Only five cards remain for the MMASucka staff picks season as the month of November nears its end. Four of those events will come in the UFC, the first of those being UFC Vegas 43 (also titled UFC Fight Night 198) taking place later today from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card will begin at a slightly earlier-than-normal time of 6:00pm ET (3:00pm PT) live for subscribers on ESPN+.
Live results from all of UFC Vegas 43 can be found here at MMASucka.
The Fights
A rising star meets a former queen in the main event of the night between top-ranked bantamweights (135 lbs.) Ketlen Vieira and Miesha Tate.
30-year-old Vieira is set for her first promotional main event in only her eighth organizational bout. The skillful grappling talent is hoping to bounce back strong in 2021, having missed weight and faced defeat by decision in her February pairing against former Invicta champion Yana Kunitskaya.
Vieira’s opponent, Tate, has established herself as one of the most successful and important competitors in women’s MMA history, set now for her 27th professional fight in a career dating back to 2007. The former Strikeforce and UFC title holder made her octagon return in July of this year after nearly five years of retirement, stopping Marion Reneau with strikes in her respected retirement fight.
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Important ground in the welterweight division (170 lbs.) will be settled in the co-main event as Spokane’s Michael Chiesa takes on Philadelphia’s Sean Brady. The Ultimate Fighter 15 lightweight winner Chiesa had his win streak of four snapped in his August outing versus Vicente Luque by submission. Former Cage Fury FC champion Brady looks to keep his undefeated streak intact in his fifteenth-career fight.
Three other match-ups form the day’s main card, including Scotland’s fan-favorite Joanne Wood and the world-class Brazilian jiu-jitsu talent of Rani Yahya. Who are the MMASucka staff picking to win at UFC Vegas 43? Find out further below.
Staff Picks
Throughout the calendar year, staff picks will be composed of main card fights from both UFC and Bellator events. Main card fights and selected preliminary fights will be selected for PFL MMA. Dana White’s Contender Series will be composed of the full fight card.
The WINNER of staff picks in 2021 will have a choice between receiving a custom-made championship belt from ProAmBelts or a chain from Championship Chains. For the third straight year, Michael DeSantis captured the 2020 victory compiling a record of 201-88.
See our staff picks for UFC Vegas 43: Vieira vs. Tate below.
Staff Records after UFC Vegas 42:
1. Nate Freeman: 234-125
2. Wesley Riddle: 230-129
3. Michael DeSantis: 227-128
4. Frazer Krohn: 216-142
5. Mike Lynch: 200-149
6T. Jeremy Brand: 187-152
6T. Ash Camyab: 187-127
8. Andrew Benjamin: 145-135
9. Tim Wheaton: 124-93
10. Chris Presnell: 111-48
11. Jake Broderick: 12-3
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
Davey Grant (13-5) vs. Adrian Yanez (14-3)
Jeremy Brand: Yanez via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Yanez via Round 2 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Yanez via Round 2 TKO
Ash Camyab: Yanez via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Grant via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Grant via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Yanez via Round 1 TKO
Nate Freeman: Yanez via Round 2 TKO
Chris Presnell: Yanez via Round 3 TKO
Staff picking Grant: 2
Staff picking Yanez: 7
Rani Yahya (27-10-1, 1 NC) vs. Kyung Ho Kang (17-8, 1 NC)
Jeremy Brand: Yahya via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Yahya via Round 1 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Ho Kang via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Yahya via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Yahya via Round 1 SUB
Frazer Krohn: Yahya via Round 3 SUB
Mike Lynch: Yahya via Round 2 SUB
Nate Freeman: Yahya via Round 3 SUB
Chris Presnell: Ho Kang via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Yahya: 7
Staff picking Ho Kang: 2
Joanne Wood (15-6) vs. Taila Santos (18-1)
Jeremy Brand: Wood via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Wood via Split Decision
Michael DeSantis: Santos via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Wood via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Santos via Split Decision
Frazer Krohn: Santos via Split Decision
Mike Lynch: Wood via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Santos via Split Decision
Chris Presnell: Wood via Split Decision
Staff picking Wood: 5
Staff picking Santos: 4
Michael Chiesa (18-5) vs. Sean Brady (14-0)
Jeremy Brand: Brady via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Brady via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Brady via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Chiesa via Round 2 SUB
Andrew Benjamin: Chiesa via Round 3 SUB
Frazer Krohn: Brady via Round 2 TKO
Mike Lynch: Brady via Round 1 TKO
Nate Freeman: Brady via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Brady via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Chiesa: 2
Staff picking Brady: 7
Ketlen Vieira (11-2) vs. Miesha Tate (19-7)
Jeremy Brand: Tate via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Tate via Split Decision
Michael DeSantis: Tate via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Tate via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Tate via Round 2 SUB
Frazer Krohn: Tate via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Vieira via Round 3 SUB
Nate Freeman: Tate via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Tate via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Vieira: 1
Staff picking Tate: 8
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