Here we go! The first MMASucka staff picks of 2018.
The year’s opening card, UFC Fight Night 124, will take place later this evening from the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri, featuring exciting strikers Jeremy Stephens and Doo Ho Choi in a five-round featherweight main event.
In the co-main event, flyweights Paige VanZant and Jessica Rose-Clark look to start off the year strong with a victory in the octagon later today.
Do to the circumstances with Uriah Hall (our thoughts and prayers go out to him), and his fight with Vitor Belfort being cancelled. Darren Elkins & Michael Johnson will now be fighting on the main card. At this time, not all staffers have had time to enter their pick for this fight.
The other pairing making up the main card sees two on-the-rise contenders in Kamaru Usman and Emil Meek.
The WINNER of staff picks will have a chance to receive a custom-made championship belt from ProAmBelts following completion of the 2018 calendar year! The 2017 winner was awarded to Wesley Riddle, compiling a record of 118-74 for main card fights. A visual of the potential-earned belt will be shown in a future staff picks article.
Records compiled throughout the season will start being showed follow the completion of this first year event.
Check out the first of 2018’s MMASucka main card staff picks for UFC Fight Night 124 below.
Darren Elkins (24-5) vs. Michael Johnson (18-12)
Jeremy Brand: Johnson via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Johnson via UD
Mike Skytte: Elkins via UD
Nick Godin: Johnson via UD
Jason Burgos: Elkins via UD
Suraj Sukumar: N/A
Justin Pierrot: Elkins via UD
Davey Caplice: Elkins via UD
Michael DeSantis: Elkins via SD
Jacob Debets: Johnson via Round 3 TKO
Melanie Gale: Elkins via UD
Kyle Dimond: Johnson via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Elkins via UD
Ed Gallo: Johnson via UD
Omar Villagrana: Johnson via UD
Staff picking Elkins: 7
Staff picking Johnson: 7
Kamaru Usman (11-1) vs. Emil Meek (9-2-1, 1 NC)
Jeremy Brand: Usman via Round 3 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Usman via Round 1 TKO
Mike Skytte: Usman via Round 2 TKO
Nick Godin: Usman via Round 1 TKO
Jason Burgos: Usman via Round 1 TKO
Suraj Sukumar: Usman via UD
Justin Pierrot: Usman via Round 1 TKO
Davey Caplice: Usman via UD
Michael DeSantis: Usman via Round 3 TKO
Jacob Debets: Meek via UD
Ryan Wagner: Usman via UD
Melanie Gale: Usman via Round 2 TKO
Kyle Dimond: Usman via Round 3 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Usman via Round 2 TKO
Ed Gallo: Usman via UD
Omar Villagrana: Usman via Round 3 TKO
Staff picking Usman: 15
Staff picking Meek: 1
Paige VanZant (7-3) vs. Jessica-Rose Clark (8-4, 1 NC)
Jeremy Brand: VanZant via Round 3 Submission
Wesley Riddle: VanZant via UD
Mike Skytte: Clark via UD
Nick Godin: VanZant via UD
Jason Burgos: VanZant via Round 2 Submission
Suraj Sukumar: VanZant via UD
Justin Pierrot: Clark via UD
Davey Caplice: Clark via UD
Michael DeSantis: VanZant via SD
Jacob Debets: Clark via SD
Ryan Wagner: Clark via UD
Melanie Gale: Clark via UD
Kyle Dimond: VanZant via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: VanZant via UD
Ed Gallo: VanZant via UD
Omar Villagrana: Clark via UD
Staff picking VanZant: 9
Staff picking Clark: 7
Jeremy Stephens (26-14) vs. Doo Ho Choi (14-2)
Jeremy Brand: Choi via UD
Wesley Riddle: Choi via Round 2 TKO
Mike Skytte: Choi via Round 2 TKO
Nick Godin: Choi via Round 3 TKO
Jason Burgos: Stephens via Round 4 TKO
Suraj Sukumar: Stephens via Round 5 TKO
Justin Pierrot: Choi via UD
Davey Caplice: Choi via UD
Michael DeSantis: Choi via Round 3 TKO
Jacob Debets: Stephens via UD
Ryan Wagner: Stephens via UD
Melanie Gale: Choi via UD
Kyle Dimond: Stephens via Round 4 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Choi via UD
Ed Gallo: Choi via UD
Omar Villagrana: Stephens via Round 3 TKO
Staff picking Stephens: 6
Staff picking Choi: 10
