MMASucka’s staff picks are in for this tonight’s UFC Fight Night 146 taking place from the Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas. All the action will take place live on ESPN+ with main card action beginning at 8:00pm ET (5:00pm PT). This is the second card of staff picks for Sucka this weekend, as ONE Championship held an event early yesterday morning. You can find our staff picks from that event here.
THE FIGHTS
In tonight’s main event, heavyweights Derrick Lewis and Junior dos Santos will meet for the first time. Lewis completed the 2018 year going 3-1, including two third-round knockouts over the likes of Marcin Tybura and Alexander Volkov. He closed out the year attempting to take the UFC heavyweight championship away from Daniel Cormier but would fall short by submission in the second round. Lewis’s opponent, dos Santos, had earned back-to-back victories in 2018 including a recent second-round stoppage over then-undefeated Tai Tuivasa. The former title holder is looking to climb his way back to the top for another chance at gold, his last attempt for the belt resulting in a knockout loss against former champion Stipe Miocic in May of 2017.
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos and Curtis Millender are set for a potential 15-minute war in the co-main event slot. Zaleski dos Santos fell short to Nicolas Dalby in his UFC debut back in May of 2015; since, he has earned six straight victories including two recent (and vicious) finishes over Sean Strickland and Luigi Vendramini. Millender currently rides a nine-fight win streak dating back to June of 2016 including a 3-0 run in LFA and a current 3-0 run since making his UFC debut. He lastly earned a unanimous decision victory over Siyar Bahadurzada in December.
The rest of the main card bouts, along with our main card picks, can be found further below.
STAFF PICKS
Throughout the year, staff picks will be composed of four different MMA promotions: UFC, Bellator, ONE, and RIZIN. Main cards will make up both UFC and Bellator picks, while the biggest fights to make up ONE and RIZIN events will be used. The WINNER of staff picks will have a choice between receiving a championship belt from ProAmBelts or a championship chain from Championship Chains. The 2018 winner was awarded to Michael DeSantis, compiling a record of 202-101.
Check out our MMASucka staff picks for UFC Fight Night 146: Lewis vs. dos Santos below.
Staff Records after ONE Championship: Reign of Valor
1. Michael DeSantis: 52-19
2. Ed Gallo: 49-22
3. Connor Deitrich: 48-23
4. Wesley Riddle: 46-25
5. Brian Gerson: 45-46
6T. Justin Pierrot: 44-26
6T. Ryan Wagner: 44-19
6T. Mitchell Banuelos: 44-22
9T. Mike Skytte: 43-28
9T. Matt Bricker: 43-28
11. Omar Villagrana: 42-29
12. Jeremy Brand: 41-30
13. Ash Camyab: 38-17
14. Patrick Auger: 37-29
15. Sasha Moksyakov: 27-14
16. Suraj Sukumar: 23-12
17. Idrees Crawley: 2-2
Tim Boetsch (21-12) vs. Omari Akhmedov (17-4-1)
Jeremy Brand: Akhmedov via Round 3 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Boetsch via Round 3 TKO
Mike Skytte: Boetsch via Round 1 TKO
Justin Pierrot: Akhmedov via UD
Michael DeSantis: Boetsch via Round 2 TKO
Ryan Wagner: Boetsch via Round 2 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Akhmedov via UD
Ed Gallo: Boetsch via Round 3 TKO
Omar Villagrana: Akhmedov via UD
Brian Gerson: Akhmedov via UD
Matt Bricker: Akhmedov via UD
Connor Deitrich: Akhmedov via UD
Patrick Auger: Boetsch via Round 3 TKO
Sasha Moksyakov: Akhmedov via UD
Suraj Sukumar: Akhmedov via UD
Ash Camyab: Boetsch via Round 3 TKO
Idrees Crawley: Akhmedov via UD
Staff picking Boetsch: 7
Staff picking Akhmedov: 10
Beneil Dariush (15-4-1) vs. Drew Dober (20-8, 1 NC)
Jeremy Brand: Dariush via Round 1 SUB
Wesley Riddle: Dariush via UD
Mike Skytte: Dober via UD
