Our double-header weekend continues for MMASucka staff picks.
UFC Vegas 87, also titled UFC Fight Night 238, is set for action later today, March 2nd from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. In mid-January, the card shifted to their home base facility after scheduling conflicts landing an event in Saudi Arabia. Preliminary fights will begin at 1:30pm ET (10:30am ET) followed by the main card at 4:00pm ET (1:00pm PT). All fights are available to subscribers on ESPN+.
Stay tuned here at MMASucka for results from all of UFC Vegas 87: Rozenstruik vs. Gaziev. Also, be sure to recap our staff picks from Friday’s ONE 166 event in Qatar.
Main Event
Heavyweights Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Shamil Gaziev will clash in the night’s featured main event.
Former kickboxer Rozenstruik returns in search of victory after facing a defeat to Jailton Almeida by first-round submission in May of last year. Despite a 3-5 record in his last eight appearances, the Surinamese talent remains one of the most dangerous in the division having stopped all but one opponent by knockout. Rozenstruik’s opponent, Gaziev, gets his first main event slot in only his second promotional fight. His opportunity was earned after securing a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in September, and he has yet to face defeat through twelve bouts.
Battle of the big boys 😤@JairRozenstruik vs Shamil Gaziev goes down TOMORROW!
[ #UFCVegas87 | @ESPNPlus | 4pmET/1pmPT ] pic.twitter.com/sEBx9XSWGA
— UFC (@ufc) March 1, 2024
Co-Main Event
In the penultimate fight of the day, Vitor Petrino and Tyson Pedro are to meet in the light heavyweight division. 2022 Contender Series contract winner Petrino will look to remain undefeated in his eleventh fight coming off a dominant 2023 with three victories over Anton Turkalj, Marcin Prachnio, and Modestas Bukauskas. Australia’s Pedro hopes to make his tenth octagon fight count after a 3-1 record since returning to the UFC in 2022.
Remaining Card
Former UFC Flyweight Title challenger Alex Perez will look to turn his luck around in his first fight back since July of 2022. He will battle undefeated 23-year-old of Muhammad Mokaev who holds ten pro wins since making the switch from amateur in the summer of 2020.
Top contenders of undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov and 16-and-1 UFC newcomer Bekzat Almakhan are set for three rounds in the bantamweight division.
Opening the ESPN+ main card sees a thrilling flyweight matchup between Matt Schnell and Steve Erceg.
Find our staff picks and predictions for UFC Vegas 87: Rozenstruik vs. Gaziev further below.
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) with Bellator MMA, 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 and Bellator MMA see 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.
The individual who picks the most victorious fighters by the end of 2024 will have a choice between receiving a custom-made championship belt from ProAmBelts or a detailed chain from Championship Chains. Staff picks in 2023 were won by Ben Jamieson with a record of 300-148.
See below for our picks from UFC Vegas 87: Rozenstruik vs. Gaziev.
RECORDS AFTER UFC FIGHT NIGHT 237:
1T. Frazer Krohn: 33-18
1T. Nate Freeman: 33-18
3T. Jeremy Brand: 29-22
3T. Michael DeSantis: 29-22
5T. Wesley Riddle: 28-23
5T. Julio Monteros Jr.: 28-11
7. Lukas DeWitt: 16-12
8. Andrew Benjamin: 15-22
9. Michael Kachan: 6-2
10. Casey Cooper: 4-5
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
*Note – ONE 166 picks will be added to records NEXT weekend*
Matt Schnell (16-7, 1 NC), +360
vs.
Steve Erceg (11-1), -480
FLYWEIGHT DIVISION
– 125 LBS. ~ 56.7 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Schnell via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Erceg via Round 1 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Erceg via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Erceg via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Schnell via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Erceg via Split Decision
Lukas DeWitt: Erceg via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Schnell: 2
Staff picking Erceg: 5
Umar Nurmagomedov (16-0), -1200
vs.
Bekzat Almakhan (17-1), +750
BANTAMWEIGHT DIVISION
– 135 LBS. ~ 61.2 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Nurmagomedov via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Nurmagomedov via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Nurmagomedov via Round 2 SUB
Andrew Benjamin: Nurmagomedov via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Nurmagomedov via Round 1 TKO
Nate Freeman: Nurmagomedov via Round 2 TKO
Lukas DeWitt: Nurmagomedov via Round 1 TKO
Staff picking Nurmagomedov: 7
Staff picking Almakhan: 0
Alex Perez (24-7), +300
vs.
Muhammad Mokaev (11-0), -380
FLYWEIGHT DIVISION
– 125 LBS. ~ 56.7 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Mokaev via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Mokaev via Round 2 SUB
Michael DeSantis: Mokaev via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Mokaev via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Mokaev via Round 3 SUB
Nate Freeman: Mokaev via Round 2 SUB
Lukas DeWitt: Mokaev via Round 2 SUB
Staff picking Perez: 0
Staff picking Mokaev: 7
Vitor Petrino (10-0), -375
vs.
Tyson Pedro (10-4), +295
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION
– CO-MAIN EVENT –
– 205 LBS. ~ 93.0 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Pedro via Round 2 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Petrino via Round 2 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Petrino via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Pedro via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Pedro via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Petrino via Round 2 TKO
Lukas DeWitt: Pedro via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Petrino: 3
Staff picking Pedro: 4
Jairzinho Rozenstruik (13-5), +160
vs.
Shamil Gaziev (12-0), -200
HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION
– MAIN EVENT –
– 265 LBS. ~ 120.2 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Gaziev via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Rozenstruik via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Gaziev via Round 2 TKO
Andrew Benjamin: Rozenstruik via Round 1 TKO
Frazer Krohn: Gaziev via Round 3 TKO
Nate Freeman: Gaziev via Round 3 TKO
Lukas DeWitt: Gaziev via Round 1 SUB
Staff picking Rozenstruik: 2
Staff picking Gaziev: 5
