MMASucka staff picks are ready to go with the second half of our double-header weekend.
UFC on ABC 4 will take place later today, May 13th, from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. This comes as the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s fifth event from the city in promotional history and return for the first time since UFC on FOX 27 in January of 2018. Today’s card begins with early prelim matchups at 11:30am ET (8:30am PT) on both ESPN and ESPN+ followed by the main card at 3:00pm ET (12:00pm PT) on ABC.
Live results from UFC on ABC 4: Rozenstruik vs. Almeida will be available here at MMASucka.
Make sure to recap our picks from Friday’s Bellator 296 event from Paris, France.
The Fights
Implications for the UFC’s heavyweight division ride high in the day’s headliner between ninth-ranked Jairzinho Rozenstruik and twelfth-ranked Jailton Almeida.
After losing two consecutive fights, Rozenstruik returned in a big way last December with his first-round knockout over Chris Daukaus in just 23 seconds. The former kickboxer and dynamic striker now looks for his first stretch of at least two wins since his undefeated run of twelve wins ranging from mid-2012 to late-2019. Rozenstruik’s opponent, Almeida, rides significant momentum with 13 straight victories in three separate weight classes (middleweight, light heavyweight, heavyweight). The 2021 Contender Series contract winner has won four thus far with the promotion including his three most recent octagon appearances at heavyweight including his most recent victory in January over Shamil Abdurakhimov.
In the co-main event, exciting fan-favorites Anthony Smith and Johnny Walker will faceoff at 205 pounds. 53-fight veteran Smith targets a rebound after his three-fight win streak was snapped last summer to Magomed Ankalaev. Unorthodox finisher Walker targets three in-a-row and his second win of 2023 after finishing Paul Craig by knockout in January.
Also on the main card sees two pairings in the welterweight division. Syndicate MMA’s Daniel Rodriguez battles Ireland’s undefeated Ian Garry, and a “Fight of the Night” contender opens the ABC portion between exciting UFC notables Tim Means and Alex Morono.
Due to a late scheduling change, the main card fight between light heavyweight’s Carlos Ulberg and Ihor Potieria will not be counted towards our picks. Find our predictions for UFC on ABC 4 further below.
Top 15 heavyweight clash closing the show tomorrow night 🚨@JairRozenstruik vs @Malhadinho_UFC
[ #UFCCharlotte| 3pmET / 12pmPT | LIVE on ABC ] pic.twitter.com/YtHx2GGbAh
— UFC (@ufc) May 12, 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.
Who are the MMASucka staff picking to win at UFC on ABC 4: Rozenstruik vs. Almeida?
Staff Records after UFC 288:
1. Tim Wheaton: 95-51
2. Ben Jamieson: 94-52
3. Michael DeSantis: 93-53
4T. Frazer Krohn: 91-55
4T. Nate Freeman: 91-55
6. Jeremy Brand: 89-57
7. Wesley Riddle: 88-58
8. Andrew Benjamin: 75-66
9. Julio Monteros Jr.: 73-57
10. Brian Knight: 70-42
11. Jack Goodwillie: 68-45
12. Roemello Reyes: 62-34
13. Jonathan Andrade: 29-21
14. Brandon Joint: 12-9
15. Andrew Harbaugh: 10-7
16. Joshua Yule: 7-6
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
*Note – Bellator 296 picks will be added to the above records NEXT weekend*
Tim Means (32-14-1), +175
vs.
Alex Morono (22-8), -205
Welterweight Division
– 170 LBS. ~ 77.1 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Morono via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Morono via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Morono via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Morono via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Morono via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Morono via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Morono via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Morono via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Morono via Unanimous Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Morono via Unanimous Decision
Ben Jamieson: Morono via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Means: 0
Staff picking Morono: 11
Daniel Rodriguez (17-3), +250
vs.
Ian Garry (11-0), -300
Welterweight Division
– 170 LBS. ~ 77.1 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Garry via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Garry via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Garry via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Garry via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Garry via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Garry via Split Decision
Tim Wheaton: Rodriguez via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Garry via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Garry via Unanimous Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Garry via Unanimous Decision
Ben Jamieson: Garry via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Rodriguez: 1
Staff picking Garry: 10
Anthony Smith (36-17), +105
vs.
Johnny Walker (20-7), -125
Light Heavyweight Division
– Co-Main Event –
– 205 LBS. ~ 93.0 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Smith via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Smith via Round 2 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Smith via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Walker via Round 2 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Smith via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: Smith via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Smith via Round 1 TKO
Julio Monteros Jr.: Smith via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Smith via Split Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Smith via Round 2 TKO
Ben Jamieson: Walker via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Smith: 9
Staff picking Walker: 2
Jairzinho Rozenstruik (13-4), +400
vs.
Jailton Almeida (18-2), -500
Heavyweight Division
– Main Event –
– 265 LBS. ~ 120.2 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Almeida via Round 3 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Almeida via Round 3 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Almeida via Round 2 SUB
Andrew Benjamin: N/A
Frazer Krohn: Almeida via Round 3 SUB
Nate Freeman: Almeida via Round 2 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Almeida via Round 3 TKO
Julio Monteros Jr.: Almeida via Round 2 TKO
Brian Knight: Almeida via Round 3 TKO
Jack Goodwillie: Almeida via Round 2 TKO
Ben Jamieson: Almeida via Round 1 SUB
Staff picking Rozenstruik: 0
Staff picking Almeida: 10
