MMASucka staff picks are have reached the final stretch with five fight cards remaining this year.
UFC on ESPN 42 is set for action tonight, December 3rd from the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. This marks the promotion’s return to The Sunshine State for the first time since February of 2018 and for only the fourth time in UFC history. ESPN and ESPN+ will both host the preliminary card at 7:00pm ET (3:00pm PT) and the six-fight main card at 10:00pm ET (7:00pm PT).
Live results from the entire UFC on ESPN 42: Thompson vs. Holland event will be available here at MMASucka.
The Fights
Fan-favorite contenders Stephen Thompson and Kevin Holland will meet in the night’s featured five-round main event at welterweight (170 pounds).
Thompson returns to the octagon nearly a year since his December 2021 unanimous decision defeat to Belal Muhammad. The former two-time divisional title challenger and kickboxing specialist looks to snap a two-fight skid in search of his first win since Geoff Neal in late 2020. His opponent, Holland, returned to 170 pounds in March of this year after 13 straight promotional fights in the middleweight division. The Kung Fu and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt will make his fourth octagon walk this year alone targeting a third victory by stoppage.
The men on the marquee meet face-to-face one final time 😤@WonderboyMMA vs @Trailblaze2Top goes down TOMORROW!!!
[ #UFCOrlando | Main Card 10pmET | LIVE on @ESPN ] pic.twitter.com/R9mKWNMzZh
— UFC (@ufc) December 2, 2022
Additional welterweights will meet in the co-main event as Bryan Barberena takes on Rafael dos Anjos. Five-time “Fight of the Night” recipient Barberena rides the longest win streak of his UFC tenure at three in-a-row with recent wins over veterans Matt Brown and Robbie Lawler. Former UFC Lightweight Champion dos Anjos aims to bounce back after his fifth round, main event knockout loss to Rafael Fiziev in July.
Top five heavyweights (265 pounds) Tai Tuivasa and Sergei Pavlovich faceoff in the midst of the main card.
Find the remaining fights counted towards our UFC on ESPN 42 staff picks further below.
Staff Picks
Staff picks in 2022 will follow the same set of rules from the 2021 season. 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 included for PFL MMA. Dana White’s Contender Series are composed of bouts from the entire card.
The WINNER of staff picks in 2022 will have a choice between receiving a custom-made championship belt from ProAmBelts or a chain from Championship Chains. A winner is determined simply by the individual correctly picking the most victorious fighters at the year’s end. Nate Freeman secured his first victory with MMASucka in 2021 with a compiled record 243-136.
Who are the MMASucka staff picking to win at UFC on ESPN 42: Thompson vs. Holland?
Staff Records after PFL 10 – 2022 Championship:
1. Wesley Riddle: 245-129
2. Michael DeSantis: 243-131
3. Frazer Krohn: 237-137
4. Nate Freeman: 232-128
5. Jeremy Brand: 227-140
6. Andrew Benjamin: 200-157
7. Tim Wheaton: 185-114
8. Julio Monteros Jr.: 177-102
9. William Dong: 173-106
10. Chris Presnell: 170-120
11. Brian Knight: 146-108
12. Jack Goodwillie: 138-72
13. Mike Lynch: 123-74
14. Brandon Joint: 115-74
15. Ash Camyab: 105-77
16. Coby Weinsier: 87-47
17. Roemello Reyes: 75-45
18. Chinyere Okafor: 72-38
19. Jacek Okninski: 70-58
20. Ben Jamieson: 58-27
21. Matt Bricker: 24-22
22. Joe Porter: 11-5
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
Eryk Anders (14-7, 1 NC), +195
vs.
Kyle Daukaus (11-3, 1 NC), -230
Middleweight Division
– 185 lbs. –
Jeremy Brand: Daukaus via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Daukaus via Round 2 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Daukaus via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Daukaus via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Anders via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Daukaus via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Anders via Split Decision
Brian Knight: Anders via Unanimous Decision
Ben Jamieson: Daukaus via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Anders: 3
Staff picking Daukaus: 6
Jack Hermansson (23-7), -190
vs.
Roman Dolidze (11-1), +160
Middleweight Division
– 185 lbs. –
Jeremy Brand: Hermansson via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Hermansson via Split Decision
Michael DeSantis: Hermansson via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Hermansson via Split Decision
Frazer Krohn: Hermansson via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Hermansson via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Hermansson via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Hermansson via Unanimous Decision
Ben Jamieson: Hermansson via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Hermansson: 9
Staff picking Dolidze: 0
Tai Tuivasa (15-4), +185
vs.
Sergei Pavlovich (16-1), -215
Heavyweight Division
– 265 lbs. –
Jeremy Brand: Pavlovich via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Pavlovich via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Tuivasa via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Tuivasa via Round 2 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Tuivasa via Round 1 TKO
Nate Freeman: Pavlovich via Round 2 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Tuivasa via Round 1 TKO
Brian Knight: Tuivasa via Round 3 TKO
Ben Jamieson: Pavlovich via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Tuivasa: 5
Staff picking Pavlovich: 4
Matheus Nicolau (18-3-1), -365
vs.
Matt Schnell (16-6, 1 NC), +300
Flyweight Division
– 125 lbs. –
Jeremy Brand: Schnell via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Nicolau via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Nicolau via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Nicolau via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Nicolau via Split Decision
Nate Freeman: Schnell via Split Decision
Tim Wheaton: Schnell via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Nicolau via Unanimous Decision
Ben Jamieson: Nicolau via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Nicolau: 6
Staff picking Schnell: 3
Bryan Barberena (18-8), +420
vs.
Rafael dos Anjos (31-14), -540
Welterweight Division
Co-Main Event
– 170 lbs. –
Jeremy Brand: dos Anjos via Round 3 TKO
Wesley Riddle: dos Anjos via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: dos Anjos via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: dos Anjos via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: dos Anjos via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: dos Anjos via Round 2 SUB
Tim Wheaton: dos Anjos via Round 3 TKO
Brian Knight: dos Anjos via Unanimous Decision
Ben Jamieson: dos Anjos via Round 1 SUB
Staff picking Barberena: 0
Staff picking dos Anjos: 9
Stephen Thompson (16-6-1), +145
vs.
Kevin Holland (23-8, 1 NC), -170
Welterweight Division
Main Event
– 185 lbs. –
Jeremy Brand: Holland via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Holland via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Holland via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Thompson via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Thompson via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Thompson via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Thompson via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Thompson via Split Decision
Ben Jamieson: Holland via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Thompson: 5
Staff picking Holland: 4
