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Bellator MMA travels to the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan for Bellator 237 on Saturday. The main event takes place in the heavyweight division where Fedor Emelianenko takes on Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. In the co-main Michael Chandler goes up against Sidney Outlaw.

The main card also includes a 173lb. catchweight bout between Michael “Venom” Page and Shinsho Anzai, in the welterweight division Lorenz Larkin goes up against Keita Nakamura, in the women’s flyweight division Ilara Joanne faces off against Kana Watanabe and Goiti Yamauchi vs. Daron Cruickshank in a battle of lightweights.

The prelims will stream on DAZN and the Bellator mobile app beginning at 6:00 PM (CST). The with main card will air on the Paramount Network starting at 9:00 PM (CST).

Note: The predictions in this column do not necessarily mean that I will be betting them. I have changed my mind in the past and gone the other way after conducting more research. For all my official bets follow me on Twitter @MichaelGrocke.

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Main Card

Fedor Emelianenko (38-6, 1 NC) vs. Quinton Jackson (38-13) – Heavyweight 265 lbs.

Current Odds: Emelianenko -130; Jackson +100

Fedor was on a two-fight win streak until losing his most recent fight to Ryan Bader in less than a minute at Bellator 214. The loss to Bader will probably be Fedor’s last opportunity to capture Bellator gold. The longtime MMA veteran and former PRIDE heavyweight champion will make the walk for the forty-sixth time when he steps into the cage opposite Rampage. The forty-three-year-old legend has finished twenty-nine of his thirty-eight career victories. Fourteen by (T)KO to go along with fifteen via submission.

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is 1-2 over his previous three bouts. After losing two in a row, first to Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal at Bellator 175 and then to Chael Sonnen at Bellator 192, Rampage got back in the win column with a win over Wanderlei Silva at Bellator 206. At forty-one-years-old, Rampage will make the walk for the fifty-second time. The MMA veteran has twenty-four finishes in thirty-eight career victories. Twenty by (T)KO and four via submission. 

My official pick: Rampage by (T)KO.

From a betting perspective: Pass. I am leaning towards a bet on Rampage. I trust his chin more than Fedor’s at this point in their respective careers.

Michael Chandler (19-5) vs. Sidney Outlaw (14-3) – Catchweight 160 lbs.

Current Odds: Chandler -330; Outlaw +265

Three-time Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler is 3-1 over his previous four fights. In his most recent fight, he lost and dropped the title via a stunning first round (T)KO to Patricio Freire at Bellator 221. Fourteen of the Bellator veteran’s nineteen career wins ended inside the distance. Seven by (T)KO and seven via submission. This will be the thirty-three-year-old’s twenty-fifth pro bout.

Sidney Outlaw comes into the fight riding a nine-fight win streak. His most recent win was also his Bellator debut where he defeated Roger Huerta via unanimous decision. Eight of his fourteen career wins ended inside the distance. One by (T)KO and seven via submission. This will be Outlaw’s eighteenth pro bout. He is twenty-seven-years-old.

My official pick: Chandler by decision.

From a betting perspective: Pass

Michael Page (16-1) vs. Shinsho Anzai (11-3) – Catchweight 173 lbs.

Current Odds: Page -845; Anzai +595

England’s Michael “Venom” Page comes into the bout on a two-fight win streak. His most recent victory was at Bellator London where he defeated Giovanni Melillo via first-round knockout. His one loss was to Douglas Lima. The thirty-two-year-old has finished thirteen of his sixteen wins. Ten are by (T)KO to go along with three by way of submission. This will Page’s eighteenth pro bout.

Japan’s own Shinsho Anzai is 2-1 over his previous three. His most recent victory was at Deep 91 where he beat Yoichiro Sato by majority decision. The former UFC fighter has seven finishes in eleven career wins. All seven are via (T)KO. This will be his fifteenth pro fight. Anzai is thirty-four-years-of-age.

My official pick: Page by (T)KO.

From a betting perspective: Pass.

Lorenz Larkin (21-7, 1 NC) vs. Keita Nakamura (35-10-2, 1 NC) – Welterweight 170 lbs.

Current Odds: Larkin -510; Nakamura +380

After starting his Bellator run by losing his first two fights, Lorenz Larkin is on a three-fight win streak. His most recent victory was at Bellator 229 where he defeated Andrey Koreshkov via split decision. Eleven of the former UFC fighter’s twenty-one wins ended inside the distance. All eleven via (T)KO. At thirty-three-years-of-age, Larkin will make the walk for the thirtieth time.

Japan’s Keita Nakamura is 2-2 over his last four fights, alternating wins and losses. The former UFC veteran’s most recent fight occurred at Rizin 19 where he beat Marcos Yoshio Souza via first round (T)KO. That fight was just two and a half months ago. Nakamura boasts twenty-four finishes in his thirty-five career victories. Eight via (T)KO to go along with sixteen by way of submission. The thirty-five-year-old has only been finished twice in ten career losses. He’ll make the walk for the forty-ninth time.

My official pick: Larkin by decision.

From a betting perspective: Pass.

Ilara Joanne (9-4) vs. Kana Watanabe (8-0-1) – Flyweight 125 lbs.

Current Odds: Watanabe -125; Joanne +100

Ilara Joanne enters the fight riding a three-fight winning streak. Her most recent victory occurred at Bellator 231 where she beat Bec Rawlings via submission. It was also the Brazilian born fighter’s promotional debut. Seven of her nine career wins ended inside the distance. Four by (T)KO and three via submission. This will be Joanne’s fourteenth pro bout. She is twenty-five-years-old.

Japanese fighter Kana Watanabe makes her Bellator debut when she steps into the cage opposite Joanne. The thirty-one-year-old has yet to taste defeat as a pro. Her most recent victory was at Deep – Jewels 26 where she subbed Hee Eun Kang in the first round. Watanabe has six finishes in eight victories. This will be her tenth pro bout.

My official pick: Watanabe by decision.

From a betting perspective: Pass.

Goiti Yamauchi (24-4) vs. Daron Cruickshank (21-12, 1 NC) – Lightweight 155 lbs.

Current Odds: Yamauchi – 345; Cruickshank +275

Longtime Bellator veteran Goiti Yamauchi comes into the fight the winner of his previous two fights. His most recent win occurred at Bellator 229 where he subbed Saad Awad in the first round. Twenty of the Japanese fighter’s twenty-four victories ended inside the distance. All but one via submission. This will be the twenty-six-year-old’s twenty-ninth pro fight.

Former UFC fighter Daron Cruickshank makes his Bellator debut when he faces off against Yamauchi. He enters the fight on a two-fight losing streak. His most recent loss was at Rizin 16 where he dropped a unanimous decision to Tofiq Musayev. Sixteen of his twenty-two career wins ended inside the distance. Fourteen by (T)KO and two via submission. At thirty-four-years-of-age, Cruickshank will make the walk for the thirty-sixth time.

My official pick: Yamauchi by decision.

From a betting perspective: Pass.

Enjoy the fights!

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