Justin Pierrot: Dober via UD
Michael DeSantis: Dariush via Round 2 SUB
Ryan Wagner: Dariush via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Dober via UD
Ed Gallo: Dariush via UD
Omar Villagrana: Dariush via UD
Brian Gerson: Dariush via Round 1 TKO
Matt Bricker: Dober via UD
Connor Deitrich: Dariush via UD
Patrick Auger: Dariush via UD
Sasha Moksyakov: Dariush via UD
Suraj Sukumar: Dariush via UD
Ash Camyab: Dariush via Round 2 TKO
Idrees Crawley: Dariush via UD
Staff picking Dariush: 13
Staff picking Dober: 4
Blagoy Ivanov (16-2, 1 NC) vs. Ben Rothwell (36-10)
Jeremy Brand: Ivanov via UD
Wesley Riddle: Rothwell via UD
Mike Skytte: Ivanov via UD
Justin Pierrot: Rothwell via UD
Michael DeSantis: Rothwell via UD
Ryan Wagner: Rothwell via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Ivanov via UD
Ed Gallo: Ivanov via UD
Omar Villagrana: Ivanov via UD
Brian Gerson: Rothwell via UD
Matt Bricker: Rothwell via UD
Connor Deitrich: Rothwell via UD
Patrick Auger: Ivanov via UD
Sasha Moksyakov: Ivanov via Round 2 TKO
Suraj Sukumar: Ivanov via UD
Ash Camyab: Rothwell via UD
Idrees Crawley: Ivanov via Round 3 TKO
Staff picking Ivanov: 9
Staff picking Rothwell: 8
Tim Means (28-10-1, 1 NC) vs. Niko Price (12-2, 1 NC)
Jeremy Brand: Means via Round 3 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Means via UD
Mike Skytte: Means via UD
Justin Pierrot: Means via Round 2 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Means via Round 2 TKO
Ryan Wagner: Means via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Means via UD
Ed Gallo: Price via Round 1 TKO
Omar Villagrana: Price via UD
Brian Gerson: Price via UD
Matt Bricker: Price via Round 2 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Means via UD
Patrick Auger: Price via Round 2 TKO
Sasha Moksyakov: Means via Round 2 TKO
Suraj Sukumar: Price via UD
Ash Camyab: Price via Round 1 TKO
Idrees Crawley: Price via UD
Staff picking Means: 9
Staff picking Price: 8
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (20-5) vs. Curtis Millender (17-3)
Jeremy Brand: Millender via UD
Wesley Riddle: Zaleski dos Santos via Round 2 TKO
Mike Skytte: Zaleski dos Santos via UD
Justin Pierrot: Zaleski dos Santos via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Zaleski dos Santos via Round 1 TKO
Ryan Wagner: Zaleski dos Santos via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Zaleski dos Santos via Round 2 TKO
Ed Gallo: Zaleski dos Santos via Round 2 TKO
Omar Villagrana: Millender via UD
Brian Gerson: Zaleski dos Santos via Round 1 TKO
Matt Bricker: Zaleski dos Santos via Round 1 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Millender via UD
Patrick Auger: Zaleski dos Santos via Round 3 TKO
Sasha Moksyakov: Zaleski dos Santos via Round 1 TKO
Suraj Sukumar: Zaleski dos Santos via Round 1 TKO
Ash Camyab: Millender via Round 2 TKO
Idrees Crawley: Zaleski dos Santos via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Zaleski dos Santos: 13
Staff picking Millender: 4
Derrick Lewis (21-6, 1 NC) vs. Junior dos Santos (20-5)
Jeremy Brand: dos Santos via UD
Wesley Riddle: dos Santos via Round 2 TKO
Mike Skytte: dos Santos via Round 3 TKO
Justin Pierrot: dos Santos via UD
Michael DeSantis: dos Santos via Round 4 TKO
Ryan Wagner: dos Santos via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Lewis via Round 2 TKO
Ed Gallo: dos Santos via UD
Omar Villagrana: dos Santos via UD
Brian Gerson: dos Santos via Round 2 TKO
Matt Bricker: Lewis via Round 3 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Lewis via Round 2 TKO
Patrick Auger: dos Santos via UD
Sasha Moksyakov: Lewis via Round 2 TKO
Suraj Sukumar: dos Santos via UD
Ash Camyab: Lewis via Round 3 TKO
Idrees Crawley: dos Santos via Round 3 TKO
Staff picking Lewis: 5
Staff picking dos Santos: 12
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