Only two fight cards remain for MMASucka staff picks in 2021.
The final pay-per-view of the year, UFC 269, will take place in just a few short hours tonight, December 11 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fourteen fights are in store including two highly-anticipated title fights to close the show. The pay-per-view will kick off at 10:00pm ET (7:00pm PT) at a price of $70 for current subscribers to ESPN+.
Live results from all of UFC 269 can be found here at MMASucka.
Be sure to stay tuned for our final staff picks of the year, UFC Vegas 45 on Saturday, December 18.
The Fights
Lightweight (155 lbs.) champion Charles Oliveira will look to defend his championship for the first time against Dustin Poirier in tonight’s featured main event. With a combined 54 promotional fights and 29 bonuses, the two 32-year-old veterans are set to faceoff for the very first time in one the most anticipated fights in divisional history.
Brazilian grappler Oliveira finally secured UFC gold in May of this year with his sensational knockout win over former Bellator king Michael Chandler. The win added to his current nine-fight win streak dating back to June of 2018 finishing all but one in that run. Oliveira’s opponent, Poirier, will target his third-straight win of the year after stoppages in two fights with former champion Conor McGregor. The fan-favorite, American Top Team veteran has won in seven of his last eight outings, the lone loss coming in a title unification fight with then-returning Khabib Nurmagomedov in September 2019.
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Our second title fight of the night falls in the co-main event between bantamweights (135 lbs.) Amanda Nunes and Julianna Pena.
Current bantamweight and featherweight champion, Nunes, returns to the lighter of the two classes after spending her last two fights competing at 145 pounds. A win tonight for the Brazilian great would be her thirteenth in-a-row and her sixth defense of the belt. Her opponent, Ultimate Fighter 18 winner Pena, is set for her first-ever title shot. The fight comes as only her third in roughly the past two and-a-half years, most recently finishing Sara McMann in January by submission.
The stacked night of fights does not stop there, as fighters including welterweight powerhouse Santiago Ponzinibbio and former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt will also battle on the main card.
Who are the MMASucka staff picking to win for these fights at UFC 269? Find the verdicts 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. A winner is determined simply by the individual correctly picking the most victorious fighters at the year’s end. For the third straight year, Michael DeSantis captured the 2020 victory compiling a record of 201-88.
See our main card picks for UFC 269: Oliveira vs. Poirier below.
Staff Records after UFC Vegas 44:
1. Nate Freeman: 241-133
2. Wesley Riddle: 236-138
3. Michael DeSantis: 233-137
4. Frazer Krohn: 221-152
5. Mike Lynch: 210-154
6. Ash Camyab: 193-136
7. Jeremy Brand: 190-154
8. Andrew Benjamin: 154-141
9. Tim Wheaton: 127-100
10. Chris Presnell: 116-58
Raulian Paiva (21-3), +250
vs.
Sean O’Malley (14-1), -320
Bantamweight Division, 135 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: N/A
Wesley Riddle: O’Malley via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: O’Malley via Round 1 TKO
Ash Camyab: O’Malley via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: O’Malley via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: O’Malley via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: O’Malley via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: O’Malley via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: O’Malley via Round 2 TKO
Chris Presnell: O’Malley via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Paiva: 0
Staff picking O’Malley: 9
Kai Kara-France (22-9, 1 NC), +115
vs.
Cody Garbrandt (12-4), -135
Flyweight Division, 125 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: N/A
Wesley Riddle: Garbrandt via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Kara-France via Round 2 TKO
Ash Camyab: Garbrandt via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Kara-France via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Garbrandt via Round 3 TKO
Mike Lynch: Garbrandt via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: Garbrandt via Split Decision
Tim Wheaton: Kara-France via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Kara-France via Round 1 TKO
Staff picking Kara-France: 4
Staff picking Garbrandt: 5
Geoff Neal (13-4), -105
vs.
Santiago Ponzinibbio (29-4), -115
Welterweight Division, 170 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: N/A
Wesley Riddle: Ponzinibbio via Split Decision
Michael DeSantis: Neal via Round 1 TKO
Ash Camyab: Neal via Round 3 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Ponzinibbio via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Neal via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Ponzinibbio via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Neal via Split Decision
Tim Wheaton: Ponzinibbio via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Ponzinibbio via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Neal: 4
Staff picking Ponzinibbio: 5
Amanda Nunes (21-4), -1000
vs.
Julianna Pena (11-4), +650
Bantamweight Title Fight, 135 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: N/A
Wesley Riddle: Nunes via Round 2 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Nunes via Round 2 TKO
Ash Camyab: Nunes via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Nunes via Round 2 SUB
Frazer Krohn: Nunes via Round 3 TKO
Mike Lynch: Nunes via Round 1 TKO
Nate Freeman: Nunes via Round 2 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Nunes via Round 1 TKO
Chris Presnell: Nunes via Round 3 TKO
Staff picking Nunes: 9
Staff picking Pena: 0
Charles Oliveira (31-8, 1 NC), +120
vs.
Dustin Poirier (28-6, 1 NC), -140
Lightweight Title Fight, 155 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: N/A
Wesley Riddle: Poirier via Round 5 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Poirier via Round 3 TKO
Ash Camyab: Oliveira via Round 1 SUB
Andrew Benjamin: Poirier via Round 4 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Poirier via Round 4 TKO
Mike Lynch: Poirier via Round 1 TKO
Nate Freeman: Poirier via Split Decision
Tim Wheaton: Poirier via Round 4 TKO
Chris Presnell: Poirier via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Oliveira:
Staff picking Poirier:
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