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MMASucka’s UFC Vegas 52 Staff Picks

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A double-header is in store today for our MMASucka staff picks.

UFC Vegas 52, also titled as UFC Fight Night 205, is set to take place in just a few hours tonight, April 23 from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. Five fights will lead the main card beginning at 9:00pm ET (6:00pm PT) live for subscribers on ESPN+.

Stay tuned this afternoon for the second half of our double-header staff picks day with Bellator 279: Cyborg vs. Blencowe 2.

Live results from the entire UFC Vegas 52: Lemos vs. Andrade fight card will be available here at MMASucka.

Also, be sure to check out our staff picks from Wednesday’s PFL 1 2022 event from Arlington, Texas and last night’s Bellator 278 event from Honolulu, Hawaii.

The Fights

A strawweight title shot could be in store for the winner of tonight’s main event between Amanda Lemos and Jessica Andrade. After a knockout loss to Leslie Smith in her UFC debut, Lemos has done nothing but impress securing five promotional wins since December of 2019. Three of those victories came last year alone, including two first-round knockouts and a split decision win over top talent Angela Hill. Lemos’s opponent, Andrade, is set for her return to 115 pounds following a three-fight run in the flyweight division that saw a title shot defeat to great Valentina Shevchenko and two knockouts over Katlyn Chookagian and Cynthia Calvillo. The former divisional champion looks to earn her third shot at UFC gold with a potential win tonight.

Lightweights Clay Guida and Claudio Puelles will met in the featured co-main event. Fan-favorite veteran Guida will fight in his 33rd promotional bout looking to back up his incredible submission upset victory over Leonardo Santos last December. TUF: Latin America 3 finalist  Puelles aims for his fifth straight UFC win at a youthful 26 years old.

See who the MMASucka staff are picking to win for all the main card fights at UFC Vegas 52 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.

Who are the MMASucka staff picking to win at UFC Vegas 52: Lemos vs. Andrade? Find out 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*
*Note – PFL 1 2022 & Bellator 278 picks will be added to the above records NEXT weekend*


Lando Vannata (12-5-2), +100
vs.
Charles Jourdain (12-4-1), -120

Featherweight Division, 145 lbs.

Jeremy Brand: Jourdain via Round 3 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Jourdain via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Jourdain via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Jourdain via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Jourdain via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Jourdain via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Jourdain via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Jourdain via Split Decision
Tim Wheaton: Jourdain via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Vannata via Unanimous Decision
Coby Weinsier: Vannata via Unanimous Decision
Brandon Joint: Jourdain via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Vannata via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Jourdain via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Jourdain via Unanimous Decision
Matt Bricker: Jourdain via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Jourdain via Unanimous Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Vannata via Split Decision

Staff picking Vannata: 4
Staff picking Jourdain: 14


Alexander Romanov (15-0), -1500
vs.
Chase Sherman (15-9), +850

Heavyweight Division, 265 lbs.

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

Staff picking Romanov: 17
Staff picking Sherman: 1


Maycee Barber (9-2), -180
vs.
Montana De La Rosa (12-6-1), +155

Flyweight Division, 125 lbs.

Jeremy Brand: De La Rosa via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Barber via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Barber via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Barber via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Barber via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: De La Rosa via Round 3 SUB
Mike Lynch: De La Rosa via Round 2 SUB
Nate Freeman: Barber via Split Decision
Tim Wheaton: Barber via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Barber via Split Decision
Coby Weinsier: Barber via Unanimous Decision
Brandon Joint: De La Rosa via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Barber via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: De La Rosa via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Barber via Unanimous Decision
Matt Bricker: De La Rosa via Round 3 SUB
Brian Knight: De La Rosa via Unanimous Decision
Jack Goodwillie: De La Rosa via Split Decision

Staff picking De La Rosa: 9
Staff picking Barber: 9


Clay Guida (37-18), -110
vs.
Claudio Puelles (12-2), -110

Lightweight Co-Main Event, 155 lbs.

Jeremy Brand: Puelles via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Puelles via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Guida via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Guida via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Guida via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Guida via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Guida via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Puelles via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Guida via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Guida via Unanimous Decision
Coby Weinsier: Guida via Unanimous Decision
Brandon Joint: Guida via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Guida via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Guida via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Puelles via Unanimous Decision
Matt Bricker: Puelles via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Puelles via Split Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Guida via Unanimous Decision

Staff picking Guida: 12
Staff picking Puelles: 6


Amanda Lemos (11-1-1), +195
vs.
Jessica Andrade (22-9), -240

Strawweight Main Event, 115 lbs.

Jeremy Brand: Andrade via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Andrade via Round 2 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Andrade via Round 3 TKO
Ash Camyab: Andrade via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Andrade via Round 2 SUB
Frazer Krohn: Andrade via Round 4 TKO
Mike Lynch: Lemos via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: Andrade via Split Decision
Tim Wheaton: Andrade via Round 1 TKO
Chris Presnell: Andrade via Unanimous Decision
Coby Weinsier: Andrade via Round 3 TKO
Brandon Joint: Andrade via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Andrade via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Andrade via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Andrade via Unanimous Decision
Matt Bricker: Andrade via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Andrade via Unanimous Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Andrade via Round 3 TKO

Staff picking Lemos: 1
Staff picking Andrade: 17

*Fight odds from DraftKings*

UFC VEGAS 52 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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