Part two of our double-header weekend for MMASucka staff picks is in.
UFC Vegas 51, also titled as UFC on ESPN 34, is set to begin in just a few short hours this evening, April 16 from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card will begin at 8:30pm ET (5:30pm PT) live for cable viewers on ESPN and subscribers on ESPN+.
Results from the entire fight card of UFC Vegas 51: Luque vs. Muhammad 2 will be available here at MMASucka.
Also, be sure to recap our staff picks from Friday night’s incredible Bellator 277: McKee vs. Pitbull 2 event from San Jose.
Stay tuned next week to MMASucka for the busiest weekend of staff picks for 2022 as four fight cards will be counted towards our yearly-compiled records from April 20 (Wednesday) to April 23 (Saturday).
The Fights
Welterweight title implications could be in store for the winner of tonight’s main event between Vicente Luque and Belal Muhammad. The fight comes as a rematch after their November of 2016 pairing at UFC 205 where Luque only needed 79 seconds to finish Muhammad by knockout.
Following that very victory, Luque has compiled a record of 10-2 with two decision defeats to Leon Edwards in 2017 and to Stephen Thompson, most recently, in late 2019. The Brazilian finisher rides a four fight win streak including two first-round D’arce choke finishes last year over Tyron Woodley and Michael Chiesa. Luque’s opponent, Muhammad, has amassed the same number of wins since their fight with three last year alone including Demian Maia aforementioned Thompson. A win would be his sixth in a row, and a dominant showing from the former Titan FC champion would be the proper way to start his 2022. Will tonight’s winner be on their way to a shot at dominant divisional king Kamaru Usman?
Dana White’s Contender Series standouts Caio Borralho and Gadzhi Omargadzhiev will take the big stage in the featured co-main event. With a combined record of 23-1, the two 29-year-old talents look to make the most of their biggest opportunity to date.
Who are the MMASucka staff picking to win at UFC Vegas 51? Find out 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.
PFL MMA returns this upcoming Wednesday, April 20. Dates for the return of 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 51: Luque vs. Muhammad 2 below.
Staff Records after UFC 273:
1. Jeremy Brand: 52-21
2T. Michael DeSantis: 48-25
2T. Frazer Krohn: 48-25
2T. Mike Lynch: 48-25
2T. Nate Freeman: 48-25
2T. Brandon Joint: 48-19
7T. Wesley Riddle: 47-26
7T. Andrew Benjamin: 47-26
9T. Tim Wheaton: 46-23
9T. William Dong: 46-27
11T. Chris Presnell: 45-28
11T. Julio Monteros Jr.: 45-28
11T. Chinyere Okafor: 45-19
14T. Ash Camyab: 44-29
14T. Coby Weinsier: 44-23
16. Jacek Okninski: 41-32
17T. Matt Bricker: 12-8
17T. Brian Knight: 12-4
19. Jack Goodwillie: 9-2
20. Joe Porter: 5-1
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
*Note – UFC Vegas 51 picks will be added to the above records NEXT weekend*
Mounir Lazzez (10-2), -190
vs.
Ange Loosa (8-2), +160
Welterweight Division, 170 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Lazzez via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Lazzez via Split Decision
Michael DeSantis: Lazzez via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Lazzez via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Lazzez via Round 2 TKO
Mike Lynch: Lazzez via Round 3 TKO
Nate Freeman: Lazzez via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Lazzez via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Lazzez via Unanimous Decision
Coby Weinsier: Lazzez via Split Decision
Brandon Joint: Lazzez via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Loosa via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Lazzez via Round 2 TKO
Chinyere Okafor: Lazzez via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Lazzez via Unanimous Decision
Matt Bricker: Lazzez via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Lazzez via Unanimous Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Loosa via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Lazzez: 16
Staff picking Loosa: 2
Pat Sabatini (16-3), -510
vs.
TJ Laramie (12-4), +375
Featherweight Division, 145 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Laramie via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Sabatini via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Sabatini via Round 2 SUB
Ash Camyab: Laramie via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Laramie via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Laramie via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Sabatini via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Sabatini via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Sabatini via Round 1 SUB
Coby Weinsier: Sabatini via Round 2 SUB
Brandon Joint: Sabatini via Round 2 TKO
Jacek Okninski: Sabatini via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Sabatini via Unanimous Decision
Chinyere Okafor: Sabatini via Round 2 TKO
Julio Monteros Jr.: Sabatini via Unanimous Decision
Matt Bricker: Sabatini via Round 2 SUB
Brian Knight: Laramie via Round 2 TKO
Jack Goodwillie: Sabatini via Round 1 SUB
Staff picking Sabatini: 13
Staff picking Laramie: 5
Mayra Bueno Silva (7-2-1), -490
vs.
