Bellator 262 predictions: Is anyone picking against champ Juliana Velasquez?

	Velasquez vs. Kielholtz	Fortune vs. Mitrione	Hamilton vs. Mattos	Blencowe vs. Silva	Eblen vs. Davis
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2021: 99-63	Velasquez (67%)	Fortune (72%)	Mattos (67%)	Blencowe (85%)	Eblen (77%)
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2021: 101-61 2018 Champion	Velasquez	Fortune	Mattos	Blencowe	Eblen
Simon Samano @SJSamano 2021: 99-63	Velasquez	Fortune	Mattos	Blencowe	Eblen
John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2021: 98-64	Velasquez	Fortune	Mattos	Blencowe	Eblen
Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2021: 96-66 2020 Champion	Velasquez	Fortune	Mattos	Silva	Eblen
Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2021: 96-66 2014 Champion	Velasquez	Fortune	Mattos	Blencowe	Eblen
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2021: 95-67	Velasquez	Fortune	Mattos	Silva	Eblen
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 2021: 95-67	Velasquez	Fortune	Mattos	Silva	Eblen
Brian Garcia @thegoze 2021: 95-67	Velasquez	Fortune	Mattos	Blencowe	Eblen
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2021: 95-67	Velasquez	Fortune	Mattos	Hamilton	Eblen
Nolan King @mma_kings 2021: 95-67	Velasquez	Fortune	Mattos	Silva	Eblen
Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2021: 93-69	Velasquez	Fortune	Mattos	Blencowe	Eblen
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2021: 91-71	Velasquez	Fortune	Hamilton	Blencowe	Eblen
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 2021: 26-20	Velasquez	Fortune	Hamilton	Blencowe	Eblen
BetMGM Betting Favorites	Velasquez -350	Fortune -375	Mattos -275	Blencowe -150	Eblen -600

Bellator returns this week with a women’s flyweight title bout at the top of the bill.

Bellator 262 takes place Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

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

In the main event, women’s 125-pound champion Juliana Velasquez (11-0 MMA, 6-0 BMMA) puts her title on the line for the first time when she meets challenger Denise Kielholtz (6-2 MMA, 6-1 BMMA). Velasquez is a big betting favorite at -350 at BetMGM, and she’s one of three unanimous picks on the main card from our 13 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers at 8-5.

In the co-feature, Tyrell Fortune (10-1 MMA, 10-1 BMMA) is a sizable -375 favorite at heavyweight against Matt Mitrione (13-8 MMA, 4-3 BMMA). He’s a unanimous pick from our staff members, as well.

Also on the main card, Matheus Mattos (12-2-1 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) takes on Cee Jay Hamilton (15-8 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) in a bantamweight bout. Mattos is a -275 favorite and he has a big 10-3 lead in the picks.

Our most contentious fight from a picking standpoint also is the closest at the betting window. Arlene Blencowe (13-8 MMA, 6-4 BMMA) is a -150 favorite in her women’s featherweight bout against Dayana Silva (9-6 MMA, 0-1 BMMA). But Blencowe has a pretty big 9-4 lead in the picks. Even though Blencowe is the smallest favorite on the main card, our readers picked her at an 85 percent clip.

And to open the main card, unbeaten Johnny Eblen (8-0 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) is our third unanimous pick in his middleweight bout against promotional newcomer Travis Davis (10-4 MMA, 0-0 BMMA). Eblen is the second biggest favorite on the entire card at 6-1.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Velasquez (67 percent), Fortune (72 percent), Mattos (67 percent), Blencowe (85 percent) and Eblen (77 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.