MMASucka staff picks are in for UFC on ESPN 3 taking place tonight, June 29th, from the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The six-fight main card will begin live on ESPN at 9:00pm ET (6:00pm PT).
THE FIGHTS
An incredible heavyweight main event is set to go down between top-ranked strikers Francis Ngannou and Junior dos Santos. Ngannou had a rough start to the 2018 year suffering decision losses to then-champion Stipe Miocic for the title and an inactive decision loss to Derrick Lewis. However, he rebounded with back-to-back knockouts in less than a minute over Curtis Blaydes and Cain Velasquez. Ngannou’s opponent tonight, dos Santos, has won three-straight since dropping a knockout loss to Miocic for the title in 2017. The former UFC heavyweight champion is looking for a sixteenth knockout victory in his 21 total wins dating back to his beginnings in 2006.
A potential title eliminator bout is set in the co-main event slot between Brazil’s Jussier Formiga and former two-time title challenger Joseph Benavidez. The two had previously faced off against one another in 2013, Benavidez coming out with a TKO victory in the first round. Formiga has captured four victories straight including recent decisions over Sergio Pettis and Deiveson Figueiredo. Benavidez has only suffered a single loss in the past five years, that coming in a controversial split decision loss to Pettis last year.
Fan-favorite welterweight Demian Maia will take on the impressive four-fight win streak of Anthony Rocco Martin on the main card. The remaining fights on the main card 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 the UFC on ESPN 3 main card below.
Staff Records after UFC Fight Night 154:
1. Ed Gallo: 143-74
2T. Michael DeSantis: 142-75
2T. Connor Deitrich: 142-75
4T. Brian Gerson: 140-77
5. Mike Skytte: 133-84
6. Jeremy Brand: 130-82
7. Ryan Wagner: 129-67
8. Matt Bricker: 122-84
9. Mitchell Banuelos: 121-81
10. Patrick Auger: 121-89
11. Ash Camyab: 117-84
12. Justin Pierrot: 116-86
13. Frazer Krohn: 35-19
14. Matheus Costa: 31-18
15. Ryan Hobbs: 30-29
16. Andrew Benjamin: 14-9
17. Ryan Fortune: 7-6
Alonzo Menifield (8-0) vs. Paul Craig (11-3)
Jeremy Brand: Craig via Round 2 SUB
Mike Skytte: Menifield via Round 3 TKO
Justin Pierrot: Menifield via UD
Michael DeSantis: Menifield via Round 1 TKO
Ryan Wagner: Menifield via Round 1 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Menifield via Round 2 TKO
Ed Gallo: Menifield via Round 2 TKO
Brian Gerson: Craig via Round 3 SUB
Matt Bricker: Menifield via Round 1 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Menifield via Round 1 TKO
Patrick Auger: Craig via Round 3 SUB
Ash Camyab: Craig via Round 3 SUB
Ryan Hobbs: Menifield via Round 1 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: N/A
Frazer Krohn: Menifield via Round 2 TKO
Matheus Costa: N/A
Ryan Fortune: Menifield via Round 1 TKO
Staff picking Menifield: 11
Staff picking Craig: 4
Drew Dober (20-9, 1 NC) vs. Marco Polo Reyes (8-5)
Jeremy Brand: Dober via UD
Mike Skytte: Dover via UD
Justin Pierrot: Polo Reyes via UD
Michael DeSantis: Dober via UD
Ryan Wagner: Polo Reyes via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Dober via UD
Ed Gallo: Polo Reyes via UD
Brian Gerson: Polo Reyes via Round 3 TKO
Matt Bricker: Dober via UD
Connor Deitrich: Dober via UD
Patrick Auger: Dober via UD
Ash Camyab: Polo Reyes via UD
Ryan Hobbs: Polo Reyes via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: N/A
Frazer Krohn: Polo Reyes via UD
Matheus Costa: N/A
Ryan Fortune: Dober via Round 1 TKO
Staff picking Dober: 8
Staff picking Polo Reyes: 7
Roosevelt Roberts (8-0) vs. Vinc Pichel (11-2)
Jeremy Brand: Pichel via UD
Mike Skytte: Pichel via UD
Justin Pierrot: Roberts via UD
Michael DeSantis: Pichel via UD
Ryan Wagner: Pichel via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Roberts via Round 2 TKO
Ed Gallo: Pichel via UD
Brian Gerson: Pichel via Round 2 TKO
Matt Bricker: Roberts via UD
Connor Deitrich: Roberts via Round 2 SUB
Patrick Auger: Roberts via UD
Ash Camyab: Roberts via UD
Ryan Hobbs: Pichel via UD
Andrew Benjamin: N/A
Frazer Krohn: Roberts via UD
Matheus Costa: N/A
Ryan Fortune: Roberts via SD
Staff picking Roberts: 8
Staff picking Pichel: 7
Demian Maia (26-9) vs. Anthony Rocco Martin (16-4)
Jeremy Brand: Maia via Round 2 SUB
Mike Skytte: Maia via Round 3 SUB
Justin Pierrot: Maia via UD
Michael DeSantis: Maia via Round 2 SUB
Ryan Wagner: Maia via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Maia via Round 1 SUB
Ed Gallo: Maia via Round 2 SUB
Brian Gerson: Maia via Round 1 SUB
Matt Bricker: Rocco Martin via SD
Connor Deitrich: Maia via UD
Patrick Auger: Maia via Round 2 SUB
Ash Camyab: Maia via Round 3 SUB
Ryan Hobbs: Rocco Martin via Round 3 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: N/A
Frazer Krohn: Maia via Round 2 SUB
Matheus Costa: N/A
Ryan Fortune: Maia via Round 1 SUB
Staff picking Maia: 13
Staff picking Rocco Martin: 2
Jussier Formiga (23-5) vs. Joseph Benavidez (27-5)
Jeremy Brand: Benavidez via UD
Mike Skytte: Benavidez via Round 3 SUB
Justin Pierrot: Benavidez via UD
Michael DeSantis: Benavidez via UD
Ryan Wagner: Benavidez via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Benavidez via UD
Ed Gallo: Benavidez via UD
Brian Gerson: Formiga via UD
Matt Bricker: Benavidez via UD
Connor Deitrich: Benavidez via UD
Patrick Auger: Benavidez via UD
Ash Camyab: Benavidez via UD
Ryan Hobbs: Formiga via UD
Andrew Benjamin: N/A
Frazer Krohn: Formiga via UD
Matheus Costa: N/A
Ryan Fortune: Benavidez via UD
Staff picking Formiga: 3
Staff picking Benavidez: 12
Francis Ngannou (13-3) vs. Junior dos Santos (21-5)
Jeremy Brand: dos Santos via Round 2 TKO
Mike Skytte: dos Santos via UD
Justin Pierrot: Ngannou via Round 2 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Ngannou via Round 1 TKO
Ryan Wagner: Ngannou via Round 1 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Ngannou via Round 1 TKO
Ed Gallo: dos Santos via Round 3 TKO
Brian Gerson: Ngannou via Round 1 TKO
Matt Bricker: Ngannou via Round 1 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Ngannou via Round 1 TKO
Patrick Auger: Ngannou via Round 1 TKO
Ash Camyab: Ngannou via Round 1 TKO
Ryan Hobbs: dos Santos via UD
Andrew Benjamin: N/A
Frazer Krohn: Ngannou via Round 3 TKO
Matheus Costa: N/A
Ryan Fortune: Ngannou via Round 1 TKO
Staff picking Ngannou: 11
Staff picking dos Santos: 4
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