Tag: Kassius Kayne

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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Brennan Ward gets next assignment: Bellator 282 vs. Kassius Kayne

In February, Brennan Ward returned from a severe battle with drug addiction to win his first fight in five years.

[autotag]Brennan Ward[/autotag] has his second fight booked since his return from hiatus.

At Bellator 282, Ward (15-6 MMA, 11-6 BMMA) will once again fight in front of his home state crowd when he takes on former Victory FC welterweight champion and LFA headliner [autotag]Kassius Kayne[/autotag] (12-7 MMA, 0-0 BMMA).

The event takes place June 24 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. with the main card on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.

Two people with knowledge of the booking recently informed MMA Junkie of the matchup but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

In February, Ward, 33, returned from nearly five years away from mixed martial arts competition as a long-term drug addiction boiled over into unbearableness, as he revealed in an exclusive, tell-all interview with MMA Junkie in January. At Bellator 274, Ward fought Brandon Bell on a one-off deal with the promotion and won via second-round TKO. Weeks later, Ward signed a multifight deal with the promotion.

Kayne, 35, has competed for a handful of notable regional promotions with his losses coming mostly to fighters who went on to sign with the UFC or Bellator. He’s only competed three times since 2018, but went 2-1 in that stretch including an April unanimous decision win over Montrel James.

With the addition, the Bellator 282 lineup includes:

  • Champion Gegard Mousasi vs. Johnny Eblen – for middleweight title
  • Enrique Barzola vs. Magomed Magomedov – bantamweight grand prix quarterfinal
  • Leandro Higo vs. Danny Sabatello – bantamweight grand prix quarterfinal
  • Brent Primus vs. Alexander Shabliy
  • Pam Sorenson vs. Cat Zingano
  • Ilara Joanne vs. Alejandra Lara
  • Dan Moret vs. Killys Mota
  • Sabah Homasi vs. Maycon Mendoca
  • Fabio Aguiar vs. Aaron Jeffery
  • Bryce Logan vs. Mandel Nallo
  • Lucas Brennan vs. Johnny Soto

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