Part two of our exciting double-header weekend for MMASucka staff picks is locked in. UFC Vegas 27, also referred to as UFC Fight Night 188, will take place later this evening, May 22 from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card begins live at 7:00pm ET (4:00pm PT) for subscribers on ESPN+.
Make sure to check out our picks from last night’s Bellator 259 event in Uncasville.
UFC Vegas 27 Fights
Fireworks are to be expected in the featured bout of the night between top-ranked bantamweights Rob Font and Cody Garbrandt. Font is set to make his first main event appearance with the UFC, currently sitting with a promotional record of 8-3. The New England Cartel standout has won three straight over some of the division’s best, the most recent falling last December after knocking out former WSOF king Marlon Moraes. Font’s opponent, Garbrandt, is set to return after nearly a year outside the octagon. The former champion lost three straight stretching from 2017 to 2019 before he vicious rebound over Raphael Assuncao by knockout last June.
Strawweights Yan Xiaonan and Carla Esparza will clash in the co-main event in what may very well be a title eliminator bout. China’s Xiaonan puts her six-fight UFC win streak on the line, having a successful 2020 with decisions over both Karolina Kowalkiewicz and Claudia Gadelha. California’s Esparza also rides a respectable four-fight promotional streak with a 2020 duo of decisions over Michelle Waterson and Marina Rodriguez.
Due to a late shuffling bout order, only five of the six main card fights (excluding Ricardo Ramos versus Bill Algeo) will be part our MMASucka staff picks. See those remaining fights at UFC Vegas 27 further below.
[pickup_prop id=”7377″]
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 all of our UFC Vegas 27: Font vs. Garbrandt picks below.
Staff Records after UFC 262:
1. Wesley Riddle: 70-44
2. Nate Freeman: 68-46
3T. Ash Camyab: 66-43
3T. Frazer Krohn: 66-48
5. Michael DeSantis: 65-49
6. Joshua Yule: 64-50
7. Jeremy Brand: 62-53
8. Mitchell Banuelos: 60-54
9. Mike Lynch: 56-53
10. Kenny Lee: 55-49
11. Tim Wheaton: 47-33
12. Andrew Benjamin: 46-54
13. Matt Bricker: 43-47
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
*Note – Bellator 259 picks will be added to the above records NEXT weekend*
Jack Hermansson (21-6) vs. Edmen Shahbazyan (11-1)
Jeremy Brand: Hermansson via UD
Wesley Riddle: Hermansson via UD
Michael DeSantis: Hermansson via Round 2 SUB
Mitchell Banuelos: Hermansson via Round 2 SUB
Matt Bricker: Hermansson via Round 2 SUB
Ash Camyab: Hermansson via Round 3 SUB
Andrew Benjamin: Hermansson via UD
Frazer Krohn: Hermansson via Round 3 TKO
Mike Lynch: Hermansson via Round 1 SUB
Nate Freeman: Hermansson via Round 3 SUB
Tim Wheaton: Hermansson via UD
Staff picking Hermansson: 11
Staff picking Shahbazyan: 0
Felicia Spencer (8-2) vs. Norma Dumont Viana (5-1)
Jeremy Brand: Spencer via UD
Wesley Riddle: Spencer via UD
Michael DeSantis: Spencer via Round 1 SUB
Mitchell Banuelos: Spencer via UD
Matt Bricker: Spencer via UD
Ash Camyab: Spencer via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Spencer via UD
Frazer Krohn: Dumont Viana via SD
Mike Lynch: Spencer via Round 2 SUB
Nate Freeman: Spencer via Round 2 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Spencer via UD
Staff picking Spencer: 10
Staff picking Dumont Viana: 1
Justin Tafa (4-2) vs. Jared Vanderaa (11-5)
Jeremy Brand: Tafa via UD
Wesley Riddle: Tafa via Round 2 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Vanderaa via Round 2 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Tafa via Round 1 TKO
Matt Bricker: Tafa via Round 1 TKO
Ash Camyab: Tafa via Round 3 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Tafa via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Tafa via Round 2 TKO
Mike Lynch: Tafa via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: Tafa via Round 1 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Tafa via Round 1 TKO
Staff picking Tafa: 10
Staff picking Vanderaa: 1
Yan Xiaonan (13-1, 1 NC) vs. Carla Esparza (18-6)
Jeremy Brand: Xiaonan via Round 1 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Xiaonan via SD
Michael DeSantis: Xiaonan via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Xiaonan via UD
Matt Bricker: Xiaonan via UD
Ash Camyab: Xiaonan via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Esparza via UD
Frazer Krohn: Xiaonan via UD
Mike Lynch: Esparza via UD
Nate Freeman: Xiaonan via SD
Tim Wheaton: Xiaonan via UD
Staff picking Xiaonan: 9
Staff picking Esparza: 2
Rob Font (18-4) vs. Cody Garbrandt (12-3)
Jeremy Brand: Garbrandt via UD
Wesley Riddle: Garbrandt via Round 4 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Font via Round 2 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Garbrandt via Round 2 TKO
Matt Bricker: Garbrandt via Round 3 TKO
Ash Camyab: Garbrandt via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Garbrandt via Round 2 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Garbrandt via UD
Mike Lynch: Garbrandt via Round 1 TKO
Nate Freeman: Font via Round 2 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Garbrandt via Round 3 TKO
Staff picking Font: 2
Staff picking Garbrandt: 9
FEATURED IMAGE:
Embed from Getty Images
