The biggest weekend of MMASucka staff picks history is here. Our first of five total cards sees RIZIN 19 taking place Saturday morning, October 12th from the Edion Arena in Osaka, Japan. The fight card will begin at 1:00am ET (10:00pm PT) live on pay-per-view. Stay tuned to MMASucka.com throughout Saturday for the remaining four staff picks.
You can purchase this pay-per-view through FITE TV for an incredible price of just $20 U.S.D. with unlimited replays in the link immediately below. Capitalize on this great deal before the event begins!
The Fights
Top-ranked bantamweights Kai Asakura and Ulka Sasaki will face-off in the RIZIN 19 main event. Asakura will be making his sixth straight RIZIN appearance joining the promotion after his first professional defeat under the ROAD FC banner to Je Hoon Moon. Three straight wins led to a rematch with Hoon Moon in December, this time Asakura victorious by decision. The biggest fight of his career came just two months ago in a non-title fight to Bellator and RIZIN champion Kyoji Horiguchi. In one of the biggest upsets in MMA history, Asakura would put away Horiguchi by knockout in just over a minute. Sasaki is looking to rebound after a recent submission loss to Shintaro Ishiwatari. A victory would fit his current eight-fight alternation of victories and defeats. His biggest career accomplishment fell back in July of 2013 capturing the Shooto featherweight championship over Kenji Yamamoto in just 11 seconds.
The co-main event will see Jiri Prochazka and Fabio Maldonado battle at a catchweight of 220 pounds. Prochazka has finished seven of his last eight opponents dating back to 2016, most recently taking out Muhammed Lawal in a rematch. The scrappy veteran of Maldonado will make his promotional debut looking to find the success he once had in his earlier career.
The first round of RIZIN’s Lightweight Grand Prix will begin earlier in the card. Notables competing include Johnny Case, Tatsuya Kawajiri, Patricky Pitbull, Hiroto Uesako, and many more. Check out all seven RIZIN 19 fights counted towards our records below.
Staff Picks
Throughout the year, staff picks will be composed of four different MMA promotions: UFC, Bellator, ONE, and RIZIN. Main cards will make up both UFC and Bellator picks, while the biggest fights to make up ONE and RIZIN events will be used. The WINNER of staff picks will have a choice between receiving a championship belt from ProAmBelts or a championship chain from Championship Chains. The 2018 winner was awarded to Michael DeSantis, compiling a record of 202-101.
Check out our MMASucka staff picks for RIZIN 19 below.
Staff Records after UFC 243:
1. Michael DeSantis: 228-124
2. Connor Deitrich: 227-125
3. Mitchell Banuelos: 218-122
4. Ed Gallo: 216-132
5. Mike Skytte: 212-140
6. Jeremy Brand: 204-148
7. Matt Bricker: 196-143
8. Ash Camyab: 185-135
9. Frazer Krohn: 108-76
10. Ryan Hobbs: 92-82
11. Andrew Benjamin: 73-53
12. McKenzie Guardiero: 68-52
13. Tanner Russ: 34-16
14. Dan Rose: 20-16
15. Mike Lynch: 2-3
*Staff picks for all five cards this weekend will be added NEXT weekend*
Luiz Gustavo (9-1) vs. Hiroto Uesako (16-7)
Jeremy Brand: Uesako via UD
Mike Skytte: Uesako via UD
Michael DeSantis: Gustavo via Round 2 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Gustavo via Round 1 TKO
Ed Gallo: Gustavo via Round 1 TKO
Matt Bricker: Gustavo via Round 2 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Gustavo via Round 1 TKO
Ash Camyab: Gustavo via Round 2 TKO
Ryan Hobbs: Gustavo via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Gustavo via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Gustavo via Round 2 TKO
McKenzie Guardiero: Gustavo via Round 2 TKO
Tanner Russ: Gustavo via Round 2 TKO
Dan Rose: Gustavo via Round 3 TKO
Mike Lynch: Gustavo via UD
Staff picking Gustavo: 13
Staff picking Uesako: 2
Patricky Pitbull (21-8) vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri (37-13-2)
Jeremy Brand: Pitbull via Round 3 TKO
Mike Skytte: Kawajiri via UD
