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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Matt Erickson

Bellator 293 predictions: What are our two down-the-middle picks in Cali?

Golm
vs.
James
McCourt
vs.
Zingano
Jeffery
vs.
Salter
Colgan
vs.
Montalvo
Cauley
vs.
Trainer
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
35-24

James
(52%)

Zingano
(72%)

Jeffery
(65%)

Colgan
(77%)

Cauley
(72%)
Matt Erickson
@MattE
37-22

James

Zingano

Salter

Colgan

Cauley
Nolan King
@mma_kings
37-22/em>

Golm

Zingano

Jeffery

Colgan

Cauley
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
37-22

James

Zingano

Salter

Colgan

Cauley
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
35-24

James

Zingano

Salter

Colgan

Cauley
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
34-25

Golm

Zingano

Jeffery

Colgan

Cauley
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
34-25

Golm

McCourt

Jeffery

Colgan

Cauley
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
33-26
2018, 2022 Champion

Golm

Zingano

Jeffery

Colgan

Cauley
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
33-26

James

Zingano

Jeffery

Colgan

Cauley
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohn
32-27
2014 Champion

Golm

Zingano

Salter

Colgan

Cauley
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
32-27

Golm

Zingano

Jeffery

Colgan

Cauley
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
31-28
2017 Champion

James

Zingano

Salter

Colgan

Cauley

Bellator is back in Southern California this week with a heavyweight tilt at the top of the lineup.

Bellator 293 takes place Friday at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Calif. 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, Marcelo Golm (10-3 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) takes on Daniel James (14-6-1 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) at heavyweight. Golm is a -150 favorite at Tipico Sportsbook; the comeback on James is +120. Our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers are divided and have Golm with the slimmest possible lead at 6-5 in the picks.

In the co-feature, Leah McCourt (7-2 MMA, 6-1 BMMA) meets former UFC title challenger Cat Zingano (13-4 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) in a women’s featherweight bout that could determine the next title challenger. Zingano is the biggest favorite on the main card at -450, but she doesn’t have a shutout. One of our pickers is taking McCourt in an upset.

Also on the main card, Aaron Jeffery (13-3 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) takes on former middleweight title challenger John Salter (18-6 MMA, 8-3 BMMA). Jeffery is a -420 favorite, but he has just a narrow 6-5 lead in the picks from our staff members.

Our first of two unanimous picks is Archie Colgan (6-0 MMA, 3-0 BMMA), who nearly is a 3-1 favorite in his lightweight bout against Justin Montalvo (5-0 MMA, 2-0 BMMA). Their fight was elevated to the main card Friday.

And to open the main card, Sullivan Cauley (5-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) is our second unanimous pick in his light heavyweight bout against Luke Trainer (6-1 MMA, 3-1 BMMA). Cauley is a 2-1 favorite at the betting window.

In the MMA Junkie consensus picks, James (52 percent), Zingano (72 percent), Jeffery (65 percent), Colgan (77 percent) and Cauley (72 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 293.

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