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MMASucka’s UFC 272 Staff Picks

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Former friends become fierce foes in tonight’s main event as MMASucka staff picks return to kick off a new month.

Later this evening, March 5 will see UFC 272 take place from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card will begin at a start time of 10:00pm ET (7:00pm PT) live on pay-per-view available for purchase to ESPN+ subscribers.

Live results from the entire UFC 272 event are available here at MMASucka.

MMASucka staff picks continue next weekend with a March 12 double-header featuring Bellator 276: Borics vs. Burnell and UFC Vegas 50: Santos vs. Ankalaev.

UFC 272 Fights

Top-ranked welterweight rivals Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal will look to settle their difference in tonight’s featured five-round main event.

Former divisional interim champion and two-time title challenger Covington looks to bounce back strong following a November of 2021 defeat for the championship in a rematch with Kamaru Usman. Covington’s opponent, long-time combat veteran Masvidal, looks for his first win since November of 2019 after two title fight defeats against the aforementioned Usman spanning over the last two years. Who wins between the two former teammates?

UFC 272’s co-main event will also be contested in a potential five-round, twenty-five minute bout between Rafael dos Anjos and Renato Moicano.

Top-rising talent Rafael Fiziev was anticipated to take on dos Anjos but was forced out of the contest with COVID-19. Moicano steps in as the late fighter replacement with just a weeks notice. Former lightweight champion Dos Anjos returns after nearly a year and-a-half layoff lastly earning a unanimous decision in his 155-pound comeback over Paul Felder. American Top Team’s Moicano started 2022 strong just three weeks ago with a second-round submission of Alexander Hernandez.

Find out further below who the MMASucka staff are picking to win on the main card of UFC 272.

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.

Who are the MMASucka staff taking at UFC 272: Covington vs. Masvidal? See our picks below.


Staff Records after UFC Vegas 49:

1. Brandon Joint: 31-11
2T. Andrew Benjamin: 27-15
2T. Coby Weinsier: 27-15
4T. Jeremy Brand: 26-16
4T. Michael DeSantis: 26-16
4T. Frazer Krohn: 26-16
4T. Mike Lynch: 26-16
8. Chinyere Okafor: 26-12
9T. Wesley Riddle: 24-18
9T. Nate Freeman: 24-18
9T. Julio Monteros Jr.: 24-18
12T. Ash Camyab: 23-19
12T. Tim Wheaton: 23-14
14T. Chris Presnell: 22-20
14T. Jacek Okninski: 22-20
14T. William Dong: 22-20
17. Matt Bricker: 2-3

*Note – not all staff pick for every event*


Sergey Spivak (13-3), -190
vs.
Greg Hardy (7-4, 1 NC), +160

Heavyweight Division, 265 lbs.

Jeremy Brand: Spivak via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Spivak via Round 3 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Spivak via Round 2 SUB
Ash Camyab: Spivak via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Spivak via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Spivak via Round 2 TKO
Mike Lynch: Spivak via Round 3 TKO
Nate Freeman: Spivak via Unanimous Decision

Tim Wheaton: Spivak via Split Decision
Chris Presnell: Spivak via Round 2 SUB
Coby Weinsier: Spivak via Round 2 TKO
Brandon Joint: Spivak via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Spivak via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Spivak via Round 2 TKO
Chinyere Okafor: Spivak via Round 2 TKO
Julio Monteros Jr.: Spivak via Round 1 TKO
Matt Bricker: Spivak via Round 3 TKO

Staff picking Spivak: 17
Staff picking Hardy: 0


Kevin Holland (21-7, 1 NC), -380
vs.
Alex Oliveira (22-11-1, 2 NC), +290

Welterweight Division, 170 lbs.

Jeremy Brand: Holland via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Holland via Round 2 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Holland via Round 2 TKO
Ash Camyab: Holland via Round 1 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Holland via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Holland via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Holland via Round 1 TKO
Nate Freeman: Holland via Round 2 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Holland via Round 1 TKO
Chris Presnell: Holland via Round 1 TKO
Coby Weinsier: Holland via Round 2 TKO
Brandon Joint: Holland via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Holland via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Holland via Round 2 TKO
Chinyere Okafor: Holland via Round 2 TKO
Julio Monteros Jr.: Holland via Round 3 TKO
Matt Bricker: Holland via Round 1 TKO

Staff picking Holland: 16
Staff picking Oliveira: 0


Edson Barboza (22-10), +140
vs. 
Bryce Mitchell (14-1), -160

Featherweight Division, 145 lbs.

Jeremy Brand: Mitchell via Round 2 SUB
Wesley Riddle: Mitchell via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Mitchell via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Barboza via Round 1 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Barboza via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Barboza via Round 2 TKO
Mike Lynch: Barboza via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Barboza via Split Decision
Tim Wheaton: Mitchell via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Barboza via Unanimous Decision
Coby Weinsier: Barboza via Split Decision
Brandon Joint: Mitchell via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Barboza via Round 3 TKO
William Dong: Mitchell via Unanimous Decision
Chinyere Okafor: Mitchell via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Barboza via Round 2 TKO
Matt Bricker: Barboza via Split Decision

Staff picking Barboza: 10
Staff picking Mitchell: 7


Rafael dos Anjos (30-13), -170
vs.
Renato Moicano (16-4-1), +150

Catchweight Co-Main Event, 160 lbs.

Jeremy Brand: Anjos via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Anjos via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Anjos via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Anjos via Round 3 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Anjos via Round 2 SUB
Frazer Krohn: Anjos via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Anjos via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Anjos via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Anjos via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Anjos via Unanimous Decision
Coby Weinsier: Anjos via Unanimous Decision
Brandon Joint: Anjos via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Anjos via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Anjos via Unanimous Decision
Chinyere Okafor: Anjos via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Anjos via Unanimous Decision
Matt Bricker: Moicano via Split Decision

Staff picking Anjos: 15
Staff picking Moicano: 1


Colby Covington (16-3), -350
vs.
Jorge Masvidal (35-15), +270

Welterweight Main Event, 170 lbs.

Jeremy Brand: Masvidal via Round 3 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Covington via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Covington via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Covington via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Masvidal via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Covington via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Covington via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Covington via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Covington via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Covington via Unanimous Decision
Coby Weinsier: Covington via Unanimous Decision
Brandon Joint: Covington via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Covington via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Covington via Unanimous Decision
Chinyere Okafor: Covington via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Masvidal via Round 3 TKO
Matt Bricker: Covington via Unanimous Decision

Staff picking Covington: 14
Staff picking Masvidal: 3

*Fight Odds from DraftKings*

UFC 272 FEATURED IMAGE:
Embed from Getty Images

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Wesley Riddle is a 29-year-old writer residing in Raleigh, North Carolina from Harrisonburg, Virginia. He has been part of the MMASucka team since the fourth quarter of 2016. Additionally, he serves as a writer with partner site Last Word on Motorsports.

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