Emelianenko
vs.
Johnson
Minakov
vs.
Sowma
Nurmagomedov
vs.
Pietila
Davlatmurodov
vs.
Tokov
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
2021: 167-97
Emelianenko
(66%)
Minakov
(91%)
Nurmagomedov
(92%)
Tokov
(83%)
John Morgan
@MMAjunkieJohn
2021: 172-92
Johnson
Minakov
Nurmagomedov
Tokov
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
2021: 166-98
Emelianenko
Minakov
Nurmagomedov
Tokov
Nolan King
@mma_kings
2021: 164-100
Johnson
Minakov
Nurmagomedov
Tokov
Dan Tom
@DanTomMMA
2021: 161-103
2020 Champion
Johnson
Minakov
Nurmagomedov
Tokov
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
2021: 160-104
2018 Champion
Emelianenko
Minakov
Nurmagomedov
Tokov
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
2021: 160-104
Emelianenko
Minakov
Nurmagomedov
Tokov
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
2021: 159-105
2014 Champion
Emelianenko
Minakov
Nurmagomedov
Tokov
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
2021: 155-109
2017 Champion
Johnson
Minakov
Nurmagomedov
Tokov
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
2021: 154-110
Johnson
Minakov
Nurmagomedov
Tokov
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
2021: 153-111
Emelianenko
Minakov
Nurmagomedov
Tokov
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
2021: 151-113
Johnson
Minakov
Nurmagomedov
Tokov
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
2021: 150-115
Emelianenko
Minakov
Nurmagomedov
Tokov
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
2021: 90-58
Emelianenko
Minakov
Nurmagomedov
Tokov
Bellator makes its debut in Russia this week with arguably the most famous Russian fighter of all time at the top of the bill.
Bellator 269 takes place Saturday at VTB Arena in Moscow. 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, Fedor Emelianenko (39-6 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) fights in his home country for the first time in more than five years when he takes on Tim Johnson (15-7 MMA, 3-3 BMMA) at heavyweight. Johnson, fighting in hostile territory, is a -160 favorite at Tipico; the comeback on Emelianenko is +125. But it’s Emelianenko who has a 7-6 lead in the picks from our 13 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers at 13-0.
In the co-feature, Vitaly Minakov (22-1 MMA, 6-1 BMMA) is a big -320 favorite at heavyweight against Said Sowma (7-2 MMA, 1-1 BMMA). He’s one of three unanimous picks from our staff members on the main card.
Also on the main card, Usman Nurmagomedov (13-0 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) will try to keep his unbeaten record intact against Patrik Pietila (11-8 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) in a 160-pound contract weight fight. Nurmagomedov is a massive -3000 favorite, and not surprisingly he’s a unanimous pick.
And to open the main card, Anatoly Tokov (29-3 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) is a huge -750 favorite at middleweight against Sharaf Davlatmurodov (18-3-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) and is our third unanimous choice.
In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Emelianenko (66 percent), Minakov (91 percent), Nurmagomedov (92 percent) and Tokov (83 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the picks above.