The second of two fight cards for the weekend are locked for our MMASucka staff picks. Tonight, February 29 will see UFC Fight Night 169 go down at the Chartway Arena (also known as the Ted Constant Convocation Center) in Norfolk, Virginia. This will be the UFC’s second appearance to Norfolk, lastly making an appearance in November of 2017. The main card will begin at 8:00pm ET (5:00pm PT) live on ESPN+.
Make sure to check out our picks from the first card this weekend, ONE Championship: King of the Jungle.
The Fights
A five-round main event is in store as Joseph Benavidez will look for the vacant UFC flyweight championship against Brazil’s Deiveson Figueiredo. Benavidez will be the lone man eligible for the title as Figueiredo weighed in Friday morning at 127.5, two and-a-half pounds over the belt’s limit. A victory for Figueiredo would result in the flyweight strap staying vacant.
Benavidez will look for gold a third time in the UFC, his first two coming up short to all-time great Demetrious Johnson. He currently sits at 9-1 through his last ten promotional outings, suffering a single and controversial defeat to Sergio Pettis in June of 2018. Two dominant victories last year have propelled Benavidez back to the peak of the division, now ready to have his name called for the 125-pound belt. His opponent, Figueiredo, had never missed weight entering his only eight-year professional MMA career. A single defeat through 18 fights fell last March, dropping a unanimous decision to Jussier Formiga. Figueiredo looks to put on a show after letting many down while in search of a third straight victory, also looking to back-up an October guillotine over TUF 24 winner and former Titan FC flyweight champion Tim Elliott.
In the co-main event, former Invicta FC featherweight champ Felicia Spencer will take on France’s Zarah Fairn dos Santos in the featherweight division. Both ladies will look to rebound after recent defeats; Spencer suffering her first loss to Cris Cyborg by decision and dos Santos losing by submission in her promotional debut to Megan Anderson.
See all the remaining UFC Fight Night 169 fights counted for our picks further below.
Staff Picks
Throughout the year, staff picks will be composed of five different MMA promotions. UFC, Bellator, ONE, and RIZIN all appeared for the 2019 season and will make returns. The newest addition for the 2020 year will see the PFL including their regular season, playoffs, and championship card. A special staff picks bonus will be introduced and discussed regarding PFL’s playoff format as time gets closer.
Main cards will makeup both UFC and Bellator picks, while the biggest fights to make up ONE, RIZIN, and PFL 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 2019 winner was awarded to Michael DeSantis, compiling a record of 321-178. Second-place Connor Deitrich collected a close score of 319-180 with third-place Ed Gallo not far behind totaling at 312-183.
Check out our staff picks for ONE Championship: King of the Jungle below.
Staff Records after UFC Fight Night 168:
1. Michael DeSantis: 47-14
2T. Wesley Riddle: 46-15
2T. Connor Deitrich: 46-15
4. Ed Gallo: 44-17
5. Dan Rose: 43-18
6T. Jeremy Brand: 40-21
6T. Matt Bricker: 40-21
6T. Frazer Krohn: 40-21
9T. Mike Skytte: 39-22
9T. Ash Camyab: 39-22
11T. Andrew Benjamin: 38-23
11T. Nate Freeman: 38-19, missed one card
13. McKenzie Guardiero: 37-24
14. Mitchell Banuelos: 36-16, missed two cards
15. Ashwin Viswanathan: 34-17
16T. Ryan Hobbs: 33-28
16T. Mike Lynch: 33-28
18. Jack Buchanan: 27-11, missed five cards
19. Jeremy Cook: 7-3, missed eight cards
*NOTE – Friday’s ONE Championship: King of the Jungle picks have NOT been added to the above records. Both cards will be added NEXT weekend*
Grant Dawson (14-1) vs. Darrick Minner (23-10)
Jeremy Brand: Dawson via UD
Wesley Riddle: Dawson via Round 1 SUB
Mike Skytte: Minner via SD
Michael DeSantis: Dawson via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Dawson via UD
