Alexandr Shabliy (22-3), -165
Lightweight Division
World Grand Prix Quarter-Finals
Co-Main Event
– 155 LBS. ~ 70.3 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Musayev via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Shabliy via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Shabliy via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Musayev via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Musayev via Round 3 SUB
Nate Freeman: Shabliy via Split Decision
Tim Wheaton: Musayev via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Musayev via Round 3 TKO
Brian Knight: Musayev via Unanimous Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Shabliy via Split Decision
Roemello Reyes: Shabliy via Unanimous Decision
Ben Jamieson: Shabliy via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Musayev: 6
Staff picking Shabliy: 6
Umar Nurmagomedov (16-0), -1800
vs.
Benson Henderson (30-11), +1000
Lightweight Divisional Championship
World Grand Prix Quarter-Finals
Main Event
– 155 LBS. ~ 70.3 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Nurmagomedov via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Nurmagomedov via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Nurmagomedov via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Henderson via Split Decision
Frazer Krohn: Nurmagomedov via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Nurmagomedov via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Nurmagomedov via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Nurmagomedov via Round 3 SUB
Brian Knight: Nurmagomedov via Unanimous Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Nurmagomedov via Round 5 TKO
Roemello Reyes: Nurmagomedov via Unanimous Decision
Ben Jamieson: Nurmagomedov via Round 1 SUB
Staff picking Nurmagomedov: 11
Staff picking Henderson: 1
BELLATOR 292 FEATURED IMAGE:
Tofiq Musayev and Alexandr Shabliy at weigh-ins ahead of their Bellator 292 Lightweight World Grand Prix fight taking place Friday, March 10th from the SAP Arena in San Jose, California (photo credits to Bellator MMA).
