MMASucka staff picks are locked in for one lone fight card this weekend.
UFC Fight Night 204 will take place in just a few short hours today, March 19 from the O2 Arena in London, England. The event comes as the promotion’s first “Fight Night” away from the UFC Apex since October of 2020. Six fights will take place on the main card beginning at 4:00pm ET (1:00pm PT) live for subscribers on ESPN+.
A technical error from last week resulted in neither UFC Vegas 50: Santos vs. Ankalaev or Bellator 276: Borics vs. Burnell staff picks being posted. Despite this, results have been included in the “Staff Records” section of this article.
Live results from all of UFC Fight Night 204 will be available here at MMASucka.
The Fights
Top-ranked heavyweights Alexander Volkov and Tom Aspinall are set for a potential 25-minute affair in hopes to make a divisional statement.
Volkov stayed busy in 2021 with a 2-1 record inside the octagon having most recently defeated Poland’s Marcin Tybura in a three-round decision. The Russian has yet to secure a title fight in the UFC through eleven fights despite floating near the heavyweight’s peak having been a former Bellator and M-1 champion. Volkov’s opponent, Aspinall, gets the biggest platform yet in his first promotional main event in front of his England home country. The well-rounded talent has finished all of his eleven opponents with four (three via KO/TKO, one via SUB) in the UFC; two finishes over Andrei Arlovski and Sergey Spivak last year.
Suffolk’s Arnold Allen and Auckland’s Dan Hooker are set for battle in the featured co-main event. 28-year-old Allen looks to extend his ten-fight win streak dating back to his Cage Warrior days in 2014. The always flashy Hooker looks to bounce back strong following a first-round submission defeat to Islam Makhachev last October.
Also on the main card sees breakout talent Paddy Pimblett, undefeated rising star Ilia Topuria, and the long-awaited return of fan-favorite Gunnar Nelson. Find our MMASucka staff picks for UFC Fight Night 204 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 selected for PFL MMA. Dana White’s Contender Series will be composed of the entire fight card.
Dates for the return of both PFL MMA and Dana White’s Contender Series in 2022 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.
See below for our UFC Fight Night 204: Volkov vs. Aspinall staff picks.
Staff Records after Bellator 276:
1. Brandon Joint: 42-15
2T. Jeremy Brand: 37-20
2T. Michael DeSantis: 37-20
2T. Andrew Benjamin: 37-20
2T. Frazer Krohn: 37-20
2T. Coby Weinsier: 37-20
2T. Chinyere Okafor: 37-16
8T. Wesley Riddle: 36-21
8T. Nate Freeman: 36-21
10T. Mike Lynch: 35-22
10T. William Dong: 35-22
10T. Tim Wheaton: 35-18
13T. Ash Camyab: 33-24
13T. Chris Presnell: 33-24
15. Jacek Okninski: 31-26
16. Matt Bricker: 12-8
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
Jai Herbert (11-3), +435
vs.
Ilia Topuria (11-0), -600
Lightweight Division, 155 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Topuria via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Topuria via Round 2 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Topuria via Round 2 TKO
Ash Camyab: Topuria via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Topuria via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Herbert via Round 3 TKO
Mike Lynch: Topuria via Round 1 TKO
Nate Freeman: Topuria via Round 2 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Topuria via Round 1 TKO
Chris Presnell: Topuria via Round 1 TKO
Jacek Okninski: Topuria via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Topuria via Round 2 TKO
Chinyere Okafor: Topuria via Round 2 TKO
Julio Monteros Jr.: Topuria via Round 2 TKO
Brian Knight: Topuria via Unanimous Decision
Joe Porter: Topuria via Round 3 TKO
Jack Goodwillie: Topuria via Round 1 SUB
Staff picking Herbert: 1
Staff picking Topuria: 16
Molly McCann (11-4), -135
vs.
Luana Carolina (8-2), +115
Flyweight Division, 125 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: McCann via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: McCann via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: McCann via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: McCann via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: McCann via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: McCann via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: McCann via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: McCann via Unanimous Decision
Tim Wheaton: McCann via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: McCann via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Carolina via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: McCann via Unanimous Decision
Chinyere Okafor: McCann via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: McCann via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: McCann via Unanimous Decision
Joe Porter: McCann via Round 2 TKO
Jack Goodwillie: McCann via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking McCann: 16
Staff picking Carolina: 1
Gunnar Nelson (17-5-1), -525
vs.
