Our third and final fight card for MMASucka staff picks this weekend sees one of the most anticipated events of 2022.
UFC 274 will take place tonight, May 7 from the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. This marks the promotion’s return to the Grand Canyon State for the first time in over three years when ESPN made its televised main card debut in February of 2019. Tonight’s pay-per-view will begin at 10:00pm ET (7:00pm PT) available for purchase to ESPN+ subscribers.
Live results from the entire fight card of UFC 274: Oliveira vs. Gaethje will be available here at MMASucka.
Be sure to recap our staff picks from Friday’s Bellator 280 event in Paris, France and PFL 3 2022 from Arlington, Texas.
The Fights
Anticipation was at its highest in the day’s leading up to tonight’s featured main event between lightweight champion Charles Oliveira and challenger Justin Gaethje. However, at Friday’s weigh-ins, Oliveira would ultimately miss weight by a half-pound resulting in his stripping of the divisional championship. Gaethje remains eligible to secure the vacant 155-pound title if victorious. Oliveira will look to secure his eleventh straight win and third straight stoppage while Gaethje aims to back up his recent 2021 “Fight of the Year” decision win over Michael Chandler.
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One title fight is still in store as Rose Namajunas looks to defend her strawweight championship against former foe Carla Esparza in the co-main event. The two faced one another for the division’s inaugural crowning in December of 2014 with Esparza taking the third-round submission and first 115-pound belt. Two-time queen Namajunas will aim for her second title defense after her 2021 rematch win over Zhang Weili. Former champion Esparza hopes to secure the title once more targeting a six straight win since April of 2019.
Also on the main card sees former multi-time Bellator king Michael Chandler set to battle Tony Ferguson, a rematch between light heavyweight veterans Mauricio Rua and Ovince Saint Preux, and a clash between fan-favorites Donald Cerrone and Joe Lauzon. Find our staff picks for these UFC 274 fights 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 will be composed of the entire fight card; dates for this promotion’s return are soon-to-be announced.
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 274: Oliveira vs. Gaethje?
Staff Records after UFC Vegas 53:
1T. Michael DeSantis: 77-36
1T. Nate Freeman: 77-36
3. Wesley Riddle: 76-37
4. Jeremy Brand: 75-38
5. William Dong: 71-42
6T. Frazer Krohn: 70-43
6T. Tim Wheaton: 70-39
8T. Andrew Benjamin: 69-44
8T. Mike Lynch: 69-44
8T. Coby Weinsier: 69-38
8T. Julio Monteros Jr.: 69-38
12. Ash Camyab: 68-41
13. Brandon Joint: 66-41
14. Chris Presnell: 65-48
15. Jacek Okninski: 59-49
16. Chinyere Okafor: 52-24
17. Brian Knight: 37-19
18. Jack Goodwillie: 30-15
19. Matt Bricker: 22-20
20. Joe Porter: 8-4
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
*Note – Bellator 280 & PFL 3 2022 picks will be added to the above records NEXT weekend*
Donald Cerrone (36-16, 2 NC), -170
vs.
Joe Lauzon (28-16), +150
Lightweight Division, 155 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Cerrone via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Cerrone via Round 2 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Cerrone via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Cerrone via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Cerrone via Round 2 SUB
Frazer Krohn: Cerrone via Round 2 TKO
Mike Lynch: Cerrone via Round 1 TKO
Nate Freeman: Cerrone via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Lauzon via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Lauzon via Round 1 TKo
Brandon Joint: Cerrone via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Cerrone via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Cerrone via via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Cerrone via Majority Decision
Brian Knight: Cerrone via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Cerrone: 13
Staff picking Lauzon: 2
Mauricio Rua (27-12-1), +220
vs.
Ovince Saint Preux (25-16), -275
Light Heavyweight Division, 205 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Rua via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Saint Preux via Round 3 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Saint Preux via Round 2 TKO
Ash Camyab: Saint Preux via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Rua via Round 2 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Saint Preux via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Saint Preux via Round 1 TKO
Nate Freeman: Saint Preux via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Rua via Round 1 TKO
Chris Presnell: Saint Preux via Round 1 TKO
Brandon Joint: Saint Preux via Round 2 SUB
Jacek Okninski: Rua via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Saint Preux via Round 2 TKO
Julio Monteros Jr.: Saint Preux via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Rua via Split Decision
Staff picking Rua: 5
Staff picking Saint Preux: 10
Michael Chandler (22-7), -350
vs.
Tony Ferguson (26-7), +270
Lightweight Division, 155 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Chandler via Round 3 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Chandler via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Chandler via Round 2 TKO
Ash Camyab: Chandler via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Chandler via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Chandler via Round 2 TKO
Mike Lynch: Chandler via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Chandler via Round 2 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Chandler via Round 3 TKO
Chris Presnell: Chandler via Round 1 TKO
Brandon Joint: Chandler via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Chandler via Round 3 TKO
William Dong: Chandler via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Chandler via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Chandler via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Chandler: 15
Staff picking Ferguson: 0
Rose Namajunas (12-4), -210
vs.
Carla Esparza (19-6), +175
Strawweight Divisional Championship, 115 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Namajunas via Round 3 SUB
Wesley Riddle: Namajunas via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Namajunas via Round 4 TKO
Ash Camyab: Namajunas via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Namajunas via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Namajunas via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Namajunas via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Namajunas via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: Namajunas via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Esparza via Unanimous Decision
Brandon Joint: Namajunas via Round 3 TKO
Jacek Okninski: Namajunas via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Namajunas via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Esparza via Round 4 TKO
Brian Knight: Namajunas via Round 3 TKO
Staff picking Namajunas: 15
Staff picking Esparza: 2
Charles Oliveira (32-8, 1 NC), -140
vs.
Justin Gaethje (24-3), +120
Lightweight Divisional Championship, 155 lbs.
~Gaethje only eligible~
Jeremy Brand: Oliveira via Round 4 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Gaethje via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Gaethje via Round 2 TKO
Ash Camyab: Oliveira via Round 2 SUB
Andrew Benjamin: Gaethje via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Oliveira via Round 4 SUB
Mike Lynch: Oliveira via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Gaethje via Round 3 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Oliveira via Round 2 SUB
Chris Presnell: Gaethje via Round 2 TKO
Brandon Joint: Gaethje via Round 2 TKO
Jacek Okninski: Oliveira via Round 5 SUB
William Dong: Gaethje via Round 3 TKO
Julio Monteros Jr.: Oliveira via Round 4 SUB
Brian Knight: Gaethje via Round 3 TKO
Staff picking Oliveira: 7
Staff picking Gaethje: 8
*Fight odds from DraftKings*
UFC 274 FEATURED IMAGE:
Embed from Getty Images
