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	Moldavsky (65%)	Mamedov (80%)	Corrales (71%)	Willis (75%)
John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 9-2 2021 Champion	Moldavsky	Mamedov	Corrales	Willis
Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 7-4	Moldavsky	Mamedov	Corrales	Willis
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 7-4	Bader	Henderson	Lee	Homasi
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 7-4	Bader	Mamedov	Corrales	Willis
Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 6-5 2014 Champion	Bader	Mamedov	Corrales	Willis
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 6-5	Moldavsky	Mamedov	Corrales	Homasi
Simon Samano @SJSamano 6-5	Moldavsky	Mamedov	Lee	Willis
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 6-5 2018 Champion	Moldavsky	Mamedov	Corrales	Willis
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 6-5	Moldavsky	Mamedov	Corrales	Homasi
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 5-6	Moldavsky	Mamedov	Corrales	Willis
Brian Garcia @thegoze 5-6 2017 Champion	Moldavsky	Mamedov	Corrales	Willis
Nolan King @mma_kings 5-6	Moldavsky	Mamedov	Corrales	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.

List

Bellator 273 breakdown: Can big underdog Ryan Bader upset Valentin Moldavsky?

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Bellator 273 pre-event facts: Can Benson Henderson snap career-worst skid?

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