Bellator 283 predictions: Ex-champ Douglas Lima or Jason Jackson in Washington?

Bellator has touched down in Washington state for the first time, and a former welterweieght champion is at the top of the bill.

Bellator 283 takes place Friday at Emerald Queen Casino in Tacomma, Wash. 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, former welterweight titleholder Douglas Lima (32-10 MMA, 14-6 BMMA) takes on rising standout Jason Jackson (15-4 MMA, 6-1 BMMA). Jackson nearly is a 2-1 favorite at Tipico Sportsbook; the comeback on Lima is +145. But it’s not a blowout with our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, who have Jackson with the slimmest possible 6-5 lead in the picks.

In the lightweight co-feature, Tofiq Musayev (19-4 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) makes his promotional debut against Sidney Outlaw (16-4 MMA, 3-1 BMMA). Musayev is a -160 favorite and has a 7-4 edge from our staff members.

Also on the main card, Usman Nurmagomedov (14-0 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) is a huge -900 favorite at lightweight against Chris Gonzalez (7-1 MMA, 6-1 BMMA), and he’s one of two unanimous picks on the main card.

It’s a close one from a betting perspective in the welterweight fight between Mukhamed Berkhamov (15-1 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) and Lorenz Larkin (24-7 MMA, 6-2 BMMA). Berkhamov is a -155 favorite, but Larkin has a big 9-2 led from our staff pickers.

And to open the main card, Davion Franklin (5-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) is a -260 favorite against Marcelo Golm (9-3 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) at heavyweight, and he’s our second unanimous pick at 11-0.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Lima (58 percent), Musayev (60 percent), Nurmagomedov (91 percent), Larkin (51 percent), and Franklin (77 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 283.