MMASucka staff picks have returned for the 2021 season. Our new year kicks off with UFC on ABC 1 taking place this afternoon, January 16 from “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi. The main card will begin at an earlier start time of 3:00pm ET (12:00pm PT) live on both ABC, the promotion’s newest partner alongside ESPN, and on ESPN+.
The Fights
A perfect pairing between top-ranked featherweights Max Holloway and Calvin Kattar will lead in the main event. Former featherweight king Holloway is set to compete in his first fight since mid-2016 without a belt on the line. The Hawaiian will look to snap a skid of back-to-back defeats following his previous championship fights with Alexander Volkanovski. His opponent, Kattar, will make his third main event appearance with the promotion. A second-round knockout over Jeremy Stephens and decision to snap the six-fight run of Dan Ige have propelled the 32-year-old to the biggest test of his career.
Fan-favorite veterans Carlos Condit and Matt Brown are set to meet in the co-main event. Former WEC welterweight champion Condit snapped a five-fight skid in October with a win over Court McGee. Brown will aim to return inside the win column following a knockout loss to the still-undefeated Miguel Baeza.
See our remaining main card picks for UFC on ABC 1 further below.
Staff Picks
Throughout the calendar year, staff picks will be composed of main card fights from UFC and Bellator MMA events. PFL will make its debut beginning in April, along with a fourth promotion to-be-determined in the upcoming days.
The WINNER of staff picks in 2021 will have a choice between receiving a custom-made championship belt from ProAmBelts or chain from Championship Chains. For the third straight year, Michael DeSantis captured the 2020 victory compiling a record of 201-88. Connor Deitrich came in second with a 199-90 record, the tightest MMASucka season yet.
Check out our staff picks for UFC on ABC 1: Holloway vs. Kattar below.
Punahele Soriano (7-0) vs. Dusko Todorovic (10-0)
Jeremy Brand: Todorovic via UD
Wesley Riddle: Todorovic via UD
Michael DeSantis: Soriano via Round 1 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Todorovic via UD
Matt Bricker: Todorovic via UD
Connor Deitrich: Soriano via UD
Ash Camyab: Todorovic via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Todorovic via UD
Frazer Krohn: Todorovic via Round 3 TKO
Dan Rose: Soriano via UD
Mike Lynch: N/A
Nate Freeman: Todorovic via UD
Joshua Yule: Todorovic via UD
Kenny Lee: Todorovic via UD
Staff picking Soriano: 3
Staff picking Todorovic: 10
Joaquin Buckley (12-3) vs. Alessio Di Chirico (12-5)
Jeremy Brand: Buckley via UD
Wesley Riddle: Buckley via UD
Michael DeSantis: Buckley via Round 2 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Buckley via UD
Matt Bricker: Buckley via Round 1 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Buckley via Round 1 TKO
Ash Camyab: Buckley via Round 3 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Buckley via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Buckley via UD
Dan Rose: Buckley via Round 2 TKO
Mike Lynch: N/A
Nate Freeman: Buckley via UD
Joshua Yule: Buckley via Round 1 TKO
Kenny Lee: Buckley via Round 3 TKO
Staff picking Buckley: 13
Staff picking Di Chirico: 0
Santiago Ponzinibbio (28-3) vs. Li Jingliang (17-6)
Jeremy Brand: Jingliang via UD
Wesley Riddle: Ponzinibbio via UD
Michael DeSantis: Ponzinibbio via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Jingliang via Round 2 TKO
Matt Bricker: Ponzinibbio via Round 2 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Ponzinibbio via UD
Ash Camyab: Ponzinibbio via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Ponzinibbio via SD
Frazer Krohn: Ponzinibbio via UD
Dan Rose: Ponzinibbio via Round 1 TKO
Mike Lynch: N/A
Nate Freeman: Ponzinibbio via UD
Joshua Yule: Ponzinibbio via UD
Kenny Lee: Jingliang via UD
Staff picking Ponzinibbio: 10
Staff picking Jingliang: 3
Carlos Condit (31-13) vs. Matt Brown (22-7)
Jeremy Brand: Condit via UD
Wesley Riddle: Condit via UD
Michael DeSantis: Condit via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Condit via UD
Matt Bricker: Condit via UD
Connor Deitrich: Condit via UD
Ash Camyab: Brown via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Condit via UD
Frazer Krohn: Brown via Round 2 TKO
Dan Rose: Condit via UD
Mike Lynch: N/A
Nate Freeman: Condit via SD
Joshua Yule: Condit via Round 1 TKO
Kenny Lee: Condit via UD
Staff picking Condit: 11
Staff picking Brown: 2
Max Holloway (21-6) vs. Calvin Kattar (22-4)
Jeremy Brand: Holloway via UD
Wesley Riddle: Holloway via UD
Michael DeSantis: Holloway via SD
Mitchell Banuelos: Holloway via UD
Matt Bricker: Holloway via SD
Connor Deitrich: Holloway via UD
Ash Camyab: Holloway via Round 5 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Holloway via UD
Frazer Krohn: N/A
Dan Rose: Holloway via UD
Mike Lynch: N/A
Nate Freeman: Holloway via SD
Joshua Yule: Holloway via Round 4 TKO
Kenny Lee: Kattar via UD
Staff picking Holloway: 11
Staff picking Kattar: 1
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