Bellator 265 predictions: Is it Cheick Kongo or Sergei Kharitonov in South Dakota?

	Kongo vs. Kharitonov	Schiro vs. Storley	Golm vs. Swanson	Lee vs. Lugo
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2021: 124-77	Kharitonov (57%)	Storley (90%)	Golm (55%)	Lugo (64%)
John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2021: 127-74	Kongo	Storley	Golm	Lugo
Simon Samano @SJSamano 2021: 125-76	Kongo	Storley	Golm	Lugo
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2021: 123-78 2018 Champion	Kharitonov	Storley	Golm	Lugo
Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2021: 121-80 2020 Champion	Kharitonov	Storley	Golm	Lugo
Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2021: 119-82 2014 Champion	Kharitonov	Storley	Golm	Lee
Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2021: 118-83	Kongo	Storley	Golm	Lugo
Nolan King @mma_kings 2021: 118-83	Kongo	Storley	Golm	Lugo
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2021: 117-84	Kharitonov	Storley	Golm	Lee
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 2021: 116-85	Kharitonov	Storley	Golm	Lee
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2021: 115-86	Kongo	Storley	Golm	Lugo
Brian Garcia @thegoze 2021: 113-88 2017 Champion	Kongo	Storley	Golm	Lee
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2021: 112-89	Kongo	Storley	Golm	Lugo
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 2021: 46-39	Kongo	Storley	Golm	Lugo

Bellator is back on the road this week with a heavyweight tussle atop the bill in South Dakota.

Bellator 265 takes place Friday at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. 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, Cheick Kongo (30-11-2 MMA, 12-3 BMMA) takes on Sergei Kharitonov (23-8 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) at heavyweight. Kharitonov is just a slight betting favorite at Tipico at -125. But it’s Kongo who has an 8-5 lead in the picks from our 13 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers.

In the co-feature, Logan Storley (11-1 MMA, 6-1 BMMA) is a massive -5000 favorite at Tipico against Dante Schiro (8-2 MMA, 0-0 BMMA). Not surprisingly, Storley, a South Dakota native, is one of two unanimous picks from our staff members.

Our other unanimous pick on the main card is Marcelo Golm (8-3 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) in his heavyweight bout against short-notice replacement Billy Swanson (4-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA), who took the fight on just two days’ notice. Golm has a 13-0 shutout in the picks.

And to open the main card, Keith Lee (7-4 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) takes on Jornel Lugo (6-0 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) in a 140-pound contract weight fight. Lugo is a -170 favorite, and he’s got a 9-4 lead in the picks.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Kharitonov (57 percent), Storley (90 percent), Golm (55 percent) and Lugo (64 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.