UFC 251 predictions: Who's picking upsets in the three title fights?
| Usman
vs. Masvidal |
Volkanovski
vs. Holloway |
Aldo
vs. Yan |
Andrade
vs. Namajunas |
Ribas
vs. VanZant |
|
| Nolan King
@mma_kings 2020: 72-24 |
Masvidal |
Volkanovski |
Yan |
Namajunas |
Ribas |
| Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA 2020: 68-28 2014 Champion |
Usman |
Holloway |
Yan |
Namajunas |
Ribas |
| Simon Head
@simonhead 2020: 67-29 2019 Champion* |
Masvidal |
Volkanovski |
Yan |
Namajunas |
Ribas |
| Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv 2020: 66-30 |
Masvidal |
Volkanovski |
Aldo |
Namajunas |
Ribas |
| Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway 2020: 65-31 2018 Champion |
Masvidal |
Volkanovski |
Yan |
Namajunas |
Ribas |
| Dave Doyle
@davedoylemma 2020: 63-33 |
Usman |
Volkanovski |
Yan |
Namajunas |
Ribas |
| Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze 2020: 60-36 |
Masvidal |
Holloway |
Yan |
Namajunas |
Ribas |
After much anticipation, the UFC has its first of four straight events on “Fight Island” on Saturday – with three title fights atop the bill.
UFC 251 takes place Saturday at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
In the main event, welterweight champion Kamaru Usman (16-1 MMA, 11-0 UFC) takes on short-notice challenger Jorge Masvidal (35-13 MMA, 12-6 UFC). Usman is more than a 2-1 favorite, but it’s Masvidal with an 8-6 lead in the picks from our 14 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts.
In the co-main event, featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski (21-1 MMA, 8-0 UFC) puts his title on the line for the first time against former champ Max Holloway (21-5 MMA, 17-5 UFC), whom he beat to win the title in 2019. Volkanovski is more than a 2-1 favorite and has a big 11-3 lead in the picks from our staff members.
In the third title fight on the main card, Petr Yan (14-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) meets former featherweight kingpin Jose Aldo (28-6 MMA, 10-5 UFC) for the vacant bantamweight title. Yan is more than a 2-1 favorite, and only two of our pickers are taking Aldo in an upset to become a rare two-division UFC champion.
Also on the main card, Jessica Andrade (20-7 MMA, 11-5 UFC) meets Rose Namajunas (8-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC) in a rematch. Andrade knocked Namajunas out in May 2019 to win the women’s strawweight title, but has since lost it to champ Zhang Weili. Namajunas is favored in the rematch, and has a big 12-2 lead in the picks.
And to open the main card, Amanda Ribas (9-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) is by far the biggest favorite at the event at more than 8-1 against Paige VanZant (8-4 MMA, 5-3 UFC). Only one of our pickers is taking VanZant in an upset in what is the final fight on her UFC deal before she tests free agency.
In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Masvidal (56 percent), Holloway (56 percent), Yan (67 percent), Namajunas (79 percent) and Ribas (71 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the picks above.