MMASucka staff picks will see only one card take place this weekend with Bellator 225. All fight action will take place Saturday, August 24 from the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The five-bout main card will begin at 9:00pm ET (6:00pm PT) live on Paramount Network.
THE FIGHTS
In the main event, heavyweights Matt Mitrione and Sergei Kharitonov will rematch for a potential three five-minute rounds. Their first contest at Bellator 215 in February ended at 15 seconds after Mitrione’s left kick to the groin rendered Kharitonov unable to continue. Mitrione looks to get back on path as he had under the promotion from 2016 to 2018 where he scored four straight victories, three by knockout. His lone loss came after that run, losing a decision to Ryan Bader in the Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix semi-finals. His veteran opponent, Kharitonov, had a rough start to his Bellator career in 2016 suffering a quick knockout loss to Javy Ayala. However, he has rebounded with five victories in various promotions excluding NC’s to Mitrione and Anton Vyazigin under M-1. The decorated kickboxer and mixed martial artist hopes for a run to soon compete for the Bellator heavyweight strap.
The co-main event will see former Bellator heavyweight champion and king Vitaly Minakov take on 10-fight promotional veteran Javy Ayala. Minakov looks to rebound after suffering the first loss of his professional mixed martial arts career in a rematch to Cheick Kongo last February. His opponent Ayala hopes to back up his last performance which saw a second-round knockout over Frank Mir.
Also on the main card features names including Colombia’s Alejandra Lara, rising prospect Tyrell Fortune, and undefeated Ukrainian Yaroslav Amosov. The remaining Bellator 225 main card fights can be found 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 225 below.
Staff Records after RIZIN 18:
1. Michael DeSantis: 197-101
2. Connor Deitrich: 196-102
3. Ed Gallo: 190-109
4. Mitchell Banuelos: 184-102
5. Mike Skytte: 180-118
6T. Jeremy Brand: 176-122
6T. Brian Gerson: 176-99
8T. Ryan Wagner: 169-83
8T. Matt Bricker: 169-119
10T. Patrick Auger: 157-119
10T. Ash Camyab: 157-109
12. Frazer Krohn: 83-52
13. Ryan Fortune: 66-28
14. Ryan Hobbs: 62-58
15. Suraj Sukumar: 58-26
16. Andrew Benjamin: 43-29
17. McKenzie Guardiero: 41-29
Tyrell Fortune (6-0) vs. Rudy Schaffroth (6-0, 1 NC)
Jeremy Brand: Fortune via UD
Mike Skytte: Fortune via Round 2 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Fortune via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Fortune via UD
Ed Gallo: Fortune via Round 2 TKO
Matt Bricker: Fortune via UD
Connor Deitrich: Fortune via UD
Ash Camyab: Fortune via UD
Ryan Hobbs: Fortune via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Fortune via UD
Frazer Krohn: Fortune via UD
Ryan Fortune: Fortune via Round 2 TKO
McKenzie Guardiero: Fortune via SD
Staff picking Fortune: 13
Staff picking Schaffroth: 0
David Rickels (21-5, 2 NC) vs. Yaroslav Amosov (21-0)
Jeremy Brand: Amosov via Round 2 TKO
Mike Skytte: Amosov via Round 1 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Amosov via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Rickels via UD
Ed Gallo: Amosov via UD
Matt Bricker: Amosov via Round 1 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Amosov via UD
Ash Camyab: Amosov via UD
Ryan Hobbs: Amosov via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Rickels via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Amosov via UD
Ryan Fortune: Amosov via UD
McKenzie Guardiero: Amosov via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Rickels: 2
Staff picking Amosov: 11
Alejandra Lara (7-3) vs. Taylor Turner (4-5)
Jeremy Brand: Lara via UD
Mike Skytte: Lara via SD
Michael DeSantis: Lara via Round 1 SUB
Mitchell Banuelos: Lara via UD
Ed Gallo: Lara via UD
Matt Bricker: Lara via UD
Connor Deitrich: Lara via UD
Ash Camyab: Turner via Round 3 TKO
Ryan Hobbs: Lara via Round 1 SUB
Andrew Benjamin: Turner via Round 3 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Lara via UD
Ryan Fortune: Lara via Round 1 SUB
McKenzie Guardiero: Turner via UD
Staff picking Lara: 10
Staff picking Turner: 3
Vitaly Minakov (21-1) vs. Javy Ayala (11-7)
Jeremy Brand: Minakov via UD
Mike Skytte: Minakov via Round 2 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Minakov via Round 1 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Minakov via UD
Ed Gallo: Minakov via UD
Matt Bricker: Minakov via UD
Connor Deitrich: Minakov via UD
Ash Camyab: Ayala via Round 2 TKO
Ryan Hobbs: Minakov via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Minakov via UD
Frazer Krohn: Minakov via Round 1 TKO
Ryan Fortune: Minakov via Round 2 TKO
McKenzie Guardiero: Ayala via Round 3 TKO
Staff picking Minakov: 11
Staff picking Ayala: 2
Matt Mitrione (13-6, 1 NC) vs. Sergei Kharitonov (29-7, 2 NC)
Jeremy Brand: Mitrione via Round 2 TKO
Mike Skytte: Kharitonov via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Mitrione via Round 1 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Mitrione via UD
Ed Gallo: Kharitonov via Round 1 TKO
Matt Bricker: Kharitonov via UD
Connor Deitrich: Kharitonov via UD
Ash Camyab: Mitrione via Round 1 TKO
Ryan Hobbs: Kharitonov via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Mitrione via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Mitrione via Round 2 TKO
Ryan Fortune: Mitrione via Round 1 TKO
McKenzie Guardiero: Mitrione via Round 1 TKO
Staff picking Mitrione: 8
Staff picking Kharitonov: 5
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