MMASucka staff picks are in for tonight’s UFC 236 taking place from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. The five-fight main card will begin live at 10:00pm ET (7:00pm PT) on pay-per-view. Each bout will count towards our records for the 2019 season, along with yesterday morning’s ONE Championship: Roots of Honor card. Unfortunately due to technical issues, a staff picks article for the event was unable to go up. Further down in the “Staff Records” section you can find how we did from that main card listed in parenthesis.
THE FIGHTS
In the main event, featherweight champion Max Holloway moves up in weight to contest for the interim lightweight championship against Dustin Poirier. The two faced off in the octagon over seven years ago with Poirier come out victorious by submission in the first round. Following a 3-3 start in the UFC, Holloway has won 13 fights in a row including two third round stoppages over Jose Aldo and a recent fourth round doctor stoppage over Brian Ortega. Poirier has been featured in three straight main events finishing each opponent in his way: Eddie Alvarez, Justin Gaethje, and Anthony Pettis. In each of those bouts, he secured a post-fight bonus. This fight tonight is a must-see for any fan of mixed martial arts.
Another interim belt is on the line in the co-main event where Kelvin Gastelum and Israel Adesanya will battle it out at 185 pounds. An emergency surgery for middleweight champion Robert Whittaker forced him out of a bout against Gastelum in February which lead to his created interim fight. On the same card that fight was intended, Adesanya captured a unanimous decision win over one of the greats in the sport Anderson Silva. Now the two will battle, the winner to receive the next title shot against Whittaker when healthy.
All other main card fights are listed 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 236: Holloway vs. Poirier 2 below.
Staff Records after ONE Championship: Roots of Honor
*Parenthesis indicates how staff did from the six ONE Championship fights*
1T. Michael DeSantis: 84-34 (4-2)
1T. Ed Gallo: 84-34 (4-2)
3T. Wesley Riddle: 79-39 (6-0)
3T. Brian Gerson: 79-39 (5-1)
3T. Connor Deitrich: 79-39 (5-1)
6. Ryan Wagner: 77-33 (4-2)
7. Mike Skytte: 74-44 (3-3)
8. Omar Villagrana: 72-46 (3-3)
9T. Jeremy Brand: 71-47 (5-1)
9T. Matt Bricker: 71-47 (3-3)
11. Mitchell Banuelos: 70-33 (N/A)
12. Patrick Auger: 69-42 (4-2)
13T. Justin Pierrot: 64-44 (3-3)
13T. Ash Camyab: 64-38 (2-4)
15. Suraj Sukumar: 34-13 (N/A)
16. Sasha Moksyakov: 31-16 (N/A)
17. Idrees Crawley: 12-4 (N/A)
18. Ryan Hobbs: 2-4 (2-4)
Ovince Saint Preux (23-12) vs. Nikita Krylov (25-6)
Jeremy Brand: Krylov via UD
Wesley Riddle: Saint Preux via Round 1 SUB
Mike Skytte: Krylov via Round 1 TKO
Justin Pierrot: Krylov via UD
Michael DeSantis: Saint Preux via Round 2 SUB
Ryan Wagner: Saint Preux via Round 2 SUB
Mitchell Banuelos: Saint Preux via Round 1 SUB
Ed Gallo: Saint Preux via Round 3 TKO
Omar Villagrana: Krylov via UD
Brian Gerson: Krylov via Round 2 TKO
Matt Bricker: Krylov via UD
Connor Deitrich: Saint Preux via Round 2 SUB
Patrick Auger: Saint Preux via UD
Sasha Moksyakov: N/A
Suraj Sukumar: Krylov via UD
Ash Camyab: Saint Preux via Round 1 TKO
Idrees Crawley: N/A
Ryan Hobbs: Saint Preux via Round 1 SUB
Staff picking Saint Preux: 9
Staff picking Krylov: 7
Alan Jouban (16-6) vs. Dwight Grant (9-2)
Jeremy Brand: Jouban via UD
Wesley Riddle: Grant via Round 1 TKO
Mike Skytte: Grant via UD
Justin Pierrot: Jouban via UD
Michael DeSantis: Jouban via UD
Ryan Wagner: Jouban via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Jouban via UD
Ed Gallo: Jouban via UD
Omar Villagrana: Jouban via UD
Brian Gerson: Grant via UD
Matt Bricker: Jouban via Round 2 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Grant via UD
Patrick Auger: Jouban via UD
Sasha Moksyakov: N/A
Suraj Sukumar: Grant via UD
Ash Camyab: Jouban via UD
Idrees Crawley: N/A
Ryan Hobbs: Jouban via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Jouban: 11
Staff picking Grant: 5
Eryk Anders (11-3) vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. (7-3)
Jeremy Brand: Anders via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Anders via UD
Mike Skytte: Anders via Round 2 TKO
Justin Pierrot: Rountree Jr. via SD
Michael DeSantis: Anders via UD
Ryan Wagner: Anders via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Anders via Round 3 TKO
Ed Gallo: Rountree Jr. via Round 1 TKO
Omar Villagrana: Anders via UD
Brian Gerson: Anders via Round 1 TKO
Matt Bricker: Anders via Round 1 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Anders via UD
Patrick Auger: Anders via UD
Sasha Moksyakov: N/A
Suraj Sukumar: Rountree Jr. via Round 3 TKO
Ash Camyab: Rountree Jr. via Round 1 TKO
Idrees Crawley: N/A
Ryan Hobbs: Anders via UD
Staff picking Anders: 12
Staff picking Rountree Jr.: 4
Kelvin Gastelum (16-3) vs. Israel Adesanya (16-0)
Jeremy Brand: Adesanya via UD
Wesley Riddle: Adesanya via UD
Mike Skytte: Adesanya via Round 3 TKO
Justin Pierrot: Adesanya via UD
Michael DeSantis: Adesanya via UD
Ryan Wagner: Adesanya via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Adesanya via Round 4 TKO
Ed Gallo: Adesanya via Round 4 TKO
Omar Villagrana: Gastelum via UD
Brian Gerson: Gastelum via Round 2 SUB
Matt Bricker: Gastelum via UD
Connor Deitrich: Adesanya via Round 4 TKO
Patrick Auger: Gastelum via UD
Sasha Moksyakov: N/A
Suraj Sukumar: Adesanya via Round 4 TKO
Ash Camyab: Adesanya via UD
Idrees Crawley: N/A
Ryan Hobbs: Gastelum via UD
Staff picking Gastelum: 5
Staff picking Adesanya: 11
Max Holloway (20-3) vs. Dustin Poirier (24-5)
Jeremy Brand: Holloway via Round 3 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Holloway via Round 3 TKO
Mike Skytte: Holloway via UD
Justin Pierrot: Holloway via Round 4 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Holloway via Round 4 TKO
Ryan Wagner: Holloway via Round 4 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Holloway via Round 4 TKO
Ed Gallo: Holloway via Round 4 TKO
Omar Villagrana: Poirier via UD
Brian Gerson: Poirier via Round 3 TKO
Matt Bricker: Poirier via Round 4 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Holloway via Round 4 TKO
Patrick Auger: Holloway via Round 3 TKO
Sasha Moksyakov: N/A
Suraj Sukumar: Holloway via Round 3 TKO
Ash Camyab: Holloway via Round 5 TKO
Idrees Crawley: N/A
Ryan Hobbs: Holloway via Round 4 TKO
Staff picking Holloway: 13
Staff picking Poirier: 3
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