Bellator 290’s thirteen fight card is airing free on CBS and YouTube this weekend. And the top MMA betting sites have money lines and over/unders for every bout.
Check out our list of the best bets for this card, with odds courtesy of Bovada, and add Bader vs Emelianenko to your weekend MMA parlay ticket.
Bellator 290 Fight Analysis and Best Bets
The majority of these fights are closely matched, with the biggest favorites in the main event and the -550 Akhmed Magomedov. This is one of the most even Bellator events in recent memory, and a far cry from the massive betting favorites we’ve seen since the beginning of 2023.
The Last Stand 👊
One of the greatest fighters EVER to step foot in the cage.
Will Fedor Emelianenko 🐐 end his career as Bellator Heavyweight World Champion? 🤔Don't miss #Bellator290 on Saturday, February 4th LIVE on @CBS. pic.twitter.com/UZGcOqNtPy
— BellatorMMA (@BellatorMMA) January 26, 2023
Fedor Emelianenko +265 vs Ryan Bader -385
The Last Emperor is on a two fight winning streak, making him 4-1 in his last five showings. He hasn’t fought in 15 months, but at 46 you have to wonder how much steam is in the tank. Bader was the last fighter to beat him (2018) and is now 3-2 since that win.
Bader’s chin has been in question since the Corey Anderson loss in 2021, but we don’t think that matters. The Over 1.5 rounds is +185 in spite of Bader’s decision wins, which is shocking. As Bader ages, we think he’ll focus more on wrestling and not getting hit. He isn’t the same fighter at 39, and he knows it.
The Over 1.5 Rounds at +185 is the right bet without a parlay ticket, making it to 2:30 of round two despite Fedor’s six fight string of one round fights. Bet Bader on a parlay to win on a lay and pray strategy at.
Anatoly Tokov +210 vs Johnny Eblen -285
The 185 lbs title is on the line after Eblen took out Mousasi with grappling. We were skeptical of the Eblen win, and now he gets an even easier opponent in Tokov. Tokov is an active fighter, but he’s been active at a far lower level of competition than Eblen or Mousasi.
Fight goes the Distance, yes at -155 is the right Bellator 290 betting odds for fans of the Russian team, but Eblen should win with relative ease.
Brennan Ward +160 vs Sabah Homasi -210
Homasi is a finisher who gets finished and Ward serves up a similar fight history. Ward has the better chin but the worse submission defense of the two, so the Under 1.5 Rounds at -215 is the right bet. Of the Bellator 290 odds, this bet is our best payout to confidence ratio. With both men now 34, they don’t have the cardio for a decision and haven’t since 2018.
Dante Schiro +220 vs Neiman Gracie -300
Gracie has had a tough run, going 1-3 since 2020 and 2-4 since mid-2019. Schiro is supposed to be a step down in ability, and from the perspective of opponent quality, that’s true. Schiro has lost to high level grapplers Poclit and Storley inside his last three fights. Gracie’s Bellator 290 betting odds could be closer to -400 and this would still be the bet to make.
Lorenz Larkin +175 vs Mukhamed Berkhamov -230
Larkin is on a rampage including six back-to-back wins and five people in the division dodging him over five years. He struggled against power punchers in the past, and now gets his rematch with Berkhamov.
Mukhamed was winning on the scorecards before an illegal elbow ended the bout. Berkhamov is 15-1, at 29 his six-year age advantage will be the main factor. The Over 2.5 rounds at -120 is the right bet, given neither man is a finisher and Berkhamov likes to play a control and point fighting game.
Steve Mowry used no contest with Moldavsky to forge mental growth #Bellator290 https://t.co/Mj9A0JKXmZ
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) February 2, 2023
Ali Isaev +105 vs Steve Mowry -135
This is a close battle between undefeated heavyweights, and it’s a type of striker vs grappler match up. Mowry wants top position, Isaev wants to strike. Still, Ali is older, smaller and less experienced in MMA when you include Mowry’s extensive amateur career. This is an easy pick for the favorite.
Akhmed Magomedov -550 vs Henry Corrales +350
The most one-sided fight on the card is a win to keep Magomedov active. He’s coming off a seemingly easy win over Kevin Boehm, and should all but crush the 36-year-old Corrales. The Bellator 290 betting odds for Magomedov are normal; his odds range -250 to -550 throughout his undefeated career.
