Event two of three this fight-filled week is locked in for our MMASucka staff picks. Later this evening, September 18 will see UFC Vegas 37 take place from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card will begin at 7:00pm ET (4:00pm PT) live on ESPN+.
Make sure to recap our Dana White’s Contender Series 39 staff picks from this most recent Tuesday. Also, stay tuned to MMASucka later today as the staff picks week concludes with Bellator 266: Davis vs. Romero.
UFC Vegas 37 Fights
A potential five rounds are in store in tonight’s featured main event at light heavyweight between Anthony Smith and Ryan Spann.
Smith struggled at first to find consistency following his only promotional title shot to former divisional king Jon Jones in 2019. Most recently, however, he has secured two first-round stoppages since November including a doctor stoppage win over Jimmy Crute. Another win for “Lionheart” could put him next in line for a title shot against Jan Blachowicz. Smith’s opponent, Spann, sits at 5-1 ranked inside the top fifteen with only three years of UFC time. A second fight under Dana White’s Contender Series in 2018 resulted in his contract with the promotion avenging a missed-out opportunity just a year prior. Spann aims to back up his “Performance of the Night” bonus knockout win over Misha Cirkunov in March.
[pickup_prop id=”11394″]
Additional light heavyweights of Ion Cutelaba and Devin Clark will look to steal the show in the co-main event. Following an intense stare-down at weigh-ins, as shown in our featured image, both men are extra motivated to secure a victory tonight. Cutelaba looks to snap a two-fight losing streak, his last win coming by knockout over Khalil Rountree Jr. in September of 2019. Clark’s two decisions over both Dequan Townsend and Alonzo Menifield was broken falling to main event’s Anthony Smith last November.
A late fight cancellation between Niklas Motta and Cameron VanCamp has resulted in only five fights being counted for our picks. See those at UFC Vegas 37 further below.
Staff Picks
Throughout the calendar year, staff picks will be composed of main card fights from both UFC and Bellator events. Main card fights and selected preliminary fights will be selected for PFL MMA. Dana White’s Contender Series will be composed of the full fight card.
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.
Who are the MMASucka staff picking to win at UFC Vegas 37: Smith vs. Spann? See below.
Staff Records after Dana White’s Contender Series 39:
1. Nate Freeman: 159-91
2. Wesley Riddle: 156-94
3. Michael DeSantis: 154-96
4. Frazer Krohn: 143-107
5. Ash Camyab: 137-99
6. Jeremy Brand: 135-116
7. Mike Lynch: 134-106
8. Andrew Benjamin: 108-115
9. Mitchell Banuelos: 107-89
10. Tim Wheaton: 94-74
11. Brandon Joint: 71-36
12. Matt Bricker: 57-57
13. Chris Presnell: 39-20
14. Amanda Grace: 13-8
15T. Steven Irvine: 9-7
15T. Al Mac: 9-2
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
Joaquin Buckley (12-4) vs. Antonio Arroyo (9-4)
Jeremy Brand: Buckley via UD
Wesley Riddle: Buckley via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Buckley via Round 2 TKO
Ash Camyab: Buckley via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Buckley via UD
Frazer Krohn: Buckley via Round 1 TKO
Mike Lynch: Buckley via Round 3 TKO
Nate Freeman: Buckley via Round 2 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Arroyo via UD
Chris Presnell: Buckley via Round 1 TKO
Staff picking Buckley: 9
Staff picking Arroyo: 1
Arman Tsarukyan (16-2) vs. Christos Giagos (19-8)
Jeremy Brand: Giagos via Round 2 SUB
Wesley Riddle: Tsarukyan via UD
Michael DeSantis: Tsarukyan via UD
Ash Camyab: Tsarukyan via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Tsarukyan via UD
Frazer Krohn: Tsarukyan via UD
Mike Lynch: Tsarukyan via UD
Nate Freeman: Tsarukyan via UD
Tim Wheaton: Tsarukyan via UD
Chris Presnell: Tsarukyan via UD
Staff picking Tsarukyan: 9
Staff picking Giagos: 1
Ariane Lipski (13-7) vs. Mandy Bohm (7-0, 1 NC)
Jeremy Brand: Lipski via UD
Wesley Riddle: Lipski via SD
Michael DeSantis: Lipski via UD
Ash Camyab: Lipski via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Lipski via UD
Frazer Krohn: Lipski via UD
Mike Lynch: Lipski via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: Lipski via SD
Tim Wheaton: Bohm via UD
Chris Presnell: Lipski via UD
Staff picking Lipski: 9
Staff picking Bohm: 1
Ion Cutelaba (15-6-1, 1 NC) vs. Devin Clark (12-5)
Jeremy Brand: Clark via UD
Wesley Riddle: Cutelaba via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Cutelaba via Round 1 TKO
Ash Camyab: Cutelaba via Round 1 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Cutelaba via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Clark via SD
Mike Lynch: Cutelaba via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: Cutelaba via UD
Tim Wheaton: Cutelaba via Round 1 TKO
Chris Presnell: Cutelaba via Round 1 TKO
Staff picking Cutelaba: 8
Staff picking Clark: 2
Anthony Smith (35-16) vs. Ryan Spann (21-6)
Jeremy Brand: Smith via UD
Wesley Riddle: Smith via Round 2 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Smith via Round 3 SUB
Ash Camyab: Smith via Round 4 SUB
Andrew Benjamin: Smith via Round 3 SUB
Frazer Krohn: Smith via Round 4 SUB
Mike Lynch: Spann via Round 2 SUB
Nate Freeman: Smith via Round 3 SUB
Tim Wheaton: Smith via Round 4 SUB
Chris Presnell: Smith via Round 3 SUB
Staff picking Smith: 9
Staff picking Spann: 1
UFC VEGAS 37 FEATURED IMAGE:
Embed from Getty Images
