UFC 271 predictions: Who's picking Robert Whittaker to get title back from Israel Adesanya?
| Adesanya vs. Whittaker |
Lewis vs. Tuivasa |
Brunson vs. Cannonier |
Hernandez vs. Moicano |
Green vs. Haqparast |
|
| MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 11-10 |
Adesanya (53%) |
Lewis (68%) |
Brunson (50.1%) |
Moicano (57%) |
Green (67%) |
| Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 14-7 |
Adesanya |
Lewis |
Brunson |
Hernandez |
Haqparast |
| George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 14-7 |
Adesanya |
Lewis |
Brunson |
Moicano |
Green |
| John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 14-7 2021 Champion |
Adesanya |
Lewis |
Cannonier |
Moicano |
Green |
| Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 13-8 2018 Champion |
Adesanya |
Lewis |
Brunson |
Moicano |
Green |
| Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 13-8 |
Adesanya |
Lewis |
Brunson |
Moicano |
Green |
| Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 12-9 2014 Champion |
Adesanya |
Lewis |
Brunson |
Hernandez |
Green |
| Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 12-9 |
Adesanya |
Tuivasa |
Cannonier |
Moicano |
Haqparast |
| Nolan King @mma_kings 11-10 |
Adesanya |
Lewis |
Cannonier |
Moicano |
Haqparast |
| Matthew Wells @MrMWells 11-10 |
Adesanya |
Lewis |
Cannonier |
Hernandez |
Green |
| Brian Garcia @thegoze 10-11 2017 Champion |
Adesanya |
Lewis |
Brunson |
Moicano |
Green |
| Simon Samano @SJSamano 10-11 |
Whittaker |
Tuivasa |
Brunson |
Moicano |
Green |
| Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 9-12 |
Adesanya |
Lewis |
Brunson |
Moicano |
Haqparast |
The UFC is back in Texas this week with a big middleweight title rematch at the top of the bill.
UFC 271 takes place Saturday at Toyota Center in Houston. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
In the main event, middleweight champion Israel Adesanya (21-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) takes on Robert Whittaker (23-5 MMA, 14-3 UFC), the man he took the belt from, in a rematch. Adesanya is a big -300 favorite at Tipico; the comeback on Whittaker is +225. Our 12 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers are backing the champ nearly unanimously at an 11-1 clip.
In the co-feature, Houston hometown fan favorite and former heavyweight title challenger Derrick Lewis (26-8 MMA, 17-6 UFC) meets Tai Tuivasa (14-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC). Lewis is a 2-1 favorite and has a big 10-2 edge in the picks.
Also on the main card, Derek Brunson (23-7 MMA, 14-5 UFC) fights Jared Cannonier (14-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) in a key middleweight contenders matchup. Cannonier is a -170 favorite, but it’s actually Brunson who has the backing of most of our staff members at 8-4.
Alexander Hernandez (13-4 MMA, 5-3 UFC) and Renato Moicano (15-4-1 MMA, 7-4 UFC) throw down in a lightweight fight. Moicano is a -175 favorite and has a sizable 9-3 edge in the picks.
And to open the main card, Bobby Green (28-12-1 MMA, 9-7-1 UFC) takes on Nasrat Haqparast (13-4 MMA, 5-3 UFC) at lightweight. Green is a -150 favorite and has an 8-4 lead in the picks.
In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Adesanya (53 percent), Lewis (68 percent), Brunson (50.1 percent), Moicano (57 percent) and Green (67 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the picks above.