MMASucka staff picks are in for UFC Fight Night 153 taking place from the Ericsson Globe in Stockholm, Sweden. All of the main card action will begin live on Saturday at 1:00pm ET (10:00pm PT) exclusively on ESPN+. Stay tuned for our RIZIN 16 staff picks, the second half of our double-header weekend.
THE FIGHTS
Former light heavyweight title challengers Alexander Gustafsson and Anthony Smith will clash in the night’s five-round main event. This will be only Gustafsson’s sixth fight dating back to January of 2015, compiling a record of three victories and two defeats. Two losses in that stretch came to former champion Daniel Cormier in 2015 and to current champion Jon Jones in December of last year. His last win came impressively over Glover Teixeira by technical knockout in the fifth. Gustafsson’s opponent, Smith, had an incredible three-fight run in 2018 after moving up in weight from middleweight to light heavyweight. Three straight finishes over the likes of Rashad Evans, Shogun Rua, and Volkan Oezdemir projected him to his first UFC title shot. He would suffer a decision loss in that fight to Jon Jones, this fight with Gustafsson being just shy of a three-month turnaround.
More light heavyweights are set for action in the co-main event slot between Jimi Manuwa and Aleksander Rakic. Manuwa hopes to avoid a fourth straight loss inside the octagon while Rakic looks to claim a 12th straight professional victory.
The remaining main card fights for UFC Fight Night 153 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 153: Gustafsson vs. Smith and our 2019 records thus far below.
Staff Records after UFC Fight Night 152:
1. Ed Gallo: 121-56
2. Michael DeSantis: 118-59
3. Connor Deitrich: 116-61
4. Brian Gerson: 114-63
5T. Wesley Riddle: 112-65
5T. Ryan Wagner: 112-57
7. Mike Skytte: 110-67
8. Omar Villagrana: 107-70
9. Jeremy Brand: 104-73
10. Mitchell Banuelos: 101-61
11T. Matt Bricker: 97-70
11T. Patrick Auger: 97-73
13. Ash Camyab: 95-66
14. Justin Pierrot: 94-73
15. Frazer Krohn: 26-17
16. Ryan Hobbs: 17-17
17T. Matheus Costa: 8-6
17T. Andrew Benjamin: 8-3 (inactive)
Daniel Teymur (6-3) vs. Sung Bin Jo (9-0)
Jeremy Brand: Teymur via UD
Wesley Riddle: Jo via Round 1 TKO
Mike Skytte: Teymur via SD
Justin Pierrot: Teymur via UD
Michael DeSantis: Jo via Round 2 TKO
Ryan Wagner: Jo via Round 3 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Jo via UD
Ed Gallo: Jo via UD
Omar Villagrana: Jo via UD
Brian Gerson: Teymur via UD
Matt Bricker: Jo via UD
Connor Deitrich: Jo via Round 3 TKO
Patrick Auger: Jo via Round 3 TKO
Ash Camyab: Teymur via UD
Frazer Krohn: Jo via SD
Staff picking Teymur: 5
Staff picking Jo: 10
Damir Hadzovic (13-4) vs. Christos Giagos (16-7)
Jeremy Brand: Giagos via UD
Wesley Riddle: Hadzovic via UD
Mike Skytte: Hadzovic via UD
Justin Pierrot: Hadzovic via UD
Michael DeSantis: Hadzovic via Round 2 TKO
Ryan Wagner: Hadzovic via Round 3 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Hadzovic via UD
Ed Gallo: Hadzovic via Round 3 TKO
Omar Villagrana: Hadzovic via UD
Brian Gerson: Hadzovic via UD
Matt Bricker: Giagos via UD
Connor Deitrich: Hadzovic via Round 2 TKO
Patrick Auger: Hadzovic via Round 3 TKO
Ash Camyab: Hadzovic via UD
Frazer Krohn: Hadzovic via UD
Staff picking Hadzovic: 13
Staff picking Giagos: 2
Makwan Amirkhani (14-3) vs. Chris Fishgold (18-2-1)
Jeremy Brand: Amirkhani via UD
Wesley Riddle: Amirkhani via SD
Mike Skytte: Fishgold via UD
Justin Pierrot: Amirkhani via UD
Michael DeSantis: Amirkhani via UD
Ryan Wagner: Amirkhani via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Amirkhani via UD
Ed Gallo: Amirkhani via UD
Omar Villagrana: Amirkhani via UD
Brian Gerson: Fishgold via UD
Matt Bricker: Fishgold via UD
Connor Deitrich: Amirkhani via Round 1 TKO
Patrick Auger: Amirkhani via Round 1 TKO
Ash Camyab: Amirkhani via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Fishgold via Round 2 SUB
Staff picking Amirkhani: 11
Staff picking Fishgold: 4
Jimi Manuwa (17-5) vs. Aleksandar Rakic (11-1)
Jeremy Brand: Manuwa via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Manuwa via Round 1 TKO
Mike Skytte: Rakic via UD
Justin Pierrot: Manuwa via Round 2 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Manuwa via Round 1 TKO
Ryan Wagner: Rakic via Round 1 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Manuwa via Round 2 TKO
Ed Gallo: Manuwa via Round 1 TKO
Omar Villagrana: Manuwa via UD
Brian Gerson: Rakic via Round 1 TKO
Matt Bricker: Manuwa via Round 1 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Manuwa via Round 1 TKO
Patrick Auger: Rakic via Round 2 TKO
Ash Camyab: Manuwa via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Manuwa via Round 1 TKO
Staff picking Manuwa: 11
Staff picking Rakic: 4
Alexander Gustafsson (18-5) vs. Anthony Smith (31-14)
Jeremy Brand: Gustafsson via UD
Wesley Riddle: Gustafsson via Round 3 TKO
Mike Skytte: Smith via Round 2 TKO
Justin Pierrot: Smith via UD
Michael DeSantis: Gustafsson via UD
Ryan Wagner: Gustafsson via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Gustafsson via UD
Ed Gallo: Gustafsson via UD
Omar Villagrana: Gustafsson via UD
Brian Gerson: Gustafsson via UD
Matt Bricker: Smith via Round 2 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Gustafsson via UD
Patrick Auger: Gustafsson via Round 3 TKO
Ash Camyab: Smith via Round 5 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Gustafsson via UD
Staff picking Gustafsson: 11
Staff picking Smith: 4
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