Takashi Sato (16-5), +385
Welterweight Division, 170 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Nelson via Round 2 SUB
Wesley Riddle: Nelson via Round 1 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Nelson via Round 1 SUB
Ash Camyab: Nelson via Round 1 SUB
Andrew Benjamin: Nelson via Round 2 SUB
Frazer Krohn: Nelson via Round 2 SUB
Mike Lynch: Nelson via Round 3 SUB
Nate Freeman: Nelson via Round 1 SUB
Tim Wheaton: Nelson via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Nelson via Round 2 SUB
Jacek Okninski: Nelson via Round 2 SUB
William Dong: Nelson via Unanimous Decision
Chinyere Okafor: Nelson via Round 2 SUB
Julio Monteros Jr.: Nelson via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Nelson via Unanimous Decision
Joe Porter: Nelson via Unanimous Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Nelson via Round 2 SUB
Staff picking Nelson: 16
Staff picking Sato: 0
Paddy Pimblett (17-3), -675
vs.
Kazula Vargas (12-4), +475
Lightweight Division, 155 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Pimblett via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Pimblett via Round 1 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Pimblett via Round 2 SUB
Ash Camyab: Pimblett via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Pimblett via Round 2 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Pimblett via Round 1 TKO
Mike Lynch: Pimblett via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Pimblett via Round 1 SUB
Tim Wheaton: Pimblett via Round 3 TKO
Chris Presnell: Pimblett via Round 2 SUB
Jacek Okninski: Pimblett via Round 1 TKO
William Dong: Pimblett via Round 2 SUB
Chinyere Okafor: Pimblett via Round 2 TKO
Julio Monteros Jr.: Pimblett via Round 2 TKO
Brian Knight: Pimblett via Round 2 TKO
Joe Porter: Pimblett via Round 1 TKO
Jack Goodwillie: Pimblett via Round 2 SUB
Staff picking Pimblett: 16
Staff picking Vargas: 0
Arnold Allen (17-1), -115
vs.
Dan Hooker (21-11), -105
Featherweight Co-Main Event, 145 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Allen via Round 2 SUB
Wesley Riddle: Allen via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Allen via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Allen via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Hooker via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Allen via Unanimous Decision
Mike Lynch: Hooker via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: Allen via Split Decision
Tim Wheaton: Allen via Unanimous Decision
Chris Presnell: Hooker via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Allen via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Allen via Unanimous Decision
Chinyere Okafor: Hooker via Unanimous Decision
Julio Monteros Jr.: Hooker via Unanimous Decision
Brian Knight: Hooker via Unanimous Decision
Joe Porter: Allen via Unanimous Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Allen via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Allen: 11
Staff picking Hooker: 6
Alexander Volkov (34-9), +105
vs.
Tom Aspinall (11-2), -125
Featured Heavyweight Main Event, 265 lbs.
Jeremy Brand: Aspinall via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Volkov via Round 4 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Volkov via Unanimous Decision
Ash Camyab: Volkov via Round 4 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Aspinall via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Aspinall via Round 4 SUB
Mike Lynch: Aspinall via Round 3 TKO
Nate Freeman: Aspinall via Round 2 TKO
Tim Wheaton: Aspinall via Round 2 TKO
Chris Presnell: Aspinall via Unanimous Decision
Jacek Okninski: Aspinall via Unanimous Decision
William Dong: Aspinall via Round 3 TKO
Chinyere Okafor: Volkov via Round 4 TKO
Julio Monteros Jr.: Aspinall via Round 3 TKO
Brian Knight: Aspinall via Round 3 TKO
Joe Porter: Volkov via Unanimous Decision
Jack Goodwillie: Aspinall via Split Decision
Staff picking Volkov: 5
Staff picking Aspinall: 12
*Fight Odds from DraftKings*
UFC FIGHT NIGHT 204 FEATURED IMAGE:
Embed from Getty Images