Ed Gallo: Dawson via UD
Matt Bricker: Dawson via UD
Connor Deitrich: Dawson via Round 2 TKO
Ash Camyab: Dawson via UD
Ryan Hobbs: Minner via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Dawson via UD
Frazer Krohn: Dawson via UD
McKenzie Guardiero: Dawson via UD
Dan Rose: Dawson via Round 1 TKO
Mike Lynch: Dawson via Round 1 TKO
Jeremy Cook: Dawson via UD
Ashwin Viswanathan: Dawson via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: Dawson via UD
Jack Buchanan: Dawson via Round 2 SUB
Staff picking Dawson: 17
Staff picking Minner: 2
Megan Anderson (10-4) vs. Norma Dumont (4-0)
Jeremy Brand: Anderson via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Anderson via Round 1 SUB
Mike Skytte: Anderson via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Anderson via Round 2 TKO
Mitchell Banuelos: Anderson via UD
Ed Gallo: Anderson via UD
Matt Bricker: Anderson via Round 3 TKO
Connor Deitrich: Anderson via Round 1 TKO
Ash Camyab: Anderson via UD
Ryan Hobbs: Anderson via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Anderson via Round 1 SUB
Frazer Krohn: Anderson via Round 2 SUB
McKenzie Guardiero: Anderson via UD
Dan Rose: Anderson via UD
Mike Lynch: Anderson via Round 3 TKO
Jeremy Cook: Anderson via UD
Ashwin Viswanathan: Anderson via Round 3 SUB
Nate Freeman: Anderson via Round 1 TKO
Jack Buchanan: Anderson via Round 1 TKO
Staff picking Anderson: 19
Staff picking Dumont: 0
Ion Cutelaba (15-4, 1 NC) vs. Magomed Ankalaev (12-1)
Jeremy Brand: Ankalaev via UD
Wesley Riddle: Ankalaev via Round 3 TKO
Mike Skytte: Ankalaev via Round 2 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Ankalaev via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Cutelaba via Round 2 TKO
Ed Gallo: Ankalaev via Round 2 TKO
Matt Bricker: Ankalaev via UD
Connor Deitrich: Ankalaev via Round 3 TKO
Ash Camyab: Cutelaba via Round 1 TKO
Ryan Hobbs: Cutelaba via Round 1 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Ankalaev via UD
Frazer Krohn: Ankalaev via UD
McKenzie Guardiero: Ankalaev via Round 2 TKO
Dan Rose: Ankalaev via Round 1 TKO
Mike Lynch: Cutelaba via Round 1 TKO
Jeremy Cook: Cutelaba via Round 2 TKO
Ashwin Viswanathan: Cutelaba via Round 1 TKO
Nate Freeman: Ankalaev via UD
Jack Buchanan: Ankalaev via UD
Staff picking Cutelaba: 6
Staff picking Ankalaev: 13
Felicia Spencer (7-1) vs. Zarah Fairn dos Santos (6-3)
Jeremy Brand: Spencer via UD
Wesley Riddle: Spencer via Round 1 SUB
Mike Skytte: Spencer via SD
Michael DeSantis: Spencer via Round 1 SUB
Mitchell Banuelos: Spencer via UD
Ed Gallo: Spencer via UD
Matt Bricker: Spencer via UD
Connor Deitrich: Spencer via Round 2 SUB
Ash Camyab: Spencer via UD
Ryan Hobbs: Spencer via Round 2 SUB
Andrew Benjamin: Spencer via UD
Frazer Krohn: Spencer via UD
McKenzie Guardiero: Spencer via Round 1 TKO
Dan Rose: Spencer via Round 3 TKO
Mike Lynch: Spencer via Round 3 SUB
Jeremy Cook: Spencer via UD
Ashwin Viswanathan: Spencer via Round 3 SUB
Nate Freeman: Spencer via Round 1 SUB
Jack Buchanan: Spencer via Round 2 SUB
Staff picking Spencer: 19
Staff picking dos Santos: 0
Joseph Benavidez (28-5) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo (17-1)
Jeremy Brand: Benavidez via UD
Wesley Riddle: Benavidez via UD
Mike Skytte: Figueiredo via Round 3 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Benavidez via UD
Mitchell Banuelos: Benavidez via UD
Ed Gallo: Benavidez via UD
Matt Bricker: Figueiredo via UD
Connor Deitrich: Benavidez via Round 4 TKO
Ash Camyab: Benavidez via UD
Ryan Hobbs: Figueiredo via UD
Andrew Benjamin: Benavidez via UD
Frazer Krohn: Benavidez via UD
McKenzie Guardiero: Benavidez via Round 2 TKO
Dan Rose: Benavidez via UD
Mike Lynch: Benavidez via UD
Jeremy Cook: Benavidez via UD
Ashwin Viswanathan: Benavidez via Round 5 TKO
Nate Freeman: Benavidez via SD
Jack Buchanan: Benavidez via UD
Staff picking Benavidez: 16
Staff picking Figueiredo: 3
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