There is plenty of mixed martial arts to watch this weekend. We have got another (and our finale) double-header of picks from our staff of writers for the TUF 26 Finale and UFC 218.
Kicking everything off sees The Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale going down from the Park Theater in Paradise, Nevada. After a grueling 16-seed season, fighters Nicco Montano and Sijara Eubanks can out on top set to crown the inaugural UFC Women’s Flyweight Championship. However, weight cut complications for Eubanks sent her to the hospital Thursday morning before weigh-ins. In comes MMA Sucka’s own writer Roxanne Modaferri, a long-time fighter with over 30 professional fights who was eliminated in the semi-finals of the tournament by unanimous decision to Eubanks.
Saturday will then see one of the best looking cards of 2017, UFC 218, with all ten of the pay-per-view fighters being ranked inside the top six of their respected weight classes. A rematch in the main event will see current champion Max Holloway and former champion Jose Aldo battle it out for the UFC Featherweight Title.
Check out our MMASucka main card staff picks for both The Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale and UFC 218 below. Record updates for each staff member are at the bottom of the article.
The Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale – December 1, 2017
Nicco Montano (4-2) vs. Roxanne Modafferi (21-14)
Jeremy Brand: Modafferi via UD
Wesley Riddle: Modafferi via UD
Mike Skytte: Montano via Round 4 TKO
Nick Godin: Modafferi via Round 1 TKO
Jason Burgos: Montano via Round 4 TKO
Justin Pierrot: Modafferi via Round 4 TKO
Davey Caplice: Montano via SD
Michael DeSantis: Modafferi via Round 3 Submission
Dan Cohen: Modafferi via UD
Ryan Wagner: Montano via UD
Shawn Bitter: Modafferi via UD
Melanie Gale: Modafferi via UD
Sean O’Malley (8-0) vs. Terrion Ware (17-6)
Jeremy Brand: Ware via UD
Wesley Riddle: O’Malley via Round 2 TKO
Mike Skytte: Ware via Round 3 TKO
Nick Godin: O’Malley via Round 2 TKO
Jason Burgos: O’Malley via Round 2 TKO
Justin Pierrot: Ware via UD
Davey Caplice: O’Malley via UD
Michael DeSantis: Ware via UD
Dan Cohen: O’Malley via Round 1 TKO
Ryan Wagner: O’Malley via Round 2 TKO
Shawn Bitter: Ware via Round 2 TKO
Melanie Gale: O’Malley via Round 1 TKO
Barb Honchak (10-3) vs. Lauren Murphy (9-3)
Jeremy Brand: Honchak via UD
Wesley Riddle: Honchak via UD
Mike Skytte: Honchak via UD
Nick Godin: Murphy via UD
Jason Burgos: Honchak via UD
Justin Pierrot: Honchak via UD
Davey Caplice: Murphy via SD
Michael DeSantis: Honchak via UD
Dan Cohen: Honchak via UD
Ryan Wagner: Honchak via UD
Shawn Bitter: Honchak via UD
Melanie Gale: Honchak via UD
Eric Spicely (10-3) vs. Gerald Meerschaert (26-9)
Jeremy Brand: Spicely via Round 1 Submission
Wesley Riddle: Spicely via Round 2 Submission
Mike Skytte: Spicely via UD
Nick Godin: Spicely via UD
Jason Burgos: Meerschaert via UD
Justin Pierrot: Spicely via Round 2 Submission
Davey Caplice: Spicely via UD
Michael DeSantis: Meerschaert via Round 2 Submission
Dan Cohen: Spicely via Round 3 Submission
Ryan Wagner: Meerschaert via UD
Shawn Bitter: Meerschaert via UD
Melanie Gale: Spicely via UD
DeAnna Bennett (8-3) vs. Melinda Fabian (4-3-1)
Jeremy Brand: Bennett via UD
Wesley Riddle: Bennett via Round 2 Submission
Mike Skytte: Bennett via UD
Nick Godin: Bennett via UD
Jason Burgos: Bennett via Round 2 TKO
Justin Pierrot: Bennett via UD
