Bellator 244 predictions: Is anyone picking Vadim Nemkov to end Ryan Bader's dual-champ reign?

Bellator is back in Connecticut this week, and one of its dual champions puts a title on the line at the top of the card.

Bellator 244 takes place Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. 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, heavyweight and light heavyweight champion Ryan Bader (27-5 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) puts his 205-pound title up against challenger Vadim Nemkov (12-2 MMA, 4-0 BMMA). Bader only is around a -150 favorite at the sports books, but all but one of our 14 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts are picking him to stay champ-champ.

In the co-main event, former women’s featherweight champion Julia Budd (13-3 MMA, 7-1 BMMA) for the first time since losing her belt to Cris Cyborg and takes on Jessy Miele (9-3 MMA, 1-0 BMMA). Budd is a 7-1 favorite and has a 13-1 lead in the picks.

Also on the main card, Valentin Moldavsky (9-1 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) is the event’s biggest favorite at more than 9-1 against Roy Nelson (23-18 MMA, 1-4 BMMA). But three of our 14 picker are taking Nelson to pull off a big upset.

And to open the main card, Andrew Kapel (15-6 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) is an underdog to -250 favorite John Salter (17-4 MMA, 7-1 BMMA) in their middleweight bout, but he’s got two of our 14 pickers taking him in an upset.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Bader (60 percent), Budd (91 percent), Moldavsky (75 percent) and Salter (82 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.