Chris Gonzalez -210 vs Max Rohskopf +160
Gonzalez took his loss to Usman and Goiti in two of his last three bouts. He’s not getting any breaks, now facing NWCA All Star Max Rohskopf. Sure, Max was beaten by Austin Hubbard in the UFC, but his performances otherwise have been perfect. This is our upset of the night, as Gonzalez’s grappling comes up short yet again.
Grant Neal +115 vs Karl Albrektsson -150
Out of the lesser known Genesis Training Academy, Neal has taken on all of the challenges offered him, such as 5-0 Tyree Fortune. Still, Albrektsson is consistently underrated. His poor performance against Karl Moore feels like a fluke, and his win over champion Nemkov proves he’s at the top of his game when it comes to wrestling for top position.
The over/under for this fight is even less predictable. So, we’re choosing to skip a Bellator 290 prediction. Sit back and enjoy a competitive bout.
Alejandra Lara -120 vs Diana Avsaragova -110
Lara has been getting smashed, going 2-5 since 2018. Avsaragova is on the come up at 5-0, and her Sambo style is nearly perfect for the bottom grappling game of Lara. The newcomer gets our prediction.
Darrion Caldwell +125 vs Nikita Mikhail -165
Caldwell’s win over Adam Borics stunned us, but since then he’s struggled to take a fight. This may have to do with his age, and at 35 every year is going to get a little harder. Expect similar grappling to the Aj McKee fight, and bet Mikhail.
Jaylon Bates +250 vs Jornel Lugo -350
Bates is an undefeated Bellator project, and has only ever fought for this promotion as a pro. Lugo is coming off a grappling loss, and has never truly been challenged aside from Keith Lee and Sabatello. Our Bellator 290 prediction is for Bates to get the submission; fans of Lugo should bet the Under at +130.
Ethan Hughes +115 vs Yusuf Karakaya -150
Both men have few fights and an undefeated record. The Bellator 290 odds must be made off of fight tape that we can’t get a hold of, because it looks like Hughes has a clear advantage in takedowns and grappling. We’re betting tentatively on the upset.
✌️ belts are on the line 𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑺 𝑺𝑨𝑻𝑼𝑹𝑫𝑨𝒀‼️#Bellator290 | ⏰ 9p ET / 6p PT | 📺 @CBS ➕ @ParamountPlus pic.twitter.com/mhCvhMriiG
— BellatorMMA (@BellatorMMA) January 31, 2023
Bellator 290 Predictions (Full Card)
The UFC is raising its prices this year, and fans are clamoring with excitement for this Bellator card and its competitive nature. Saving money on the PPV means that you have a little more cash to bet with, and that’s a boon for MMA fans that want to win big by following our Bellator 290 picks and placing wagers at the best Bellator betting sites.
| Fight | Top Betting Pick | Winnings per $100 Wager |
|---|---|---|
| Fedor Emelianenko +265 vs Ryan Bader -385 | Bader Money Line | $26 |
| Anatoly Tokov +210 vs Johnny Eblen -285 | Eblen Money Line | $35 |
| Brennan Ward +160 vs Sabah Homasi -210 | Under 1.5 Rounds, -215 | $46 |
| Dante Schiro +220 vs Neiman Gracie -300 | Gracie Money Line | $33 |
| Lorenz Larkin +175 vs Mukhamed Berkhamov -230 | Over 2.5 Rounds, -120 | $83 |
| Ali Isaev +105 vs Steve Mowry -135 | Mowry Money Line | $95 |
| Akhmed Magomedov -550 vs Henry Corrales +350 | Magomedov Money Line | $18 |
| Chris Gonzalez -210 vs Max Rohskopf +160 | Max Rohskopf Money Line | $160 |
| Grant Neal +115 vs Karl Albrektsson -150 | No Bet | $0 |
| Alejandra Lara -120 vs Diana Avsaragova -110 | Avsaragova Money Line | $90 |
| Darrion Caldwell +125 vs Nikita Mikhail -165 | Mikhail Money Line | $60 |
| Jaylon Bates +250 vs Jornel Lugo -350 | Bates Money Line (Upset of the Night) | $250 |
| Ethan Hughes +115 vs Yusuf Karakaya -150 | Hughes Money Line | $115 |
