Bellator 269: Emelianenko vs Johnson Odds, Picks and Prediction

Bellator will be streamed out of Moscow, Russia this Saturday, October 23 with Bellator 269 reuniting some interesting fighters during the weekend. The heavyweight event will draw the most eyeballs with Fedor Emelianenko facing off Tim Johnson. The pair has the potential to throw one of the best fights in the category and the promotion’s history.

Both fighters are listed at (-110) which means that predicting a winner here will be doubly challenging as both MMA professionals seem to be cut for this bout. The event will have other noteworthy fighters we will preview briefly. In the meantime, you may watch Bellator 269 on Showtime in the US and on YouTube in Canada. The event will air at 3 pm EST.

Odds to Win Fedor Emelianenko vs Tim Johnson

The two fighters are looking at odds of (-110) each which only goes to show their prowess in the MMA and how far in the fighting game they truly are. Emelianenko is looking to retire and playing in front of a home crowd will definitely be the way to end his fighting career.

Where and When Is Emelianenko vs Tim Johnson

• Date: Saturday, October 23
• Time: 3 pm EST
• Location: Moscow, Russia
• Watch: Showtime (US), YouTube (Canada)

Prediction about Emelianenko vs Johnson

Emelianenko’s legacy in Bellator will live on regardless of the outcome on Saturday but this doesn’t mean that the Russian won’t be doing his best to win. Aged 45, he is one of the oldest competitors in Bellator and the heavyweight category.

The fighter successfully disposed of numerous prominent opponents in recent years, including Chael Sonnen and Frank Mir whom he both defeated by knockout. He did lose against Ryan Bader but bounced back against Quinton Jackson and once again, Emelianenko is looking to add another win to his name.

Emelianenko didn’t lack candidates who would have wanted to fight him, including Alistair Overeem, Fabricio Werdum, and Junior dos Santos. However, Emelianenko has chosen Johnson as his closing enemy. The pick seems fair as both of the fighters are looking at evenly-matched odds unlike any of the other fights that could have been assigned instead.

Has Emelianenko picked Johnson because he is also older and perhaps more closely matched to his skill level? That is subject to speculation. However, looking at Johnson, there is nothing to suggest that the fighter is anything but capable. He lost by decision against Valentin Moldavsky in his most recent bout but has won three fights before that, against Cheick Kongo, Matt Mitrione, and Tyrell Fortune.

Tale of the Tape: Emelianenko vs Johnson

At first glance, there is no denying that Emelianenko has the MMA track record to back him up. He has participated in over 45 recorded fights and won 39 out of 6. Even though he is 45 and has a noticeably lower reach and height, he is a powerful fighter whose stopping power is legendary.

Johnson on the other hand is a great wrestler but we have serious doubt that this would work against Emelianenko in this bout. We are confident that Emelianenko will have the desired end of his career and win in front of a home crowd in Moscow on Saturday.

More Bellator 269 Predictions

Posted at (-2500), Usman Nurmagomedov is another great MMA fighter who will surely bring in the fight home. Then, you have Anatoly Tokov (-450) who will end his bout against Sharaf Davlatmurdov by either a KO or TKO.