Bellator 282 is rapidly approaching as the world prepares for the most elite action in Mixed Martial Arts.
The event is headlined by a middleweight world championship bout between Gegard Mousasi and Johnny Eblen, This is sure to dominate headlines for weeks to follow.
When: Friday, June 24th 2022
Where: Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Connecticut
Watch: Showtime
Brennan Ward vs. Kassius Kayne Pick
Kayne is a 35-year-old American with a 12-7 career record. He is coming off of a unanimous decision victory in his last fight. He has only fought three times since 2018 but has won two of them and looked fairly strong.
His opponent in Ward recently returned from a five-year absence from the ring. This was due to a crippling drug addiction. It didn’t take long for him to sign on for a multi-fight deal thereafter, leading to the upcoming bout.
Best Bet: Kassius Kayne (+225)
Magomed Magomedov vs. Enrique Barzola Pick
Magomedov is a fighter who likes to keep the pressure on and relentlessly flies at his opponent. He specializes in grappling.
Barzola is not one to shy away from a scuffle either. He specializes in kickboxing and being notorious for throwing tons of strikes.
Magomedov will likely look to take the fight to the ground. He’ll have to counter the constant attacks from his opponent. This would essentially remove his greatest strength.
Best Bet: Enrique Barzola (+136)
Leandro Higo vs. Danny Sabatello Pick

Higo failed to make weight in each of his last two fights. This puts a cloud of uncertainty over the impending bout with Sabatello.
At his best, he is a solid striker that is capable of taking out opponents standing in front of him. But he is also average at best on the ground. There is a serious chance that he loses the fight if it ends up being fought predominantly on the ground.
Sabatello, a former Division-I wrestler, is 12-1 with recent dominating wins over Jornel Lugo and Brett Johns. The American accomplished both of these victories by sucking the life out of his opponents on the ground. He relentlessly worked his magic and left no doubt as to who the better fighter was.
It is almost a guarantee that he will look to take Higo to the ground. There, he will set himself up for the best chance at winning.
Best Bet: Danny Sabatello (-550)
Gegard Mousais vs. Johnny Eblen Pick
Two-time and reigning 185-pound world champion Gegard Mousasi (49-7-2) will welcome challenger Eblen into the ring. Mousasi is as experienced as they come. He has a refined fighting style that allows him to mentally and physically overwhelm his opponents. This is why he has been so successful in his fights.
Mousasi is, however, prone to takedowns from elite wrestlers. This is an area that Eblen’s corner will certainly be pointing to during training and the fight.
Eblen is a former Division-I wrestler. He has become a much-improved striker since leaving college. He is only 11-0 and 7-0 in Bellator. While impressive, is extremely inexperienced compared to Mousasi.
The 6-foot-3 “Human Cheat Code” has similar characteristics to Mousasi’s last opponent, Austin Vanderford. The champion dispatched Vanderford in the first round. Watch for the young American to put the pressure on Mousasi and try to keep the tempo up. He’ll be looking for gaps to shoot and chaos to cause.
Best Bet: Gegard Mousasi (-310)