The second part of our double-header weekend is in for MMASucka staff picks.
UFC on ESPN 53, also titled as UFC Vegas 89, will take place later today, March 23rd, from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. The preliminary card will kick off at 7:00pm ET (4:00pm PT) followed by the six-fight main card at 10:00pm ET (7:00pm PT). All fights will be available to ESPN+ subscribers with the main card televised on ESPN.
Be sure to recap our picks from Saturday’s Bellator 302 event from Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Main Event
In the night’s featured headliner, Amanda Ribas and Rose Namajunas will clash in a pivotal matchup in the women’s flyweight division.
After starting her octagon career with four consecutive wins, American Top Team’s Ribas has alternated victories with defeats in her last seven appearances. In her first main event slot, the former Jungle Fight and Max Fight Strawweight Champion looks to break the pattern after defeating Luana Pinheiro by third-round knockout in November. Ribas’s opponent, Namajunas, is hungry for a win after losing her last two fights to Carla Esparza and, in her 125-pound debut, to Manon Fiorot. An impressive win for the former two-time Strawweight Champion and Season 20 winner of The Ultimate Fighter would put the well-rounded talent right back into the title conversation.
#UFCVegas89 goes down tomorrow night 👀@AmandaRibasUFC vs @RoseNamajunas
[ Live on @ESPNPlus | 7pmET/1pmPT ] pic.twitter.com/NZKO047OCS
— UFC (@ufc) March 22, 2024
Co-Main Event
Heavyweight hitters of Karl Williams and Justin Tafa are set for three rounds in the co-main event. Williams was originally set to fight Tafa’s younger brother, Junior, before the two swapped for timing purposes after Justin suffered an injury.
2022 Dana White Contender Series contract winner Williams has won six straight fights and two thus far under the Ultimate Fighting Championship banner. Knockout specialist Tafa aims to continue his run of first-round knockouts with three in-a-row since December of 2021.
Remaining Card
With a 1-4 record in his last five fights, Edmen Shahbazyan looks to turn the tides against short-notice replacement A.J. Dobson, who steps in for Dusko Todorovic.
Additional Contender Series contract signees of 25-year-old Payton Talbott and 23-year-old Cameron Saaiman will meet in the bantamweight division.
Another short-notice replacement sees Youssef Zalal in for Gabriel Miranda to fight former King of the Cage Lightweight Champion Billy Quarantillo at 145 pounds.
Opening the ESPN main card sees a must-watch clash at featherweight between Mexico’s Fernando Padilla and Peru’s Luis Pajuelo.
Who have the MMASucka staff picked to win at UFC on ESPN 53?
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 further below for our UFC on ESPN 53: Ribas vs. Namajunas staff picks and predictions.
RECORDS AFTER UFC VEGAS 88:
1. Nate Freeman: 48-23
2. Frazer Krohn: 44-27
3T. Wesley Riddle: 41-30
3T. Michael DeSantis: 41-25
5. Jeremy Brand: 38-33
6. Julio Monteros Jr.: 28-11
7. Andrew Benjamin: 27-30
8. Lukas DeWitt: 24-19
9. Michael Kachan: 11-7
10. Casey Cooper: 4-5
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
*Note – Bellator 302 picks will be added to records NEXT weekend*
Fernando Padilla (15-5), -180
vs.
Luis Pajuelo (8-1), +150
FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION
– 145 LBS. ~ 65.8 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Padilla via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Pajuelo via Round 2 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Padilla via Round 2 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Padilla via Round 2 SUB
Nate Freeman: Padilla via Round 1 TKO
Lukas DeWitt: Padilla via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Padilla: 5
Staff picking Pajuelo: 1
Billy Quarantillo (18-5), -110
vs.
Youssef Zalal (10-5-1), -110
FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION
– 145 LBS. ~ 65.8 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Quarantillo via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Quarantillo via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Quarantillo via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Zalal via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: Quarantillo via Unanimous Decision
Lukas DeWitt: Quarantillo via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Quarantillo: 5
Staff picking Zalal: 1
Payton Talbott (7-0), -155
vs.
Cameron Saaiman (9-1), +135
BANTAMWEIGHT DIVISION
– 135 LBS. ~ 61.2 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Saaiman via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Talbott via Split Decision
Michael DeSantis: Saaiman via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Saaiman via Round 2 SUB
Nate Freeman: Talbott via Round 2 TKO
Lukas DeWitt: Saaiman via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Talbott: 2
Staff picking Saaiman: 4
Edmen Shahbazyan (12-4), -200
vs.
A.J. Dobson (7-2), +165
MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION
– 185 LBS. ~ 83.9 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Shahbazyan via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Shahbazyan via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Shahbazyan via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Shahbazyan via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Shahbazyan via Unanimous Decision
Lukas DeWitt: Shahbazyan via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Shahbazyan: 6
Staff picking Dobson: 0
Karl Williams (9-1), -180
vs.
Justin Tafa (7-3), +150
HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION
– CO-MAIN EVENT –
– 265 LBS. ~ 120.2 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Tafa via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Tafa via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Tafa via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Tafa via Round 1 TKO
Nate Freeman: Williams via Unanimous Decision
Lukas DeWitt: Tafa via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Williams: 1
Staff picking Tafa: 5
Amanda Ribas (13-4), +165
vs.
Rose Namajunas (12-6), -200
WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT DIVISION
– MAIN EVENT –
– 125 LBS. ~ 56.7 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Namajunas via Round 2 SUB
Wesley Riddle: Namajunas via Split Decision
Michael DeSantis: Namajunas via Round 3 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Namajunas via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Namajunas via Split Decision
Lukas DeWitt: Ribas via Split Decision
Staff picking Ribas: 1
Staff picking Namajunas: 5
