A solid day of fights is in store for MMASucka staff picks.
UFC Vegas 88, also titled as UFC Fight Night 239, will take place later today, March 16th from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. This comes as the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s ninth event of the calendar year. The preliminary card will begin at 4:00pm ET (1:00pm PT) followed by the main card at 1:00pm ET (10:00am PT). All fights are available to ESPN+ subscribers.
Stay tuned here at MMASucka for UFC Vegas 88: Tuivasa vs. Tybura results.
Main Event
Heavyweight contenders Tai Tuivasa and Marcin Tybura will clash across five possible five-minute rounds in the night’s featured headliner.
Australia’s Tuivasa looks to snap a three-fight skid after finishing defeats to Ciryl Gane, Sergei Pavlovich, and Alexander Volkov. Before the streak of losses, the fan-favorite knockout specialist had rode a five-fight win streak including over former title challenger Derrick Lewis. Tuivasa’s opponent, Tybura, will make his 19th octagon walk since April of 2016. The well-rounded Polish veteran returns after his July of last year stoppage defeat to Tom Aspinall, which was only his second loss in his last nine bouts.
It’s a heavyweight battle you don’t want to miss ⚔️@BamBamTuivasa vs @MarcinTybura is happening tomorrow!
[ LIVE on @ESPNPlus | #UFCVegas88 ] pic.twitter.com/O96ElSU3mF
— UFC (@ufc) March 15, 2024
Co-Main Event
Looking to steal the show sees a pairing between Bryan Battle and Ange Loosa in the welterweight division. The Ultimate Fighter 29 notable Battle hopes for a third-straight victory competing for the UFC after 2022 wins over Gabe Green by 14-second knockout and A.J. Fletcher by second-round submission. Also targeting two in-a-row sees opponent Loosa, who has rallied since a loss in his short-notice debut to Mounir Lazzez in April of 2022.
Remaining Card
26-time UFC competitor Ovince Saint Preux returns to the cage after a near-13 month hiatus as he meets 2018 Contender Series contract winner Kennedy Nzechukwu at light heavyweight.
Another Contender Series signee of Christian Rodriguez will contest in the featherweight division for the first time since 2022 against 100% first-round finisher and undefeated talent Isaac Dulgarian.
A rematch will take place on the main card between Pannie Kianzad and Macy Chiasson in the women’s bantamweight division. The two met in November of 2018 with Chiasson winning Season 28 of The Ultimate Fighter by rear-naked choke over Kianzad in the second round.
Opening the ESPN+ main card sees a middleweight fight between longtime veterans Gerald Meerschaert and Bryan Barberena.
Find our picks and predictions further below for UFC Vegas 88: Tuivasa vs. Tybura.
Staff Picks
MMASucka staff picks are composed of four of the world’s leading mixed martial arts organizations: the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the Professional Fighters League (PFL) with Bellator MMA, ONE Championship (ONE FC), and Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS).
- UFC picks will include main card fights ranging from four to six matchups per event.
- PFL and Bellator MMA see picks from main cards for pay-per-views and from tournament fights in the Regular Season, Playoffs, and Finals.
- ONE FC and DWCS picks will feature all MMA fights from the event with a minimum of three matchups.
The individual who picks the most victorious fighters by the end of 2024 will have a choice between receiving a custom-made championship belt from ProAmBelts or a detailed chain from Championship Chains. Staff picks in 2023 were won by Ben Jamieson with a record of 300-148.
See our UFC Vegas 88: Tuivasa vs. Tybura picks below.
RECORDS AFTER UFC 299:
1. Nate Freeman: 45-21
2. Frazer Krohn: 41-25
3. Wesley Riddle: 39-27
4. Michael DeSantis: 38-23
5. Jeremy Brand: 35-31
6. Julio Monteros Jr.: 28-11
7. Andrew Benjamin: 24-28
8. Lukas DeWitt: 22-16
9. Michael Kachan: 8-5
10. Casey Cooper: 4-5
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
Gerald Meerschaert (35-17), -250
vs.
Bryan Barberena (18-11), +205
MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION
– 185 LBS. ~ 83.9 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Meerschaert via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Meerschaert via Round 2 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Meerschaert via Round 2 SUB
Andrew Benjamin: Meerschaert via Round 1 SUB
Frazer Krohn: Meerschaert via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Meerschaert via Round 2 SUB
Lukas DeWitt: Barberena via Split Decision
Staff picking Meerschaert: 6
Staff picking Barberena: 1
Pannie Kianzad (17-7), +200
vs.
Macy Chiasson (9-3), -250
WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT DIVISION
– 135 LBS. ~ 61.2 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Chiasson via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Chiasson via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Chiasson via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Chiasson via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Chiasson via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Chiasson via Unanimous Decision
Lukas DeWitt: Chiasson via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Kianzad: 0
Staff picking Chiasson: 7
Christian Rodriguez (10-1), +170
vs.
Isaac Dulgarian (6-0), -215
FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION
– 145 LBS. ~ 65.8 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Dulgarian via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Dulgarian via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Dulgarian via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Dulgarian via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Rodriguez via Round 1 SUB
Nate Freeman: Dulgarian via Split Decision
Lukas DeWitt: Dulgarian via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Rodriguez: 1
Staff picking Dulgarian: 6
Ovince Saint Preux (26-17), +470
vs.
Kennedy Nzechukwu (12-4), -650
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION
– 205 LBS. ~ 93.0 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Nzechukwu via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Nzechukwu via Round 2 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Nzechukwu via Round 1 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Saint Preux via Round 2 SUB
Frazer Krohn: Nzechukwu via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: Nzechukwu via Round 1 TKO
Lukas DeWitt: Nzechukwu via Round 1 TKO
Staff picking Saint Preux: 1
Staff picking Nzechukwu: 6
Bryan Battle (11-2), -185
vs.
Ange Loosa (10-3), +150
WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION
– CO-MAIN EVENT –
– 170 LBS. ~ 77.1 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Battle via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Battle via Round 2 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Battle via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Battle via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Battle via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Battle via Split Decision
Lukas DeWitt: Battle via Round 1 TKO
Staff picking Battle: 7
Staff picking Loosa: 0
Tai Tuivasa (15-6), -115
vs.
Marcin Tybura (24-8), -105
HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION
– MAIN EVENT –
– 265 LBS. ~ 120.2 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Tybura via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Tuivasa via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Tybura via Round 4 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Tuivasa via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Tuivasa via Round 1 TKO
Nate Freeman: Tybura via Round 3 TKO
Lukas DeWitt: Tybura via Round 3 SUB
Staff picking Tuivasa: 3
Staff picking Tybura: 4
