MMASucka staff picks are in for UFC on ESPN 5 taking place tomorrow, August 3rd, from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The six-fight main card will kick off at 3:00pm ET (12:00pm PT) live on ESPN. To view our staff picks from Friday’s ONE Championship: Dawn of Heroes event, click the link here.
THE FIGHTS
An exciting 170-pound main event is in store between former interim UFC welterweight champion Colby Covington and former divisional champion Robbie Lawler. Covington has claimed victory in his last six straight UFC fights dating back to June of 2016, his most recent coming by decision over Rafael dos Anjos in which he captured the interim belt. However, he would be stripped after being unable to fight then-champion Tyron Woodley due to surgery. Covington is set for return after a year plus layoff taking on Lawler, who will be making his 21st appearance inside the octagon. Despite being 1-3 in his last four outings, he remains one of the best and most dangerous in the entire division hosting 20 career knockouts. Lawler looks to work his way back towards the top, having been there before as the welterweight champion from 2014 to 2016 with defenses over Rory MacDonald and Carlos Condit.
The co-main event will feature two veterans who have somehow yet to cross paths inside the UFC: Jim Miller and Clay Guida. The two share a combined 59 fights inside the promotion alone, as well as 19 post-fight bonuses. Both lightweights are in search of a second victory in 2019, Miller submitting Jason Gonzalez in April with Guida decisioning B.J. Penn in May.
The remaining UFC on ESPN 5 main card bouts 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 ONE Championship: Dawn of Heroes below, as well as our current records from this 2019 year.
Staff Records after RIZIN 17:
1. Michael DeSantis: 171-99
2. Connor Deitrich: 167-93
3. Ed Gallo: 164-96
4. Mike Skytte: 160-100
5T. Jeremy Brand: 155-105
5T. Mitchell Banuelos: 155-93
7. Matt Bricker: 148-101
8. Ryan Wagner: 146-73
9. Ash Camyab: 144-100
10. Patrick Auger: 142-111
11. Frazer Krohn: 57-40
12. Suraj Sukumar: 53-21
13. Ryan Hobbs: 48-49
14. Ryan Fortune: 38-18
15. Andrew Benjamin: 19-15
16. McKenzie Guardiero: 15-17
Darko Stosic (13-2) vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu (6-1)
Jeremy Brand: Stosic via UD
Mike Skytte: Stosic via UD
Michael DeSantis: Stosic via UD
Ryan Wagner: Nzechukwu via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Nzechukwu via UD
Ed Gallo: Stosic via UD
Brian Gerson: Stosic via UD
Matt Bricker: Stosic via UD
Connor Deitrich: Stosic via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Stosic via Round 2 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Stosic via Round 1 TKO
Ryan Fortune: Stosic via Round 1 TKO
McKenzie Guardiero: Nzechukwu via UD
Staff picking Stosic: 10
Staff picking Nzechukwu: 3
Scott Holtzman (12-3) vs. Dong Hyun Ma (16-9-3)
Jeremy Brand: Holtzman via UD
Mike Skytte: Hyun Ma via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Holtzman via UD
Ryan Wagner: Holtzman via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Holtzman via UD
Ed Gallo: Holtzman via UD
Brian Gerson: Holtzman via UD
Matt Bricker: Hyun Ma via Round 2 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Holtzman via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Holtzman via UD
Frazer Krohn: Holtzman via UD
Ryan Fortune: Holtzman via UD
McKenzie Guardiero: Holtzman via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Holtzman: 11
Staff picking Hyun Ma: 2
Trevin Giles (11-1) vs. Gerald Meerschaert (28-11)
Jeremy Brand: Meerschaert via Round 2 TKO
Mike Skytte: Giles via UD
Michael DeSantis: Giles via Round 2 TKO
Ryan Wagner: Meerschaert via Round 2 SUB
Mitchell Banuelos: Meerschaert via Round 2 SUB
Ed Gallo: Meerschaert via Round 3 SUB
Brian Gerson: Meerschaert via UD
Matt Bricker: Giles via Round 3 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Giles via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Meerschaert via Round 3 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Giles via Round 2 TKO
Ryan Fortune: Giles via Round 3 TKO
McKenzie Guardiero: Meerschaert via Round 2 SUB
Staff picking Giles: 6
Staff picking Meerschaert: 7
Joaquim Silva (11-1) vs. Nasrat Haqparast (10-2)
Jeremy Brand: Silva via UD
Mike Skytte: Haqparast via UD
Michael DeSantis: Haqparast via UD
Ryan Wagner: Haqparast via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Haqparast via UD
Ed Gallo: Silva via SD
Brian Gerson: Haqparast via UD
Matt Bricker: Haqparast via UD
Connor Deitrich: Haqparast via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Haqparast via UD
Frazer Krohn: Haqparast via UD
Ryan Fortune: Haqparast via UD
McKenzie Guardiero: Silva via UD
Staff picking Silva: 3
Staff picking Haqparast: 10
Jim Miller (30-13, 1 NC) vs. Clay Guida (35-18)
Jeremy Brand: Guida via UD
Mike Skytte: Miller via UD
Michael DeSantis: Miller via Round 2 SUB
Ryan Wagner: Miller via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Miller via Round 2 SUB
Ed Gallo: Miller via Round 2 TKO
Brian Gerson: Guida via UD
Matt Bricker: Miller via UD
Connor Deitrich: Miller via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Miller via Round 3 SUB
Frazer Krohn: Miller via UD
Ryan Fortune: Miller via UD
McKenzie Guardiero: Guida via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Miller: 10
Staff picking Guida: 3
Colby Covington (14-1) vs. Robbie Lawler (28-13, 1 NC): UFC on ESPN 5 Main Event
Jeremy Brand: Lawler via Round 2 TKO
Mike Skytte: Lawler via Round 4 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Covington via UD
Ryan Wagner: Covington via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Lawler via Round 1 TKO
Ed Gallo: Lawler via SD
Brian Gerson: Covington via UD
Matt Bricker: Lawler via Round 1 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Covington via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Covington via Round 3 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Lawler via Round 4 TKO
Ryan Fortune: Covington UD
McKenzie Guardiero: Lawler via Round 1 TKO
Staff picking Covington: 6
Staff picking Lawler: 7
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