Bellator 234 predictions: Is anyone picking Linton Vassell over Sergei Kharitonov in Israel?

	Kharitonov vs. Vassell	Huerta vs. Outlaw	Fatullazade vs. A. Gozali	H. Gozali vs. Pronin	Bozinyan vs. Vanderford
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2019: 194-120 (62%)	Kharitonov (89%)	Outlaw (61%)	A. Gozali (69%)	Pronin (71%)	Vanderford (87%)
Simon Head @simonhead 2019: 110-62 (64%)	Kharitonov	Outlaw	A. Gozali	Pronin	Vanderford
Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2019: 200-114 (64%)	Kharitonov	Outlaw	A. Gozali	Pronin	Vanderford
Nolan King @mma_kings 2019: 106-61 (63%)	Kharitonov	Outlaw	A. Gozali	Pronin	Vanderford
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2019: 198-116 (63%) 2018 Champion	Kharitonov	Outlaw	A. Gozali	Pronin	Vanderford
Brian Garcia @thegoze 2019: 197-117 (63%) 2017 Champion	Kharitonov	Outlaw	A. Gozali	H. Gozali	Vanderford
John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2019: 195-119 (62%)	Kharitonov	Outlaw	A. Gozali	Pronin	Vanderford
Simon Samano @SJSamano 2019: 195-119 (62%)	Kharitonov	Outlaw	A. Gozali	Pronin	Vanderford
Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2019: 194-120 (62%) 2014 Champion	Kharitonov	Outlaw	A. Gozali	H. Gozali	Vanderford
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2019: 190-124 (61%)	Kharitonov	Outlaw	A. Gozali	Pronin	Vanderford
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2019: 96-65 (60%)	Kharitonov	Outlaw	A. Gozali	Pronin	Vanderford
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2019: 184-130 (59%)	Kharitonov	Outlaw	A. Gozali	Pronin	Vanderford
Dave Doyle @davedoylemma 2019: 122-100 (55%)	Kharitonov	Outlaw	A. Gozali	Pronin	Vanderford
Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2019: 167-147 (53%)	Vassell	Huerta	A. Gozali	H. Gozali	Vanderford

Bellator is back in Israel this week, and a pair of heavyweight standouts are atop the bill.

Bellator 234 takes place Thursday at Menora Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv, Israel. The main card airs on Paramount and streams on DAZN on Friday via tape delay.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

In the main event, Sergei Kharitonov (30-7 MMA, 3-1 BMMA) takes on Linton Vassell (18-8 MMA, 7-5 BMMA) in a heavyweight fight. Kharitonov is just a -175 favorite, but our 13 MMA Junkie editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers are picking him almost unanimously. Only one picker is taking Vassell in an upset.

In the co-main event, Sidney Outlaw (13-3 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) is a 5-1 favorite against Roger Huerta (24-11-1 MMA, 1-4 BMMA) in their lightweight fight. And like in the main event, it’s a huge picks lead for the favorite. Only one picker is taking Huerta to pull the upset.

Also on the main card, Aviv Gozali (3-0 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) is one of two unanimous picks. He takes on Zaka Fatullazade (14-7 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) in a lightweight fight, and he’s a 13-0 pick to stay unbeaten.

The other unanimous pick belongs to Austin Vanderford (8-0 MMA, 2-0 BMMA), who is more than a 6-1 favorite at some sports books in his middleweight fight against Grachik Bozinyan (10-3 MMA, 0-0 BMMA).

And Haim Gozali (11-6 MMA, 3-3 BMMA) will fight likely for the last time on the same card as his son, Aviv. He takes on Artur Pronin (16-3 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) at welterweight. But unlike his son, who is a unanimous pick from our staff members, Haim Gozali is down 10-3 in the picks to Pronin.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Kharitonov (89%), Outlaw (61 percent), Aviv Gozali (69 percent), Pronin (71 percent) and Vanderford (87 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.