Bellator 289 predictions: Are bantamweight grand prix and title fight upsets brewing?

	Stots vs. Sabatello	Carmouche vs. Velasquez	Magomedov vs. Mix	Adams vs. Rosta
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 192-116	Stots (77%)	Velasquez (62%)	Magomedov (62%)	Rosta (89%)
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 204-109 2018 Champion	Stots	Carmouche	Mix	Rosta
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 195-118	Stots	Carmouche	Mix	Rosta
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 193-120	Stots	Carmouche	Mix	Rosta
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 191-122	Stots	Carmouche	Mix	Rosta
Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 191-122 2014 Champion	Stots	Carmouche	Mix	Rosta
Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 189-124	Stots	Carmouche	Mix	Rosta
Simon Samano @SJSamano 188-125	Stots	Carmouche	Mix	Rosta
Brian Garcia @thegoze 182-131 2017 Champion	Stots	Carmouche	Mix	Rosta
Nolan King @mma_kings 180-133	Stots	Carmouche	Mix	Rosta
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 172-141	Stots	Velasquez	Mix	Rosta
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 154-159	Stots	Carmouche	Mix	Rosta

Bellator is back at its regular East Coast stomping ground with tournament semifinals and two title fights.

Bellator 289 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, interim bantamweight champion Raufeon Stots (18-1 MMA, 6-0 BMMA) takes on heated rival Danny Sabatello (13-1 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) in one of two grand prix semifinals. Stots is a slight -160 favorite at Tipico Sportsbook; the comeback on Sabatello is +125. But our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers are taking Stots as one of three unanimous picks on the main card.

In the co-feature, women’s flyweight Liz Carmouche (17-7 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) puts her title on the line for the first time in a rematch with Juliana Velasquez (12-1 MMA, 7-1 BMMA), whom she beat by TKO in April. Velasquez protested the stoppage to no avail, but now has a shot at redemption. Even though she’s a -180 favorite over the champ, it’s underdog Carmouche who has a whopping 10-1 lead from our staff pickers.

Also on the main card, Patchy Mix (16-1 MMA, 5-1 BMMA) meets Magomed Magomedov (19-2 MMA, 3-1 BMMA) in the second bantamweight tournament semifinal. The odds are the closest on the entire card with Magomedov just a -135 favorite. But our staff members have Mix in an 11-0 shutout.

And to open the main card, Anthony Adams (9-2 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) has a tough task at middleweight against the unbeaten 10-1 favorite Dalton Rosta (7-0 MMA, 7-0 BMMA). Given the odds, it’s not surprising Rosta is our third unanimous pick in four fights.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Stots (77 percent), Velasquez (62 percent), Magomedov (62 percent) and Rosta (89 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 289.

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie