MMASucka staff picks sees its second promotion make its 2022 debut.
Bellator 273 will take place later tonight, January 29 from the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. This marks Bellator’s second event from the southwestern arena, both taking place within the past four months. The main card will begin live at 10:00pm ET (7:00pm PT) on Showtime.
Results from the entire Bellator 273 card can be found here at MMASucka.
Stay tuned next weekend as staff picks will return with UFC Vegas 46: Hermansson vs. Strickland.
The Fights
Gold is on the line in the featured main event of the night for a unification of the Bellator heavyweight championship between Ryan Bader and Valentin Moldvasky.
Champion Bader makes his return to the division for the first time in nearly two and-a-half years following a three-fight run at 205 pounds where he lost his light heavyweight title to Vadim Nemkov and a 2021 Grand Prix run of 1-1. The well-rounded grappler hopes to keep his heavyweight name at the top in search of his second defense following a retaining of the title to Cheick Kongo in September of 2019. Bader’s opponent, Moldavsky, brings a similar style of Sambo that has led the Russian to a current six-fight win streak. A five-round decision over Timothy Johnson in June last year gave the 29-year-old Bellator’s interim heavyweight title.
Lightweight veterans Benson Henderson and Islam Mamedov are set for battle in the co-main event. Former title challenger and both WEC and UFC champion Henderson looks to snap the biggest losing streak of his career of three. PFL standout Mamedov is set for his second promotional fight aiming for a 20th straight professional victory.
See our picks for the main card of Bellator 273 further 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.
Find out below who the MMASucka staff is picking to win at Bellator 273: Bader vs. Moldavsky.
Staff Records after UFC 270:
1. Brandon Joint: 7-2
2T. Ash Camyab: 6-3
2T. Coby Weinsier: 6-3
4T. Andrew Benjamin: 5-4
4T. Frazer Krohn: 5-4
4T. Julio Monteros Jr.: 5-4
7T. Jeremy Brand: 4-5
7T. Mike Lynch: 4-5
7T. William Dong: 4-5
7T. Chinyere Okafor: 4-5
11T. Wesley Riddle: 3-6
11T. Michael DeSantis: 3-6
11T. Nate Freeman: 3-6
14. Jacek Okninski: 3-6
15. Chris Presnell: 2-7
16. Tim Wheaton: 1-3
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
Sabah Homasi (15-10), +190
vs.
Jaleel Willis (15-3), -235
Welterweight Division, 170 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Willis via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Willis via Round 2 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Willis via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Homasi via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Homasi via Round 2 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Homasi via Round 2 TKO
Mike Lynch: Willis via Round 1 TKO
Nate Freeman: Willis via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Willis via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Willis via Unanimous Decision
Coby Weinsier: Homasi via Round 2 TKO
Brandon Joint: Willis via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Willis via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Willis via Round 3 TKO
Julio Monteros Jr.: Willis via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Homasi: 4
Staff picking Willis: 11
Henry Corrales (19-6), +110
vs.
Aiden Lee (10-5), -130
Featherweight Division, 145 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Corrales via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Corrales via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Corrales via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Corrales via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Corrales via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Corrales via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Corrales via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Corrales via Split Decision
Tim Wheaton: Corrales via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Corrales via Unanimous Decision
Coby Weinsier: Corrales via Unanimous Decision
Brandon Joint: Corrales via Split Decision
Jacek Okninski: Corrales via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Corrales via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Corrales via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Corrales: 15
Staff picking Lee: 0
Benson Henderson (28-11), +350
vs.
Islam Mamedov (20-1-1), -475
Lightweight Co-Main Event, 155 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Mamedov via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Mamedov via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Mamedov via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Henderson via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Henderson via Split Decision
Frazer Krohn: Mamedov via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Henderson via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Mamedov via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Mamedov via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Mamedov via Split Decision
Coby Weinsier: Mamedov via Unanimous Decision
Brandon Joint: Mamedov via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Henderson via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Mamedov via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Mamedov via Majority Decision
Staff picking Henderson: 4
Staff picking Mamedov: 11
Ryan Bader (28-7, 1 NC), +170
vs.
Valentin Moldavsky (11-1), -200
Heavyweight Divisional Championship, 265 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Bader via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Moldavsky via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Moldavsky via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Moldavsky via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Bader via Round 3 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Moldavsky via Round 3 TKO
Mike Lynch: Moldavsky via Round 1 TKO
Nate Freeman: Moldavsky via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Moldavsky via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Moldavsky via Unanimous Decision
Coby Weinsier: Moldavsky via Round 2 TKO
Brandon Joint: Bader via Round 2 TKO
Jacek Okninski: Bader via Round 3 TKO
William Dong: Moldavsky via Round 2 TKO
Julio Monteros Jr.: Bader via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Bader: 5
Staff picking Moldavsky: 10
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