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| Budd vs. Rubin |
Carvalho vs. Njokuani |
Velasquez vs. Williams |
Kunimoto vs. Ruth |
|
| MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2019: 118-58 (67%) |
 Budd (71%) |
 Carvalho (77%) |
 Velasquez (70%) |
 Ruth (86%) |
| Nolan King @mma_kings 2019: 23-6 (79%) |
Budd |
Carvalho |
Velasquez |
Ruth |
| Simon Head @simonhead 2019: 25-9 (74%) |
Budd |
Carvalho |
Velasquez |
Ruth |
| Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2019: 120-56 (68%) |
Budd |
Carvalho |
Velasquez |
Ruth |
| Simon Samano @SJSamano 2019: 118-58 (67%) |
Budd |
Carvalho |
Velasquez |
Ruth |
| Brian Garcia @thegoze 2019: 116-60 (66%)  2017 Champion |
Budd |
Carvalho |
Velasquez |
Ruth |
| Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2019: 15-8 (65%) |
Budd |
Carvalho |
Velasquez |
Ruth |
| John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2019: 115-61 (65%) |
Budd |
Carvalho |
Velasquez |
Ruth |
| Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2019: 113-63 (64%) 2014 Champion |
Budd |
Carvalho |
Velasquez |
Ruth |
| Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2019: 112-64 (64%) 2018 Champion |
Budd |
Carvalho |
Velasquez |
Ruth |
| Steven Marrocco @MMAjunkieSteven 2019: 111-65 (63%) |
Budd |
Carvalho |
Velasquez |
Ruth |
| Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2019: 107-69 (61%) |
Budd |
Carvalho |
Velasquez |
Ruth |
| George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2019: 107-69 (61%) |
Budd |
 Njokuani |
Velasquez |
Ruth |
| Dave Doyle @davedoylemma 2019: 50-35 (59%) |
Budd |
Carvalho |
 Williams |
Ruth |
| Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2019: 103-73 (59%) |
Budd |
Carvalho |
Velasquez |
Ruth |
Bellator is back in Oklahoma this week, and a title fight headlines the card.
Bellator 224 takes place Friday at WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Okla. The main card airs on Paramount 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 featherweight champion Julia Budd (12-2 MMA, 6-0 BMMA) puts her title on the line against unbeaten challenger Olga Rubin (6-0 MMA, 4-0 BMMA). Budd is fighting in Thackerville for the fourth straight time and fifth time in six fights – all her title bouts have come at WinStar World casino. Budd is more than a 3-1 favorite with the oddsmakers, and all of our 14 MMA Junkie editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers are picking her to retain her belt.
In the co-feature, Rafael Carvalho (15-3 MMA, 6-2 BMMA) takes on Chidi Njokuani (18-6 MMA, 5-2 BMMA) in a middleweight bout. The oddsmakers have it as the closest bout on the main card with former champ Carvalho just a slight favorite. But 13 of our 14 pickers are taking him to win.
The unbeaten Juliana Velasquez (8-0 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) meets Kristina Williams (3-1 MMA, 3-1 BMMA) in a women’s flyweight bout that may determine the next challenger for champ Ilima-Lei Macfarlane. Velasquez is a -250 favorite and she’s got a huge 13-1 lead in the picks.
And to open the main card, former UFC fighter Kiichi Kunimoto (20-7-2 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) makes his Bellator debut in a welterweight fight against Ed Ruth (6-1 MMA, 6-1 BMMA). Ruth, looking to rebound from the first loss of his career, is the biggest favorite on the card at more than 6-1, and he’s our other unanimous pick.
In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Budd (71 percent), Carvalho (77 percent), Velasquez (70 percent) and Ruth (86 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the picks above.
For more on Bellator 224, check out the MMA Schedule.
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