Bellator 282 predictions: Who’s picking Johnny Eblen to take title from Gegard Mousasi?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the Bellator 282 main card, featuring middleweight champ Gegard Mousasi vs. challenger Johnny Eblen.

Mousasi
vs.
Eblen
Higo
vs.
Sabatello
Barzola
vs.
Magomedov
Kayne
vs.
Ward
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
95-54
mousasi2022
Mousasi
(82%)
sabatello2022
Sabatello
(76%)
magomedov2022
Magomedov
(83%)
ward2022
Ward
(87%)
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
100-54
trophy copy 2018 Champion
mousasi2022
Mousasi
sabatello2022
Sabatello
barzola2022
Barzola
ward2022
Ward
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohn
98-56
trophy copy 2014 Champion
mousasi2022
Mousasi
sabatello2022
Sabatello
magomedov2022
Magomedov
ward2022
Ward
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
97-57
mousasi2022
Mousasi
sabatello2022
Sabatello
magomedov2022
Magomedov
ward2022
Ward
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
97-57
eblen2022
Eblen
sabatello2022
Sabatello
barzola2022
Barzola
ward2022
Ward
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
97-57
mousasi2022
Mousasi
sabatello2022
Sabatello
magomedov2022
Magomedov
ward2022
Ward
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
96-58
mousasi2022
Mousasi
sabatello2022
Sabatello
magomedov2022
Magomedov
ward2022
Ward
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
92-62
trophy copy 2017 Champion
mousasi2022
Mousasi
sabatello2022
Sabatello
barzola2022
Barzola
ward2022
Ward
Nolan King
@mma_kings
91-63
mousasi2022
Mousasi
sabatello2022
Sabatello
magomedov2022
Magomedov
ward2022
Ward
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
90-64
mousasi2022
Mousasi
sabatello2022
Sabatello
magomedov2022
Magomedov
ward2022
Ward
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
84-70
mousasi2022
Mousasi
sabatello2022
Sabatello
magomedov2022
Magomedov
ward2022
Ward
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
75-79
mousasi2022
Mousasi
sabatello2022
Sabatello
barzola2022
Barzola
ward2022
Ward

Bellator returns to Connecticut this week with the middleweight title on the line at the top of the bill.

Bellator 282 takes place Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. 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, middleweight champion [autotag]Gegard Mousasi[/autotag] (49-7-2 MMA, 7-1 BMMA) takes on unbeaten challenger [autotag]Johnny Eblen[/autotag] (11-0 MMA, 7-0 BMMA). Mousasi is a -250 favorite at Tipico Sportsbook, and only one of our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers is picking against him.

In the co-feature, [autotag]Leandro Higo[/autotag] (21-5 MMA, 4-3 BMMA) takes on [autotag]Danny Sabatello[/autotag] (12-1 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) in a quarterfinal fight in the bantamweight grand prix. Sabatello is the biggest favorite on the main card at -600 and is one of two unanimous picks.

Also on the main card, [autotag]Enrique Barzola[/autotag] (18-5-2 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) meets [autotag]Magomed Magomedov[/autotag] (18-2 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) in another quarterfinal bantamweight tournament bout. Magomedov is a slight favorite at -155 and has a 7-4 lead in the picks in the only contentious fight among our staff members.

And to open the main card, [autotag]Kassius Kayne[/autotag] (12-7 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) is a +210 underdog against -280 favorite [autotag]Brennan Ward[/autotag] (15-6 MMA, 10-6 BMMA). Ward is our other unanimous pick at 11-0.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Mousassi (82 percent), Sabatello (76 percent), Magomedov (83 percent) and Ward (87 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

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