Another weekend, another double-header for MMASucka staff picks.
Fights kick off with PFL 2 2023 later tonight, April 7th from The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas, Nevada. This marks the Professional Fighters League’s second of three scheduled events from the venue within fighters look to secure Regular Season points. Prelims will begin at 6:30pm ET (3:30pm PT) on ESPN+ followed by the main card at 10:00pm ET (7:00pm PT) on ESPN 2.
Live results from PFL 2 2023 will be available here at MMASucka.
Stay tuned to MMASucka Saturday morning for our UFC 287: Pereira vs. Adesanya 2 picks from Miami, Florida.
The Fights
Our 2023 season for picks will include all fights that are part of the Regular Season fighters who are vying for a spot in the playoffs. Check out PFL’s website for an explanation of the seasonal format.
Women’s featherweights (145 pounds) and heavyweights (265 pounds) compose Week Two as tonight’s athletes contest for playoff points. In the night’s featured main event, Larissa Pacheco will battle Julia Budd in the featherweight division.
Pacheco claimed the PFL lightweight tournament championship last year with her five-round unanimous decision over then-undefeated and two-time prior finalist Kayla Harrison. The victory saw the 28-year-old Brazilian avenge two prior defeats to Harrison while extending her active win streak to six in-a-row since coming up short in the 2019 tournament finale. Pacheco’s opponent, Budd, had a rough go in 2022 with a lightweight, Regular Season loss to Genah Fabian (despite securing walkover points after Fabian missing weight) and a back-and-forth defeat at 145 pounds to Aspen Ladd. Being a near-20 year combat veteran, the former three-time defending Bellator champion is nothing short of ready to become a threat to win the year-end tournament and capture one million dollars.
Aspen Ladd will make her Regular Season debut in her second PFL as she takes on Ukraine’s Olena Kolesnyk on the main card.
The three remaining Regular Season fights at featherweight will take place on the ESPN+ preliminary card. Amber Leibrock and Yoko Higashi look to make sound as new blood contending for a PFL title against their respected opponents of Martina Jindrova and Marina Mokhnatkina, respectively. Featherweight’s two youngest competitors, 20-year-old Evelyn Martins in on short notice and 23-year-old Karolina Sobek, put their undefeated streak on the line against one another in their promotional debuts.
2021 heavyweight tournament champion Bruno Cappelozza faces off against last year’s runner-up Matheus Scheffel in the co-main event. The two had previously met in the 2022 season with Cappelozza’s elimination from the playoffs resulting from a decision loss to Scheffel.
Opening the ESPN 2 main card sees two-year Regular Season veteran Renan Ferreira set against newcomer and recent EFC heavyweight title holder Rizvan Kuniev.
Two final heavyweight fights are both set to duel on the prelims. Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Marcelo Nunes looks to further his four-fight win streak as he squares off against The Ultimate Fighter 28 notable and eight-fight UFC veteran Maurice Greene. Meanwhile, Yorgan De Castro finally has an opponent with short-notice replacement Danilo Marques after two prior fighters pulled out.
Find our picks and predictions for PFL 2 2023 further below.
Official Weigh Ins ✅
Ceremonial Weigh Ins ✅All that is left to do is 𝗙𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 in the SmartCage for Women’s Featherweight and Heavyweights 🍿
[Friday, April 7th | 10pm ET on ESPN2 & ESPN+ | #PFLRegularSeason] pic.twitter.com/fx7HxRPScn
— PFL (@PFLMMA) April 7, 2023
2023 Staff Picks
MMASucka staff picks are composed of five promotions: the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Bellator MMA, ONE Championship, the Professional Fighters League (PFL), and Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS). UFC and Bellator events feature picks from only main cards. PFL will feature select fights from the main and preliminary card while DWCS sees all fights counted from the event. ONE Championship returns to picks for the first time since 2020 and will feature only mixed martial arts (MMA) fights selected from cards with a minimum three matchups.
The WINNER of staff picks at the end of 2023, who picked the most victorious fighters, will have a choice between receiving a custom-made championship belt from ProAmBelts or a chain from Championship Chains. Staff picks in 2022 was won by Wesley Riddle with a record of 264-135.
See who the MMASucka staff are picking to win at PFL 1 2023.
Staff Records after PFL 1 2023:
1. Ben Jamieson: 54-28
2T. Frazer Krohn: 53-29
2T. Nate Freeman: 53-29
4. Tim Wheaton: 51-31
5T. Jeremy Brand: 50-32
5T. Michael DeSantis: 50-32
7. Wesley Riddle: 49-33
8T. Julio Monteros Jr.: 46-28
8T. Jack Goodwillie: 46-28
10T. Brian Knight: 42-30
10T. Roemello Reyes: 42-24
12. Andrew Benjamin: 39-38
13. Brandon Joint: 12-9
14. Andrew Harbaugh: 10-7
15. Joshua Yule: 7-6
16. Jonathan Andrade: 4-6
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
Marina Mokhnatkina (8-3), -540
vs.
