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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Matt Erickson

Bellator 273 predictions: Who’s picking champ Ryan Bader to upset Valentin Moldavsky?

Bader
vs.
Moldavsky
Henderson
vs.
Mamedov
Corrales
vs.
Lee
Homasi
vs.
Willis
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
6-5
moldavsky2022
Moldavsky
(65%)
mamedov2022
Mamedov
(80%)
corrales2022
Corrales
(71%)
willis2022
Willis
(75%)
John Morgan
@MMAjunkieJohn
9-2
trophy copy 2021 Champion
moldavsky2022
Moldavsky
mamedov2022
Mamedov
corrales2022
Corrales
willis2022
Willis
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
7-4
moldavsky2022
Moldavsky
mamedov2022
Mamedov
corrales2022
Corrales
willis2022
Willis
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
7-4
bader2022
Bader
henderson2022
Henderson
lee2022
Lee
homasi2022
Homasi
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
7-4
bader2022
Bader
mamedov2022
Mamedov
corrales2022
Corrales
willis2022
Willis
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
6-5
trophy copy 2014 Champion
bader2022
Bader
mamedov2022
Mamedov
corrales2022
Corrales
willis2022
Willis
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
6-5
moldavsky2022
Moldavsky
mamedov2022
Mamedov
corrales2022
Corrales
homasi2022
Homasi
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
6-5
moldavsky2022
Moldavsky
mamedov2022
Mamedov
lee2022
Lee
willis2022
Willis
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
6-5
trophy copy 2018 Champion
moldavsky2022
Moldavsky
mamedov2022
Mamedov
corrales2022
Corrales
willis2022
Willis
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
6-5
moldavsky2022
Moldavsky
mamedov2022
Mamedov
corrales2022
Corrales
homasi2022
Homasi
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
5-6
moldavsky2022
Moldavsky
mamedov2022
Mamedov
corrales2022
Corrales
willis2022
Willis
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
5-6
trophy copy 2017 Champion
moldavsky2022
Moldavsky
mamedov2022
Mamedov
corrales2022
Corrales
willis2022
Willis
Nolan King
@mma_kings
5-6
moldavsky2022
Moldavsky
mamedov2022
Mamedov
corrales2022
Corrales
willis2022
Willis

Bellator is back for the first time in 2022, and there’s a heavyweight title unification bout at the top of the lineup.

Bellator 273 takes place Saturday at Footprint Center in Phoenix. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

In the main event, heavyweight champion Ryan Bader (28-7 MMA, 6-2 BMMA) takes on interim champ Valentin Moldavsky (11-1 MMA, 6-0 BMMA), in a title unification fight. Moldavsky is a sizable -260 favorite at Tipico; the comeback on Bader is +195. Our 12 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers are backing Moldavsky fairly heavily at a 9-3 clip.

In the co-feature, former UFC and WEC lightweight champ Benson Henderson (28-11 MMA, 5-6 BMMA) will try to snap a three-fight slide against Islam Mamedov (20-1-1 MMA, 1-0 BMMA). Mamedov is a big -475 favorite, and he’s got a huge 11-1 lead in the picks.

Also on the main card, Henry Corrales (19-6 MMA, 7-6 BMMA) takes on Aiden Lee (10-5 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) in a featherweight fight. And though Lee is a -125 favorite in a close fight at the betting window, our staff members are going with Corrales with a big 10-2 margin.

And to open the main card, Jaleel Willis (15-3 MMA, 3-1 BMMA) is a -230 favorite at welterweight against Sabah Homasi (15-10 MMA, 4-4 BMMA). Willis, like Corrales, has a hefty 10-2 lead in the picks.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Moldavsky (65 percent), Mamedov (80 percent), Corrales (71 percent) and Willis (75 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

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