Michael DeSantis: Pitbull via Round 1 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Pitbull via Round 2 TKO
Ed Gallo: Pitbull via Round 1 TKO
Matt Bricker: Pitbull via Round 1 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Pitbull via Round 1 TKO
Ash Camyab: Pitbull via SD
Ryan Hobbs: Pitbull via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Pitbull via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Pitbull via Round 2 TKO
McKenzie Guardiero: Pitbull via Round 2 TKO
Tanner Russ: Pitbull via Round 1 TKO
Dan Rose: Pitbull via Round 3 TKO
Mike Lynch: Pitbull via Round 3 TKO
Staff picking Pitbull: 14
Staff picking Kawajiri: 1
Johnny Case (26-6-1) vs. Roberto de Souza (9-0)
Jeremy Brand: Case via Round 2 SUB
Mike Skytte: Case via UD
Michael DeSantis: Case via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Case via UD
Ed Gallo: Case via
Matt Bricker: Case via
Connor Deitrich: Case via
Ash Camyab: Case via
Ryan Hobbs: Case via
Andrew Benjamin: Case via Round 2 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Case via UD
McKenzie Guardiero: Case via UD
Tanner Russ: Case via UD
Dan Rose: de Souza via Round 1 SUB
Mike Lynch: Case via SD
Staff picking Case: 14
Staff picking Gustavo: 1
Tofiq Musaev (15-3) vs. Damien Brown (19-12)
Jeremy Brand: Musaev via UD
Mike Skytte: Musaev via UD
Michael DeSantis: Musaev via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Brown via UD
Ed Gallo: Musaev via UD
Matt Bricker: Brown via SD
Connor Deitrich: Musaev via UD
Ash Camyab: Brown via UD
Ryan Hobbs: Brown via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Brown via Round 3 SUB
Frazer Krohn: Brown via UD
McKenzie Guardiero: Brown via UD
Tanner Russ: Musaev via UD
Dan Rose: Musaev via UD
Mike Lynch: Brown via Round 2 SUB
Staff picking Musaev: 8
Staff picking Brown: 7
Seo Hee Ham (21-8) vs. Miyuu Yamamoto (5-3)
Jeremy Brand: Ham via Round 1 SUB
Mike Skytte: Ham via Round 1 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Ham via Round 2 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Ham via Round 2 SUB
Ed Gallo: Yamamoto via UD
Matt Bricker: Yamamoto via UD
Connor Deitrich: Ham via Round 2 SUB
Ash Camyab: Yamamoto via UD
Ryan Hobbs: Yamamoto via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Yamamoto via UD
Frazer Krohn: Ham via Round 1 TKO
McKenzie Guardiero: Ham via SD
Tanner Russ: Ham via Round 1 TKO
Dan Rose: Ham via UD
Mike Lynch: Yamamoto via Round 3 TKO
Staff picking Hee Ham: 9
Staff picking Yamamoto: 6
Jiri Prochazka (24-3-1) vs. Fabio Maldonado (25-13)
Jeremy Brand: Prochazka via Round 2 TKO
Mike Skytte: Prochazka via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Prochazka via Round 1 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Prochazka via Round 2 TKO
Ed Gallo: Prochazka via Round 1 TKO
Matt Bricker: Maldonado via Round 1 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Prochazka via Round 1 TKO
Ash Camyab: Maldonado via UD
Ryan Hobbs: Maldonado via Round 1 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Prochazka via Round 2 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Maldonado via Round 1 TKO
McKenzie Guardiero: Maldonado via Round 2 TKO
Tanner Russ: Prochazka via Round 1 TKO
Dan Rose: Prochazka via Round 3 TKO
Mike Lynch: Prochazka via Round 1 TKO
Staff picking Prochazka: 10
Staff picking Maldonado: 5
Kai Asakura (13-1) vs. Ulka Sasaki (22-7-2)
Jeremy Brand: Asakura via Round 3 TKO
Mike Skytte: Asakura via Round 3 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Asakura via Round 2 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Asakura via Round 2 TKO
Ed Gallo: Asakura via UD
Matt Bricker: Asakura via UD
Connor Deitrich: Asakura via UD
Ash Camyab: Asakura via Round 1 TKO
Ryan Hobbs: Sasaki via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Asakura via UD
Frazer Krohn: Sasaki via UD
McKenzie Guardiero: Sasaki via Round 3 SUB
Tanner Russ: Asakura via Round 1 TKO
Dan Rose: Asakura via Round 1 TKO
Mike Lynch: Sasaki via UD
Staff picking Asakura: 11
Staff picking Sasaki: 4
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