MMASucka staff picks are locked in for the second half of our double-header weekend.
UFC Vegas 49, also titled as UFC Fight Night 102, will take place later tonight, February 26 from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. Five fights make up the main card beginning at 7:00pm ET (4:00pm PT) live on ESPN+ for subscribers.
Be sure to recap our staff picks from yesterday afternoon’s thrilling Bellator 275 fight card from Dublin, where Gegard Mousasi made quick defense of his middleweight championship with a first-round knockout over previously-undefeated Austin Vanderford.
Live results from all of UFC Vegas 49: Makhachev vs. Green will be available here at MMASucka.
The Fights
A late injury from Beneil Dariush forced the Kings MMA talent out of his scheduled main event with Islam Makhachev. With just ten days notice, Bobby Green will step in and fight in the potential five-round, 25-minute fight at a catchweight of 160 pounds.
Green returns to the headlines having fought just two weeks ago at UFC 271 securing a unanimous decision over Nasrat Haqparast. The fan-favorite out of California will be making an octagon walk for the 19th time in search of his 30th professional MMA victory. Green’s opponent, Makhachev, has done nothing but dominate in all but one of his 22 fights having a single blemish by knockout to Adriano Martins in October of 2015. A win tonight would be his tenth in-a-row with three varied submissions in 2021 alone; most recently, a first-round kimura over Dan Hooker.
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Middleweights Misha Cirkunov and Wellington Turman are set for battle in the co-main event. Submission wrestling specialist Cirkunov looks to snap a two-fight skid after defeats last year to both Ryan Spann and Krzysztof Jotko. Turman also aims to utilize his grappling skills hoping for two-straight after an August decision of Sam Alvey.
Find out further below who the MMASucka staff are picking to win on the five-fight main card at UFC Vegas 49.
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.
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.
See our staff picks for UFC Vegas 49: Makhachev vs. Green below.
Staff Records after Bellator 274:
1. Brandon Joint: 25-7
2. Coby Weinsier: 21-11
3T. Michael DeSantis: 20-12
3T. Andrew Benjamin: 20-12
3T. Mike Lynch: 20-12
3T. Chinyere Okafor: 20-8
7T. Jeremy Brand: 19-13
7T. Frazer Krohn: 19-13
9T. Wesley Riddle: 18-14
9T. Nate Freeman: 18-14
9T. Julio Monteros Jr.: 18-14
12. Ash Camyab: 17-15
13T. Chris Presnell: 16-16
13T. Jacek Okninski: 16-16
13T. William Dong: 16-16
16. Tim Wheaton: 14-13
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
*Note – Bellator 275 staff picks will be added to the above records NEXT weekend*
Armen Petrosyan (6-1), +135
vs.
Gregory Rodrigues (11-3), -155
Middleweight Division, 185 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Petrosyan via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Rodrigues via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Rodrigues via Round 2 TKO
Ash Camyab: Petrosyan via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Petrosyan via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Petrosyan via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Rodrigues via Round 2 SUB
Nate Freeman: Rodrigues via Split Decision
Tim Wheaton: Petrosyan via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Rodrigues via Round 1 TKO
Coby Weinsier: Petrosyan via Round 2 TKO
Brandon Joint: Petrosyan via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Petrosyan via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Petrosyan via Round 2 TKO
Chinyere Okafor: Rodrigues via Round 2 TKO
Julio Monteros Jr.: Petrosyan via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Petrosyan: 10
Staff picking Rodrigues: 6
Arman Tsarukyan (17-2), -260
vs.
Joel Alvarez (19-2), +210
Lightweight Division, 155 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Tsarukyan via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Tsarukyan via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Tsarukyan via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Tsarukyan via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Tsarukyan via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Alvarez via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Tsarukyan via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Tsarukyan via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Tsarukyan via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Tsarukyan via Split Decision
Coby Weinsier: Tsarukyan via Unanimous Decision
Brandon Joint: Tsarukyan via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Tsarukyan via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Alvarez via Round 3 TKO
Chinyere Okafor: Tsarukyan via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Alvarez via Round 3 TKO
Staff picking Tsarukyan: 13
Staff picking Alvarez: 3
Ji Yeon Kim (9-4-2), -155
vs.
Priscila Cachoeira (10-4), +135
Flyweight Division, 125 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Yeon Kim via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Yeon Kim via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Yeon Kim via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Yeon Kim via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Yeon Kim via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Cachoeira via Round 2 TKO
Mike Lynch: Yeon Kim via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Yeon Kim via Round 2 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Yeon Kim via Round 3 SUB
Chris Presnell: Yeon Kim via Unanimous Decision
Coby Weinsier: Yeon Kim via Round 2 SUB
Brandon Joint: Yeon Kim via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Yeon Kim via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Yeon Kim via Unanimous Decision
Chinyere Okafor: Yeon Kim via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Yeon Kim via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Yeon Kim: 15
Staff picking Cachoeira: 1
Misha Cirkunov (15-7), -130
vs.
Wellington Turman (17-5), +110
Middleweight Co-Main Event, 185 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Cirkunov via Round 1 SUB
Wesley Riddle: Cirkunov via Round 2 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Cirkunov via Round 2 TKO
Ash Camyab: Cirkunov via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Cirkunov via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Cirkunov via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Cirkunov via Round 3 TKO
Nate Freeman: Cirkunov via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Turman via Round 1 TKO
Chris Presnell: Cirkunov via Round 2 TKO
Coby Weinsier: Cirkunov via Unanimous Decision
Brandon Joint: Cirkunov via Round 2 SUB
Jacek Okninski: Cirkunov via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Cirkunov via Unanimous Decision
Chinyere Okafor: Cirkunov via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Cirkunov via Round 3 SUB
Staff picking Cirkunov: 15
Staff picking Turman: 1
Islam Makhachev (21-1), -850
vs.
Bobby Green (29-12-1), +575
Catchweight Main Event, 160 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Makhachev via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Makhachev via Round 2 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Makhachev via Round 3 SUB
Ash Camyab: Makhachev via Round 3 SUB
Andrew Benjamin: Green via Round 2 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Makhachev via Round 3 SUB
Mike Lynch: Makhachev via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Makhachev via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Makhachev via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Makhachev via Unanimous Decision
Coby Weinsier: Makhachev via Round 3 SSUB
Brandon Joint: Makhachev via Round 2 SUB
Jacek Okninski: Makhachev via Round 1 SUB
William Dong: Makhachev via Round 1 SUB
Chinyere Okafor: Makhachev via Round 3 SUB
Julio Monteros Jr.: Makhachev via Round 3 SUB
Staff picking Makhachev: 15
Staff picking Green: 1
*Fight Odds from DraftKings*
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