Bader vs Emelianenko: Bellator 290 Odds, Prediction

Bader is a big favourite in this spot as he’s seven years younger and knocked out Fedor the first time these two met at Bellator 214. Will it be another quick result for Darth or will Fedor fight better this time around?

Check out our MMA odds for more details.

Ryan Bader

Bader is 39 years old, so he’s no spring chicken, but even at this ripe age, he’s managed to climb to the top of the ranks in Bellator. Not only does he hold the heavyweight belt, but he also holds the lightweight belt as well as the grand prix.

Since coming over from UFC, Bader has had plenty of success. Of course, the belts speak to that and so does the fact that he’s won eight of 11 bouts with one being a no-contest. He has defeated some strong fighters too, such as Cheick Kongo, Matt Mitrione, Muhammad Lawal and Lyoto Machida. However, he was also knocked out by Vadim Nemkov and Corey Anderson, so he is quite beatable.

It feels like Bader’s motor and grind will be the difference here. He’s on top and he’s motivated to remain there for the foreseeable future. For Fedor, this is his last bout. By all accounts, it sounds like he’s come to the end of the line and he’s tired, possibly even lacking that all-important fire. If that’s really the case, Bader’s motor and motivation will be difference makers.

Fedor Emelianenko

In recent years, many people have thought that the Last Emperor was on his last legs on several occasions. He lost three straight back in 2011 – twice by knockout – and many figured he was in the twilight of his career at the age of 36. Then he managed to win five straight. Back in 2017, there were again questions when he made his Bellator debut and was knocked out in the first round by Matt Mitrione. However, he won two in a row after that. Then came the first-round knockout loss to Bader but he’s since rebounded with back-to-back first-round knockout wins of his own.

Emelianenko is a legend of the sport and he’s going to have much more than a puncher’s chance here – even if he’s 46 years old now and the odds are not in his favour. The concern here is motivation. It’s his last MMA fight and he’s openly talked about this being the end of the line. He wants to spend more time with his students and his family. That’s obviously good to hear through the lens of his personal life but what does mean in terms of winning Saturday’s fight?

Emelianenko is always stoic, emotion-less and he rarely gives away much. Maybe he’s trying to show that he’s more focused on what comes after the fight or maybe he’s trying to get Bader to think that, so he can catch him off-guard. At any rate, it’s hard to gauge where his head is at for this bout.

Bader vs. Emelianenko Prediction:

Bader via knockout