PFL Washington DC Staff Picks: Welterweight Elites Duke It Out for Title

The undisputed welterweight championship is on the line at PFL Washington DC, as promotional star Thad Jean attempts to crown himself the best in his division against late replacement Ernesto Rodriguez. In the penultimate fight of the night, UFC veteran  Tyson Pedro seeks to attain his first win in three years when he crosses paths with Rafael Xavier.         

PFL Washington DC Main Event

Standing as one of the most entertaining undefeated fighters on the roster, Jean cemented his place as a heavy-hitter among the world’s premier 170-lb combatants when he won the PFL’s welterweight tournament in 2025. Although his original opponent, Shamil Musaev, sadly had to bow out of the title match due to weight cut issues, the goal remains the same for the Floridian: capture the belt in devastating fashion.

Undefeated since 2021, Rodriguez has won his last nine tilts in a row, with the biggest accolade he has garnered in that time being his winning the Tuff-N-Uff welterweight championship. Now a mere punch away from calling himself a world champion, “Starboy” sets out to record a massive upset in the most important scrap of his life.

PFL Washington DC Co-Main Event

With all of his 10 victories as a professional coming inside the distance, Pedro has proven to be a nightmare on the feet and on the ground for most of the foes he has met inside the cage. Coming up short in his organizational debut earlier this year at PFL Belfast, the New South Wales native is eager to get back in the win column after two consecutive losses.

Fighting out of Germany, Brazilian-born athlete Xavier has fought all over the world over the course of his more than ten-year journey as a mixed martial artist. While a 1-2 would suggest a decline for the 35-year old competitor, the striking specialist is keen on proving he more than has what it takes to continue flushing at the highest level of the sport.

More Bouts On The PFL Washington DC Main Card

Also on the main card, Sullivan Cauley faces Rasul Magomedov. Also, Eliezer Kubanza tests himself against Chris Mixan.

PFL Washington DC Predictions and Staff Picks

MMASucka staff picks are composed of four of the world’s leading mixed martial arts organizations: the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the Professional Fighters League (PFL), ONE Championship (ONE FC), and Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS).

• UFC picks will include main card fights ranging from four to six matchups per event.

• PFL picks from main cards for pay-per-views and from tournament fights in the Regular Season, Playoffs, and Finals.

• ONE FC and DWCS picks will feature all MMA fights from the event with a minimum of three matchups.

Staff picks in 2025 were won by Hank Strandberg with a record of 216-119.

Find our PFL Washington DC picks and fight odds below.

Staff records after UFC Oklahoma City:

1. Hank Strandberg: 117-53

2. Frazer Krohn: 93-72

3. Drew Zuhosky: 87-86

4. Andrew Benjamin: 18-18

*Note – not all staff pick for every event*

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Eliezer Kubanza -140

Vs.

Chris Mixan +120

WELTERWEIGHT

Hank Strandberg: Kubanza by Unanimous Decision

Drew Zuhosky: Kubanzaby Unanimous Decision

Frazer Krohn:

Andrew Benjamin: Mixan by Unanimous Decision

Staff picking Kubanza: 2

Staff picking Mixan: 1

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Rasul Magomedov -250

Vs.

Sullivan Cauley +210

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT

Hank Strandberg: Magomedov by Second Round Knockout

Drew Zuhosky: Cauley by Unanimous Decision

Frazer Krohn: Magomedov by Third Round Knockout

Andrew Benjamin: Cauley by Second Round Knockout

Staff picking Magomedov: 2

Staff picking Cauley: 2

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Rafael Xavier -125

Vs.

Tyson Pedro +105

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT

Hank Strandberg: Xavier by First Round Knockout

Drew Zuhosky: Pedro by Unanimous Decision

Frazer Krohn: Xavier by Unanimous Decision

Andrew Benjamin: Xavier by Unanimous Decision

Staff picking Xavier: 3

Staff picking Pedro: 1

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Thad Jean -600

Vs.

Ernesto Rodriguez +450

WELTERWEIGHT

Hank Strandberg: Jean by Second Round Knockout

Drew Zuhosky: Jean by Unanimous Decision

Frazer Krohn: Jean by Unanimous Decision

Andrew Benjamin: Jean by Split Decision

Staff picking Jean: 4

Staff picking Rodriguez: 0