Another fight card this weekend is ready to go for our MMASucka staff picks.
UFC on ESPN 41 will begin in just a few hours this evening, August 13th from the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California. This marks the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s first event in the city since UFC Fight Night 71 in July of 2015. Six fights make up the main card beginning at an earlier start time of 7:00pm ET (4:00pm PT) live on both ESPN for cable viewers and ESPN+ for subscribers.
Live results from the entire UFC on ESPN 41: Vera vs. Cruz will be available here at MMASucka.
Take a look back at our Friday picks from Bellator 284 in Sioux Falls and this afternoon’s PFL 8 2022 playoff event in Wales. Also, stay tuned to MMASucka this upcoming Tuesday for our Dana White’s Contender Series 50 picks from Las Vegas.
The Fights
Bantamweight gold may be one inch closer to grasp for the winner of tonight’s main event as Marlon Vera and Dominick Cruz meet for the first time.
29-year-old Vera has slowly evolved into a contender over the past eight years as tonight he makes his twentieth octagon walk and second-straight main event appearance. The Ecuadorian rides an impressive three-fight win streak that included a November of 2021 knockout over former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and his April five-round decision over Rob Font. Vera’s opponent, Cruz, brings experience as the former UFC two-time divisional champion and a former title holder in WEC. The Alliance MMA talent and current promotional analyst resurged in 2020 after a near four-year layoff and has since won two in-a-row last year over both Casey Kenney and Pedro Munhoz.
Featherweight finishers Nate Landwehr and David Onama will square off in the co-main event. Former M-1 champion Landwehr looks for his second straight victory after capturing his first career submission victory last October over Ludovit Klein. The fast-rising Onama will fight for a fourth time in the past ten months having most recently secured a second-round triangle finish of Garrett Armfield just five short weeks ago.
Other fighters among the main card include promotional newcomer Yazmin Jauregui from Mexico, Dana White’s Contender Series standout Azamat Murzakanov and former M-1 middleweight champion Bruno Silva. Find all of our picks for tonight’s UFC on ESPN 41 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.
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 on ESPN 41: Vera vs. Cruz?
Staff Records after Dana White’s Contender Series 49:
1. Nate Freeman: 162-79
2. Wesley Riddle: 161-80
3. Michael DeSantis: 158-83
4. Frazer Krohn: 155-86
5. William Dong: 153-88
6. Jeremy Brand: 147-88
7. Julio Monteros Jr.: 145-75
8. Chris Presnell: 143-92
9. Andrew Benjamin: 137-103
10. Tim Wheaton: 131-70
11. Mike Lynch: 123-74
12. Brandon Joint: 111-72
13. Ash Camyab: 105-77
14T. Brian Knight: 103-70
14T. Jack Goodwillie: 103-43
16. Coby Weinsier: 87-47
17. Chinyere Okafor: 72-38
18. Jacek Okninski: 70-58
19. Matt Bricker: 24-22
20. Roemello Reyes: 15-9
21. Joe Porter: 11-5
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
*Note – Bellator 284 & PFL 8 2022 picks will be added to the above records NEXT weekend*
Bruno Silva (22-7), -280
vs.
Gerald Meerschaert (34-15), +235
Middleweight Division
– 185 lbs. –
Jeremy Brand: Silva via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Silva via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Silva via Round 1 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Silva via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Silva via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: Silva via Round 1 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Silva via Round 1 TKO
Chris Presnell: Silva via Round 2 TKO
William Dong: Silva via Round 1 TKO
Julio Monteros Jr.: Silva via Round 2 TKO
Brian Knight: Silva via Unanimous Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Silva via Round 1 TKO
Roemello Reyes: Silva via Round 1 TKO
Ben Jamieson: Silva via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Silva: 14
Staff picking Meerschaert: 0
Priscila Cachoeira (11-4), +165
vs.
Ariane Lipski (14-7), -195
Bantamweight Division
– 135 lbs. –
Jeremy Brand: Cachoeira via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Lipski via Split Decision
Michael DeSantis: Lipski via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Lipski via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Lipski via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Lipski via Round 2 SUB
Tim Wheaton: Lipski via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Lipski via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Lipski via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Lipski via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Lipski via Split Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Lipski via Unanimous Decision
Roemello Reyes: Cachoeira via Split Decision
Ben Jamieson: Lipski via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Cachoeira: 2
Staff picking Lipski: 12
Devin Clark (13-6), +125
vs.
Azamat Murzakanov (11-0), -145
Light Heavyweight Division
– 205 lbs. –
Jeremy Brand: Murzakanov via Round 1 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Murzakanov via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Murzakanov via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Clark via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Murzakanov via Round 1 TKO
Nate Freeman: Murzakanov via Round 1 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Murzakanov via Round 3 TKO
Chris Presnell: Clark via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Murzakanov via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Murzakanov via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Murzakanov via Round 2 TKO
Jack Goodwillie: Clark via Unanimous Decision
Roemello Reyes: Murzakanov via Round 1 TKO
Ben Jamieson: Murzakanov via Round 1 TKO
Staff picking Clark: 3
Staff picking Murzakanov: 11
Yazmin Jauregui (8-0), -195
vs.
Iasmin Lucindo (13-4), +165
Strawweight Division
– 115 lbs. –
Jeremy Brand: Jauregui via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Jauregui via Round 2 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Jauregui via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Jauregui via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Jauregui via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Jauregui via Round 2 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Lucindo via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Jauregui via Round 1 TKO
William Dong: Jauregui via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Jauregui via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Jauregui via Unanimous Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Lucindo via Split Decision
Roemello Reyes: Jauregui via Unanimous Decision
Ben Jamieson: Jauregui via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Jauregui: 12
Staff picking Lucindo: 2
Nate Landwehr (15-4), +280
vs.
David Onama (10-1), -340
Featherweight Co-Main Event
– 145 lbs. –
Jeremy Brand: Onama via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Onama via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Onama via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Landwehr via Split Decision
Frazer Krohn: Onama via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Onama via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Onama via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Landwehr via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Onama via Round 2 TKO
Julio Monteros Jr.: Onama via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Onama via Round 1 TKO
Jack Goodwillie: Onama via Unanimous Decision
Roemello Reyes: Onama via Round 1 TKO
Ben Jamieson: Onama via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Landwehr: 2
Staff picking Onama: 12
Marlon Vera (19-7-1), -225
vs.
Dominick Cruz (24-3), +190
Bantamweight Main Event
– 135 lbs. –
Jeremy Brand: Vera via Round 4 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Cruz via Split Decision
Michael DeSantis: Cruz via Split Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Vera via Round 3 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Vera via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Cruz via Split Decision
Tim Wheaton: Vera via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Cruz via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Cruz via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Cruz via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Cruz via Split Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Cruz via Split Decision
Roemello Reyes: Cruz via Unanimous Decision
Ben Jamieson: Vera via Round 4 TKO
Staff picking Vera: 5
Staff picking Cruz: 9
*Fight odds from DraftKings*
UFC ON ESPN 41 FEATURED IMAGE:
Embed from Getty Images
