Bellator 214 Betting Preview & Picks

This Saturday night will feature Bellator 214 from The Forum in Inglewood, California, with the broadcast on the Paramount Network and DAZN. This is the night when we will find out who the Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix title winner is, a belt that was vacated almost three years ago by Vitaly Minakov. Fedor Emelianenko and Ryan Bader will square off in the finals. Featherweights Aaron Pico and Henry Corrales will take part in the co-main event. We have your full card for the evening as well as our MMA betting thoughts on several of the tilts.

Bellator 214 Betting Preview & Picks

Main Card (Paramount Network / DAZN)

• Fedor Emelianenko vs Ryan Bader (Bellator Heavyweight Championship)
• Aaron Pico vs Henry Corrales (featherweight)
• Jake Hager vs J.W. Kiser (heavyweight)
• Juan Archuleta vs Ricky Bandejas (bantamweight)
• Brandon McMahon vs Adel Altamini (featherweight)

Preliminary Card (Bellator.com / Bellator Mobile App)

• Jorge Juarez vs David Pacheco (lightweight)
• Jay Jay Wilson vs Tyler Beneke (featherweight)
• Jesse Merritt vs Thor Skancke (welterweight)
• Sean Johnson vs Art Rivas (heavyweight)
• Weber Almeida vs Odan Chinchilla (lightweight)
• Osman Diaz vs Christopher Reyes (middleweight)
• James Barnes vs Ryan Lilley (bantamweight)
• Ian Butler vs Craig Plaskett (welterweight)
• A.J. Agazarm vs Jesse Roberts (lightweight)
• Christopher Gonzalez vs Henry Mendez (lightweight)
• Desmond Torres vs Steve Ramirez (bantamweight)

Fedor Emelianenko vs Ryan Bader gives us the current Bellator light heavyweight champ in Bader and the person whom many consider to be Bellator’s greatest heavyweight ever in Emelianenko. Emelianenko is 42 years old but still rolled to the finals in this Grand Prix, taking down Frank Mir and Chael Sonnen on the way. Bader is the best light heavyweight in MMA but outside UFC right now, and he easily beat King Mo and Matt Mittrione to make the final. A win here would give Bader the first two-division champion in Bellator history. Bader has the edge when it comes to wrestling, as a former NCAA Division I grappler. Emelianenko does have skills in judo and sambo, but if things go to the ground, Bader could take the edge. Emelianenko will focus on keeping the fight short and staying on his feet. Bader has the striking power to deliver a knockout, but he will be more likely to win if he can draw things out and force a decision. Bader is only 35 years old and will have the stamina to stick around and win on the cards — as long as he can duck Emelianenko’s big bombs. Bellator 214 Prediction: Bader wins via decision Jake Hager vs J.W. Kiser makes up the other heavyweight bout on the main card. Kiser has delivered stoppages in all of his wins, no matter whether in the amateur or pro circuits, and now he gets a solid position on a main card against Hager, who built his reputation as a star in WWE. However, this will be Hager’s MMA debut, and he is 36 years old. He is fighting against a legacy of former professional wrestlers who enter MMA in their late 30s — and things have not gone well for them. Hager was an All-American wrestler at the NCAA Division I level, and he also has a combat background that could thwart Kiser’s desire to use striking to bring a stoppage. I see this fight getting down on the ground and Hager getting enough points to win. Bellator 214 Prediction: Hager wins via decision Aaron Pico vs Henry Corrales is the top bout this time out of a featherweight division that has plenty of competitors in Bellator. Pico has won four bouts in a row — all via TKO finishes in the first round. He delivered a thunderous elbow and a flurry of punches to take down Leandro Higo in his last fight. Corrales also brings in a four-bout winning streak, and 13 of his 16 career wins have either come via submission or TKO. Corrales could deliver a submission if he can get Pico on the ground, but both of these fighters also are comfortable on their feet. Given the greater experience that Corrales has, I see him delivering a stoppage win. Bellator 214 Prediction: Corrales wins via submission