Yoko Higashi (8-2), +420
Women’s Featherweight Division
– 145 LBS. ~ 65.8 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Mokhnatkina via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Mokhnatkina via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Mokhnatkina via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Higashi via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Mokhnatkina via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Mokhnatkina via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Mokhnatkina via Unanimous Decision
Roemello Reyes: Mokhnatkina via Unanimous Decision
Ben Jamieson: Mokhnatkina via Unanimous Decision
Jonathan Andrade: Higashi via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Mokhnatkina: 8
Staff picking Higashi: 2
Evelyn Martins (4-0), -150
vs.
Karolina Sobek (4-0), +130
Women’s Featherweight Division
– 145 LBS. ~ 65.8 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Sobek via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Martins via Split Decision
Michael DeSantis: Sobek via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Sobek via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Sobek via Round 1 SUB
Nate Freeman: Martins via Round 2 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Martins via Unanimous Decision
Roemello Reyes: Sobek via Unanimous Decision
Ben Jamieson: Martins via Unanimous Decision
Jonathan Andrade: Sobek via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Martins: 4
Staff picking Sobek: 6
Martina Jindrova (6-3), -225
vs.
Amber Leibrock (6-4), +190
Women’s Featherweight Division
– 145 LBS. ~ 65.8 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Jindrova via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Jindrova via Round 1 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Jindrova via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Jindrova via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Jindrova via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Jindrova via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Leibrock via Unanimous Decision
Roemello Reyes: Jindrova via Split Decision
Ben Jamieson: Jindrova via Unanimous Decision
Jonathan Andrade: Jindrova via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Jindrova: 9
Staff picking Leibrock: 1
Danilo Marques (13-4), +110
vs.
Yorgan De Castro (9-3), -130
Heavyweight Division
– 265 LBS. ~ 120.2 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: De Castro via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Marques via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: De Castro via Round 1 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: De Castro via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: De Castro via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: De Castro via Round 2 TKO
Tim Wheaton: De Castro via Unanimous Decision
Roemello Reyes: Marques via Round 2 SUB
Ben Jamieson: De Castro via Round 2 TKO
Jonathan Andrade: De Castro via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Marques: 2
Staff picking De Castro: 8
Marcelo Nunes (9-1), -260
vs.
Maurice Greene (10-7), +220
Heavyweight Division
– 265 LBS. ~ 120.2 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Nunes via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Nunes via Round 1 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Nunes via Round 2 SUB
Andrew Benjamin: Nunes via Round 2 SUB
Frazer Krohn: Nunes via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Nunes via Round 2 SUB
Tim Wheaton: Nunes via Round 2 TKO
Roemello Reyes: Nunes via Round 2 SUB
Ben Jamieson: Nunes via Unanimous Decision
Jonathan Andrade: Nunes via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Nunes: 10
Staff picking Greene: 0
Renan Ferreira (9-3, 2 NC), +200
vs.
Rizvan Kuniev (12-2-1), -240
Heavyweight Division
– 265 LBS. ~ 120.2 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Kuniev via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Kuniev via Round 3 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Kuniev via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Ferreira via Split Decision
Frazer Krohn: Kuniev via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: Kuniev via Round 1 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Ferreira via Unanimous Decision
Roemello Reyes: Kuniev via Unanimous Decision
Ben Jamieson: Kuniev via Unanimous Decision
Jonathan Andrade: Ferreira via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Ferreira: 3
Staff picking Kuniev: 7
Olena Kolesnyk (7-5, 1 NC), +400
vs.
Aspen Ladd (10-3), -500
Women’s Featherweight Division
– 145 LBS. ~ 65.8 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Ladd via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Ladd via Round 3 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Ladd via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Ladd via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Ladd via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: Ladd via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Ladd via Unanimous Decision
Roemello Reyes: Ladd via Unanimous Decision
Ben Jamieson: Ladd via Round 3 SUB
Jonathan Andrade: Ladd via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Kolesnyk: 0
Staff picking Ladd: 10
Bruno Cappelozza (15-6), -150
vs.
Matheus Scheffel (17-9), +130
Heavyweight Division
– Co-Main Event –
– 265 LBS. ~ 120.2 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Cappelozza via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Cappelozza via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Cappelozza via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Cappelozza via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Scheffel via Round 3 TKO
Nate Freeman: Cappelozza via Round 2 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Cappelozza via Round 1 TKO
Roemello Reyes: Cappelozza via Round 2 TKO
Ben Jamieson: Cappelozza via Round 3 TKO
Jonathan Andrade: Cappelozza via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Cappelozza: 9
Staff picking Scheffel: 1
Larissa Pacheco (19-4), -900
vs.
Julia Budd (16-5), +625
Women’s Featherweight Division
– Main Event –
– 145 LBS. ~ 65.8 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Pacheco via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Pacheco via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Pacheco via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Pacheco via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Pacheco via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: Pacheco via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Pacheco via Unanimous Decision
Roemello Reyes: Pacheco via Round 1 TKO
Ben Jamieson: Pacheco via Unanimous Decision
Jonathan Andrade: Pacheco via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Pacheco: 10
Staff picking Budd: 0
PFL 2 2023 FEATURED IMAGE:
Aspen Ladd at weigh-ins ahead of her PFL 2 2023 fight taking place Friday, April 7th from The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas, Nevada (photo credits to PFL MMA).
