Bellator 242 predictions: Who gets the nod in bantamweight showcase?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the Bellator 242 main card in Uncasville, Conn.

Bandejas
vs.
Pettis
Jackson
vs.
Mein
Claxton
vs.
Wilson
Hatley Jr.
vs.
Pico
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
2020: 67-44
pettis2020
Pettis
(63%)
mein2020
Mein
(66%)
claxton2020
Claxton
(74%)
pico2020
Pico
(81%)
Nolan King
@mma_kings
2020: 81-30
bandejas2020
Bandejas
jackson2020
Jackson
claxton2020
Claxton
pico2020
Pico
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
2020: 80-31
pettis2020
Pettis
jackson2020
Jackson
claxton2020
Claxton
pico2020
Pico
Dan Tom
@DanTomMMA
2020: 79-32
pettis2020
Pettis
jackson2020
Jackson
claxton2020
Claxton
pico2020
Pico
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
2020: 76-35
trophy copy 2014 Champion
pettis2020
Pettis
mein2020
Mein
claxton2020
Claxton
pico2020
Pico
Simon Head
@simonhead
2020: 75-36
trophy copy 2019 Champion*
bandejas2020
Bandejas
jackson2020
Jackson
claxton2020
Claxton
pico2020
Pico
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
2020: 75-36
pettis2020
Pettis
jackson2020
Jackson
claxton2020
Claxton
pico2020
Pico
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
2020: 73-38
trophy copy 2018 Champion
bandejas2020
Bandejas
mein2020
Mein
claxton2020
Claxton
pico2020
Pico
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
2020: 73-38
trophy copy 2017 Champion
pettis2020
Pettis
jackson2020
Jackson
claxton2020
Claxton
pico2020
Pico
Dave Doyle
@davedoylemma
2020: 72-39
pettis2020
Pettis
jackson2020
Jackson
claxton2020
Claxton
pico2020
Pico
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
2020: 72-39
pettis2020
Pettis
mein2020
Mein
claxton2020
Claxton
pico2020
Pico
John Morgan
@MMAjunkieJohn
2020: 68-43
pettis2020
Pettis
jackson2020
Jackson
wilson2020
Wilson
pico2020
Pico
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
2020: 67-44
pettis2020
Pettis
jackson2020
Jackson
claxton2020
Claxton
pico2020
Pico
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
2020: 67-44
pettis2020
Pettis
jackson2020
Jackson
claxton2020
Claxton
pico2020
Pico
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
2020: 45-66
bandejas2020
Bandejas
jackson2020
Jackson
claxton2020
Claxton
hatley2020
Hatley

After a long pandemic-related layoff, Bellator returns this week to its regular home on the East Coast.

Bellator 242 takes place Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The main card airs on Paramount following prelims on YouTube.

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

In the bantamweight main event between [autotag]Ricky Bandejas[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) and [autotag]Sergio Pettis[/autotag] (19-5 MMA, 1-0 BMMA), former UFC flyweight contender Pettis received the lion’s share of the backing from our 14 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts. He also garnered 63 percent of the reader votes, too.

In the co-main event, [autotag]Jason Jackson[/autotag] (11-4 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) proved a popular pick with our panel, with 11 of our 14 members selecting him to get the win over [autotag]Jordan Mein[/autotag] (31-12 MMA, 0-0 BMMA). However, Mein was the clear choice of our readers, with 66 percent siding with the Canadian.

Also on the main card, [autotag]Tywan Claxton[/autotag] (6-1 MMA, 6-1 BMMA) received almost universal backing in his featherweight clash against [autotag]J.J. Wilson[/autotag] (5-0 MMA, 4-0 BMMA), with 13 of the 14 panelists picking him to claim the victory.

And to open the main card, [autotag]Aaron Pico[/autotag] (5-3 MMA, 5-3 BMMA) was equally fancied, with the talented featherweight strongly backed to defeat [autotag]Solo Hatley Jr.[/autotag] (8-2 MMA, 1-0 BMMA). However, Pico was even more popular with MMA Junkie’s readers, with a whopping 81 percent picking him to kick off Friday night’s main card with a win.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Pettis (63 percent), Mein (66 percent), Claxton (74 percent) and Pico (81 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above