Wu Yanan (12-4), +360
Bantamweight Division, 135 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Bueno Silva via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Bueno Silva via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Bueno Silva via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Yanan via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Bueno Silva via Round 2 SUB
Mike Lynch: Bueno Silva via Round 1 SUB
Nate Freeman: Bueno Silva via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Bueno Silva via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Yanan via Unanimous Decision
Coby Weinsier: Bueno Silva via Unanimous Decision
Brandon Joint: Bueno Silva via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Bueno Silva via Round 3 SUB
William Dong: Bueno Silva via Unanimous Decision
Chinyere Okafor: Bueno Silva via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Bueno Silva via Unanimous Decision
Matt Bricker: Bueno Silva via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Bueno Silva via Unanimous Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Yanan via Split Decision
Staff picking Bueno Silva: 15
Staff picking Yanan: 3
Miguel Baeza (10-2), -160
vs.
Andre Fialho (14-4, 1 NC), +140
Welterweight Division, 170 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Baeza via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Baeza via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Fialho via Round 2 TKO
Ash Camyab: Baeza via Round 2 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Baeza via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Baeza via Round 1 TKO
Nate Freeman: Fialho via Round 2 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Baeza via Round 2 TKO
Chris Presnell: Baeza via Unanimous Decision
Coby Weinsier: Baeza via Round 3 TKO
Brandon Joint: Baeza via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Baeza via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Baeza via Round 3 TKO
Chinyere Okafor: Baeza via Round 2 TKO
Julio Monteros Jr.: Baeza via Round 3 TKO
Matt Bricker: Baeza via Round 2 TKO
Brian Knight: Fialho via Split Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Fialho via Round 1 TKO
Staff picking Baeza: 14
Staff picking Fialho: 4
Caio Borralho (10-1, 1 NC), +100
vs.
Gadzhi Omargadzhiev (13-0), -120
Middleweight Co-Main Event, 185 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Omargadzhiev via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Omargadzhiev via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Omargadzhiev via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Omargadzhiev via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Omargadzhiev via Round 2 TKO
Mike Lynch: Omargadzhiev via Round 1 TKO
Nate Freeman: Omargadzhiev via Split Decision
Tim Wheaton: Omargadzhiev via Round 3 SUB
Chris Presnell: Omargadzhiev via Unanimous Decision
Coby Weinsier: Borralho via Round 2 TKO
Brandon Joint: Omargadzhiev via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Omargadzhiev via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Borralho via Round 2 TKO
Chinyere Okafor: Omargadzhiev via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Omargadzhiev via Unanimous Decision
Matt Bricker: Omargadzhiev via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Omargadzhiev via Unanimous Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Borralho via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Borralho: 3
Staff picking Omargadzhiev: 15
Vicente Luque (21-7-1), -190
vs.
Belal Muhammad (20-3, 1 NC), +160
Welterweight Main Event, 170 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Muhammad via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Luque via Round 2 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Luque via Round 3 TKO
Ash Camyab: Luque via Round 2 SUB
Frazer Krohn: Luque via Round 3 TKO
Mike Lynch: Luque via Round 4 TKO
Nate Freeman: Luque via Round 2 SUB
Tim Wheaton: Luque via Round 1 TKO
Chris Presnell: Luque via Round 1 TKO
Coby Weinsier: Muhammad via Unanimous Decision
Brandon Joint: Luque via Round 3 SUB
Jacek Okninski: Muhammad via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Luque via Round 2 TKO
Chinyere Okafor: Luque via Round 4 TKO
Julio Monteros Jr.: Luque via Round 2 TKO
Matt Bricker: Muhammad via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Muhammad via Unanimous Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Luque via Round 3 TKO
Staff picking Luque: 13
Staff picking Muhammad: 5
*Fight odds from DraftKings*
UFC VEGAS 51 FEATURED IMAGE:
Embed from Getty Images
