MMASucka staff picks are back!
Fights have returned for the picking crew and viewing pleasure, as UFC Vegas 46 looks to welcome us all into the new year with action from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card kicks off at 7:00pm ET (4:00pm PT) live on both ESPN for cable viewers and ESPN+ for subscribers.
Staff picks will return next weekend with the UFC’s first pay-per-view of 2022.
Live results from all of UFC Vegas 46 can be found here at MMASucka.
The Fights
A stand-up battle is to be expected in the night’s main event between featherweights Calvin Kattar and Giga Chikadze. New England Cartel’s Kattar looks to bounce back in style following a 25-minute decision defeat in his last fight to former divisional champion Max Holloway. Georgian Chikadze has done nothing but impress over his last nine fights, most recently finishing off legend Edson Barboza with strikes last August. Expect both men to deliver with high volume as they look to firmly set themselves inside the 145-pound top five ranks.
Heavyweight hitters Jake Collier and Chase Sherman will clash in the co-main slot. Collier will fight for the very first time on a UFC main card looking to rebound after losing a split decision in his last fight with Brazil’s Carlos Felipe. Former Bare Knuckle FC champion Sherman aims to snap a two-fight skid in search of his first win since May of 2020.
A main card pairing between welterweights Muslim Salikhov and Michel Pereira was cancelled and removed from the card. Due to the late main card shuffle, only five fights will be counted for our event. See who the MMASucka staff is picking to win at UFC Vegas 46 further below.
Staff Picks
Staff picks in 2022 will follow the same set of rules from the 2021 season. 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 entire fight card.
Bellator’s first event will take place Saturday, January 29. Dates for the return of both PFL MMA and Dana White’s Contender Series in 2022 are soon-to-be announced.
The WINNER of staff picks in 2022 will have a choice between receiving a custom-made championship belt from ProAmBelts or a chain from Championship Chains. A winner is determined simply by the individual correctly picking the most victorious fighters at the year’s end. Nate Freeman secured his first victory with MMASucka in 2021 with a compiled record 243-136.
Who wins at UFC Vegas 46: Kattar vs. Chikadze? See our MMASucka staff picks for 2022’s inaugural event below.
MMASucka’s 2022 Staff Records:
1. Nate Freeman: 247-138
2T. Wesley Riddle: 241-144
2T. Michael DeSantis: 241-140
4. Frazer Krohn: 227-157
5. Mike Lynch: 215-160
6. Ash Camyab: 199-141
7. Jeremy Brand: 190-154
8. Andrew Benjamin: 159-147
9. Tim Wheaton: 130-108
10. Chris Presnell: 122-63
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
Bill Algeo (14-6), +115
vs.
Joanderson Brito (12-2-1), -135
Featherweight Division, 145 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Brito via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Brito via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Brito via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Brito via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Algeo via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Algeo via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Brito via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Brito via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Algeo via Unanimous Decision
Coby Weinsier: Brito via Unanimous Decision
Brandon Joint: Algeo via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Algeo via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Brito via Unanimous Decision
Chinyere Okafor: Brito via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Brito via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Algeo: 5
Staff picking Brito: 10
Katlyn Chookagian (16-4), -200
vs.
Jennifer Maia (19-7-1), +170
Flyweight Division, 125 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Chookagian via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Chookagian via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Chookagian via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Chookagian via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Chookagian via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Chookagian via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Chookagian via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Chookagian via Split Decision
Chris Presnell: Maia via Split Decision
Coby Weinsier: Chookagian via Unanimous Decision
Brandon Joint: Chookagian via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Maia via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Chookagian via Unanimous Decision
Chinyere Okafor: Chookagian via Split Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Chookagian via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Chookagian: 13
Staff picking Maia: 2
Brandon Royval (12-6), -155
vs.
Rogerio Bontorin (16-3, 2 NC), +135
Flyweight Division, 125 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Royval via Round 3 SUB
Wesley Riddle: Royval via Round 1 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Bontorin via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Royval via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Royval via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Royval via Round 2 SUB
Mike Lynch: Royval via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Royval via Split Decision
Chris Presnell: Bontorin via Unanimous Decision
Coby Weinsier: Royval via Round 2 SUB
Brandon Joint: Royval via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Bontorin via Split Decision
William Dong: Royval via Round 2 SUB
Chinyere Okafor: Royval via Round 3 SUB
Julio Monteros Jr.: Royval via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Royval: 12
Staff picking Bontorin: 3
Jake Collier (12-6), -135
vs.
Chase Sherman (15-8), +115
Heavyweight Co-Main Event, 265 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Sherman via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Sherman via Round 3 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Collier via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Collier via Round 1 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Sherman via Round 2 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Sherman via Round 2 TKO
Mike Lynch: Sherman via Round 3 TKO
Nate Freeman: Sherman via Round 2 TKO
Chris Presnell: Sherman via Round 2 TKO
Coby Weinsier: Sherman via Round 2 TKO
Brandon Joint: Sherman via Round 1 TKO
Jacek Okninski: Sherman via Round 1 TKO
William Dong: Sherman via Round 1 TKO
Chinyere Okafor: Sherman via Round 2 TKO
Julio Monteros Jr.: Sherman via Majority Decision
Staff picking Collier: 2
Staff picking Sherman: 13
Calvin Kattar (22-5), +205
vs.
Giga Chikadze (14-2), -255
Featherweight Main Event, 155 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Chikadze via Round 3 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Chikadze via Round 5 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Chikadze via Round 3 TKO
Ash Camyab: Chikadze via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Chikadze via Round 2 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Kattar via Round 4 TKO
Mike Lynch: Chikadze via Round 1 TKO
Nate Freeman: Chikadze via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Chikadze via Round 3 TKO
Coby Weinsier: Chikadze via Unanimous Decision
Brandon Joint: Chikadze via Round 2 TKO
Jacek Okninski: Chikadze via Round 2 TKO
William Dong: Chikadze via Unanimous Decision
Chinyere Okafor: Chikadze via Round 4 TKO
Julio Monteros Jr.: Chikadze via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Kattar: 1
Staff picking Chikadze: 14
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