A quadruple-header weekend is underway for our MMASucka staff picks.
The Professional Fighters League is set for its calendar year return with PFL 1 2022 taking place later this evening, April 20 from the Esports Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Preliminary fights will begin at 5:30pm ET (2:30pm PT) on ESPN+ with the main card starting at 9:00pm ET (6:00pm PT) on both ESPN+ and ESPN.
Live results from the entire PFL 1 2022 fight card will be available here at MMASucka.
Stay tuned this upcoming weekend for the continuation of our quadruple-header weekend with Bellator 278: Velasquez vs. Carmouche (Friday), UFC Vegas 52: Lemos vs. Andrade (Saturday), and Bellator 279: Cyborg vs. Blencowe (Saturday).
The Fights
Fighters across six different weight classes will compete over the upcoming months in a points-based Regular Season and, if qualified, a bracketed tournament in hopes to make the promotion’s one million dollar finale on November 25. For details regarding points, please view PFL MMA’s website.
Regular Season action will begin tonight for athletes competing in the lightweight (155 pounds) and light heavyweight (205 pounds) divisions with three fights from each weight class counted towards our staff picks. In the featured main event of the night, lightweight strikers look to put on a show as 2021 finalist Clay Collard takes on promotional newcomer and longtime UFC veteran Jeremy Stephens.
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Also featured in our staff picks at lightweight sees defending champion Raush Manfio set to battle the seven-fight win streak of Don Madge while the 2018 and 2019 tournament champion Natan Schulte takes on Montreal’s Olivier Aubin-Mercier.
2019 winner Emiliano Sordi, 2021 winner Antonio Carlos Junior, and 2021 finalist Marthin Hamlet are among those competing in the light heavyweight division tonight against their respected opponents.
Find our staff picks for PFL 1 2022 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 included for PFL MMA. Dana White’s Contender Series will be composed of the entire fight card; dates for this promotion’s return 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.
Check out our PFL 1 2022 staff picks below.
Staff Records after UFC Vegas 51:
1. Jeremy Brand: 57-25
2T. Michael DeSantis: 54-28
2T. Nate Freeman: 54-28
4. Brandon Joint: 53-23
5T. Wesley Riddle: 52-30
5T. Frazer Krohn: 52-30
5T. Mike Lynch: 52-30
8. William Dong: 51-31
9T. Andrew Benjamin: 50-32
9T. Julio Monteros Jr.: 50-32
9T. Tim Wheaton: 50-28
9T. Coby Weinsier: 50-26
13T. Ash Camyab: 48-34
13T. Chris Presnell: 48-34
13T. Chinyere Okafor: 48-22
16. Jacek Okninski: 46-36
17T. Matt Bricker: 18-11
17T. Brian Knight: 18-7
19. Jack Goodwillie: 14-6
20. Joe Porter: 8-4
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
Marthin Hamlet (8-3), -265
vs.
Teodoras Aukstuolis (11-5), +215
Light Heavyweight Division, 205 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Hamlet via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Hamlet via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Hamlet via Round 2 SUB
Ash Camyab: Hamlet via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Aukstuolis via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Hamlet via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Hamlet via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Hamlet via Round 2 SUB
Tim Wheaton: Hamlet via Round 1 SUB
Chris Presnell: Hamlet via Round 1 SUB
Coby Weinsier: Hamlet via Round 2 SUB
Brandon Joint: Hamlet via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Hamlet via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Hamlet via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Hamlet via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Hamlet: 14
Staff picking Aukstuolis: 1
Emiliano Sordi (23-9-1), -365
vs.
Cory Hendricks (8-4), +280
Light Heavyweight Division, 205 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Sordi via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Sordi via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Sordi via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Sordi via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Sordi via Round 2 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Sordi via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Sordi via Round 3 TKO
Nate Freeman: Sordi via Round 1 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Sordi via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Sordi via Unanimous Decision
Coby Weinsier: Sordi via Unanimous Decision
Brandon Joint: Sordi via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Sordi via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Sordi via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Sordi via Round 3 TKO
Staff picking Sordi: 15
Staff picking Hendricks: 0
Natan Schulte (21-4-1), +155
vs.
Olivier Aubin-Mercier (13-5), -180
Lightweight Division, 155 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Aubin-Mercier via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Aubin-Mercier via Split Decision
Michael DeSantis: Schulte via Split Decision
Ash Camyab: Aubin-Mercier via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Schulte via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Aubin-Mercier via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Aubin-Mercier via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Aubin-Mercier via Split Decision
Tim Wheaton: Schulte via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Schulte via Split Decision
Coby Weinsier: Aubin-Mercier via Split Decision
Brandon Joint: Schulte via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Aubin-Mercier via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Schulte via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Aubin-Mercier via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Schulte: 6
Staff picking Aubin-Mercier: 9
Antonio Carlos Junior (13-5, 2 NC), -1000
vs.
Delan Monte (8-1), +650
Light Heavyweight Division, 205 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Carlos Junior via Round 1 SUB
Wesley Riddle: Carlos Junior via Round 1 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Carlos Junior via Round 1 SUB
Ash Camyab: Carlos Junior via Round 1 SUB
Andrew Benjamin: Carlos Junior via Round 2 SUB
Frazer Krohn: Carlos Junior via Round 2 SUB
Mike Lynch: Carlos Junior via Round 3 SUB
Nate Freeman: Carlos Junior via Round 1 SUB
Tim Wheaton: Carlos Junior via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Carlos Junior via Round 1 SUB
Coby Weinsier: Carlos Junior via Round 2 SUB
Brandon Joint: Carlos Junior via Round 2 SUB
Jacek Okninski: Carlos Junior via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Carlos Junior via Round 2 SUB
Brian Knight: Carlos Junior via Round 1 SUB
Staff picking Carlos Junior: 15
Staff picking Monte: 0
Raush Manfio (15-3), +130
vs.
Don Madge (10-3-1), -150
Lightweight Co-Main Event, 155 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Madge via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Madge via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Manfio via Split Decision
Ash Camyab: Madge via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Manfio via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Madge via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Manfio via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: Madge via Split Decision
Tim Wheaton: Manfio via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Manfio via Unanimous Decision
Coby Weinsier: Manfio via Unanimous Decision
Brandon Joint: Madge via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Madge via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Manfio via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Madge via Split Decision
Staff picking Manfio: 7
Staff picking Madge: 8
Clay Collard (20-9, 1 NC), +100
vs.
Jeremy Stephens (28-19, 1 NC), -120
Lightweight Main Event, 155 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Stephens via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Collard via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Collard via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Stephens via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Collard via Round 2 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Stephens via Round 2 TKO
Mike Lynch: Stephens via Round 1 TKO
Nate Freeman: Collard via Split Decision
Tim Wheaton: Collard via Round 3 TKO
Chris Presnell: Stephens via Unanimous Decision
Coby Weinsier: Stephens via Unanimous Decision
Brandon Joint: Stephens via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Stephens via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Stephens via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Collard via Split Decision
Staff picking Collard: 6
Staff picking Stephens: 9
*Fight odds from DraftKings*
PFL 1 2022 FEATURED IMAGE:
Natan Schulte (left) and Olivier Aubin-Mercier (right) ahead of their PFL 1 2022 fight taking place Wednesday, April 20 from the Esports Stadium in Arlington, Texas (photo credits to Cooper Neill, PFL MMA).
