MMASucka staff picks resume tonight, April 29 with PFL 2 2021. This will be the second straight event to kick off the promotion’s season after having its 2020 tournament cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tonight’s event will take place at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey with the main card beginning at 9:00pm ET (6:00pm PT) live on both ESPN+ and ESPN2.
Stay tuned to MMASucka on Saturday afternoon for our UFC Vegas 25 staff picks.
The Fights
Regular Season action continues tonight with those competing in the welterweight (170 lbs.) and light heavyweight (205 lbs.) divisions. In the main event, welterweights Rory MacDonald and Curtis Millender are both set to make their promotional debuts. Former Bellator champion MacDonald looks to come back strong after a unanimous decision loss to Douglas Lima as divisional king. Anaheim’s Millender looks for much of the same after a recent defeat to Sabah Homasi, now set for the biggest challenge of his career.
Other fighters counted tonight for our staff picks include the likes of Hawaiian knockout artist Ray Cooper III, 2019 heavyweight tournament champion Emiliano Sordi, and The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3 winner Antonio Carlos Junior.
A light heavyweight fight between Vinny Magalhaes and Jordan Young was anticipated to be counted for our staff picks. However, weight cut issues from Magalhaes resulted in an opponent change to Askar Mozharov. As a result, the pairing between Mozharov and Young will not be included. See our remaining picks for PFL 2 2021 further below.
Staff Picks
Throughout the calendar year, staff picks will be composed of main card fights from UFC and Bellator events and a variety of fights from PFL MMA. Dana White’s Contender Series will make its debut in the summer months.
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.
See our staff picks for PFL 2 2021: MacDonald vs. Millender below.
Staff Records after UFC 261:
1. Wesley Riddle: 52-33
2. Nate Freeman: 51-34
3T. Ash Camyab: 49-36
3T. Frazer Krohn: 49-36
5. Michael DeSantis: 48-37
6T. Mitchell Banuelos: 47-38
6T. Joshua Yule: 47-38
8T. Jeremy Brand: 45-41
8T. Kenny Lee: 45-35
10. Mike Lynch: 40-40
11. Matt Bricker: 36-35
12. Andrew Benjamin: 34-37
13. Tim Wheaton: 33-23
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
Antonio Carlos Junior (10-5, 1 NC) vs. Tom Lawlor (10-7, 1 NC)
Jeremy Brand: Carlos Junior via Round 2 SUB
Wesley Riddle: Carlos Junior via UD
Michael DeSantis: Carlos Junior via Round 1 SUB
Mitchell Banuelos: Carlos Junior via UD
Ash Camyab: Carlos Junior via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Lawlor via UD
Frazer Krohn: Carlos Junior via UD
Mike Lynch: Lawlor via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: Carlos Junior via Round 2 SUB
Joshua Yule: Carlos Junior via UD
Tim Wheaton: Carlos Junior via UD
Staff picking Carlos Junior: 9
Staff picking Lawlor: 2
Emiliano Sordi (22-8) vs. Chris Camozzi (25-14)
Jeremy Brand: Camozzi via UD
Wesley Riddle: Sordi via Round 2 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Sordi via Round 1 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Sordi via UD
Ash Camyab: Sordi via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Sordi via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Camozzi via SD
Mike Lynch: Sordi via Round 1 TKO
Nate Freeman: Sordi via UD
Joshua Yule: Sordi via Round 3 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Sordi via UD
Staff picking Sordi: 9
Staff picking Camozzi: 2
Joao Zeferino (24-9) vs. Gleison Tibau (34-14)
Jeremy Brand: Zeferino via UD
Wesley Riddle: Zeferino via UD
Michael DeSantis: Zeferino via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Tibau via UD
Ash Camyab: Tibau via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Zeferino via UD
Frazer Krohn: Tibau via Round 1 TKO
Mike Lynch: Tibau via UD
Nate Freeman: Tibau via SD
Joshua Yule: Tibau via UD
Tim Wheaton: Tibau via UD
Staff picking Zeferino: 4
Staff picking Tibau: 7
Ray Cooper III (20-7-1) vs. Jason Ponet (20-12-1, 1 NC)
Jeremy Brand: Cooper III via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Cooper III via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Cooper III via Round 1 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Cooper III via Round 2 TKO
Ash Camyab: Cooper III via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Cooper III via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Cooper III via UD
Mike Lynch: Cooper III via Round 3 TKO
Nate Freeman: Cooper III via Round 1 TKO
Joshua Yule: Cooper III via Round 3 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Cooper III via Round 1 TKO
Staff picking Cooper III: 11
Staff picking Ponet: 0
Rory MacDonald (21-6-1) vs. Curtis Millender (18-6)
Jeremy Brand: MacDonald via Round 3 TKO
Wesley Riddle: MacDonald via Round 2 SUB
Michael DeSantis: MacDonald via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: MacDonald via UD
Ash Camyab: MacDonald via Round 3 SUB
Andrew Benjamin: Millender via UD
Frazer Krohn: MacDonald via Round 3 SUB
Mike Lynch: MacDonald via UD
Nate Freeman: MacDonald via UD
Joshua Yule: MacDonald via UD
Tim Wheaton: MacDonald via UD
Staff picking MacDonald: 10
Staff picking Millender: 1
FEATURED IMAGE:
Antonio Carlos Junior (left) and Tom Lawlor pose at weigh-ins ahead of their PFL 2 2021 fight taking place Thursday, April 29th from the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey (photo credits to PFL MMA).