Davey Caplice: Bennett via Round 2 Submission
Michael DeSantis: Bennett via Round 1 Submission
Dan Cohen: N/A
Ryan Wagner: Bennett via UD
Shawn Bitter: N/A
Melanie Gale: Bennett via UD
Joe Soto (18-5) vs. Brett Johns (14-0)
Jeremy Brand: Johns via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Johns via UD
Mike Skytte: Johns via UD
Nick Godin: Soto via UD
Jason Burgos: Soto via UD
Justin Pierrot: Soto via UD
Davey Caplice: Johns via UD
Michael DeSantis: Johns via UD
Dan Cohen: Johns via UD
Ryan Wagner: Johns via UD
Shawn Bitter: Johns via UD
Melanie Gale: Johns via UD
UFC 218 – December 2, 2017
Max Holloway (18-3) vs. Jose Aldo (26-3)
Jeremy Brand: Aldo via UD
Wesley Riddle: Holloway via Round 4 TKO
Mike Skytte: Aldo via UD
Nick Godin: N/A
Jason Burgos: Holloway via Round 3 TKO
Justin Pierrot: Holloway via Round 2 TKO
Davey Caplice: Holloway via Round 3 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Holloway via Round 4 TKO
Dan Cohen: Holloway via UD
Ryan Wagner: Holloway via Round 3 TKO
Shawn Bitter: Holloway via Round 3 TKO
Melanie Gale: Holloway via UD
Alistair Overeem (43-15, 1 NC) vs. Francis Ngannou (10-1)
Jeremy Brand: Ngannou via Round 1 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Ngannou via Round 1 TKO
Mike Skytte: Ngannou via Round 1 TKO
Nick Godin: Ngannou via Round 1 TKO
Jason Burgos: Overeem via Round 2 TKO
Justin Pierrot: Ngannou via Round 2 TKO
Davey Caplice: Overeem via Round 3 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Ngannou via Round 1 TKO
Dan Cohen: Ngannou via Round 1 TKO
Ryan Wagner: Ngannou via Round 1 TKO
Shawn Bitter: Ngannou via Round 1 TKO
Melanie Gale: Ngannou via Round 1 TKO
Henry Cejudo (11-2) vs. Sergio Pettis (16-2)
Jeremy Brand: Pettis via UD
Wesley Riddle: Cejudo via UD
Mike Skytte: Cejudo via UD
Nick Godin: Cejudo via UD
Jason Burgos: Cejudo via Round 3 TKO
Justin Pierrot: Cejudo via UD
Davey Caplice: Pettis via UD
Michael DeSantis: Cejudo via UD
Dan Cohen: Cejudo via UD
Ryan Wagner: Cejudo via UD
Shawn Bitter: Cejudo via Round 2 TKO
Melanie Gale: Cejudo via UD
Eddie Alvarez (28-5, 1 NC) vs. Justin Gaethje (18-0)
Jeremy Brand: Alvarez via UD
Wesley Riddle: Gaethje via Round 2 TKO
Mike Skytte: Gaethje via Round 2 TKO
Nick Godin: Alvarez via Round 3 TKO
Jason Burgos: Gaethje via Round 2 TKO
Justin Pierrot: Gaethje via Round 2 TKO
Davey Caplice: Gaethje via Round 2 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Gaethje via Round 1 TKO
Dan Cohen: Gaethje via Round 1 TKO
Ryan Wagner: Gaethje via Round 2 TKO
Shawn Bitter: Gaethje via Round 1 TKO
Melanie Gale: Gaethje via Round 1 TKO
Tecia Torres (9-1) vs. Michelle Waterson (14-5)
Jeremy Brand: Waterson via UD
Wesley Riddle: Waterson via UD
Mike Skytte: Waterson via UD
Nick Godin: Waterson via UD
Jason Burgos: Waterson via UD
Justin Pierrot: Waterson via UD
Davey Caplice: Torres via SD
Michael DeSantis: Torres via SD
Dan Cohen: Torres via UD
Ryan Wagner: Torres via UD
Shawn Bitter: Waterson via UD
Melanie Gale: Torres via UD
2017 Staff Records following UFC Fight Night 122:
1. Wesley Riddle: 106-64
2. Jeremy Brand: 98-67
3. Nick Godin: 97-68
4. Mike Skytte: 93-77
5a. Michael DeSantis: 92-54
5b. Jason Burgos: 92-70
7. Dan Cohen: 83-43
8. Justin Pierrot: 82-71
9. Davey Caplice: 71-55
10. Suraj Sukumar: 49-33
11a. Jacob Debets: 20-10
11b. Ryan Wagner: 20-14
13. Chadwick Church: 6-5
14. Melanie Gale: 1-3
Main Photo:
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