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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Matt Erickson

UFC 272 predictions: Are we picking Jorge Masvidal or Colby Covington in massive grudge match?

Covington
vs.
Masvidal
Dos Anjos
vs.
Moicano
Barboza
vs.
Mitchell
Holland
vs.
Oliveira
Hardy
vs.
Spivac
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
28-17
covington2022
Covington
(65%)
dosanjos2022
Dos Anjos
(71%)
mitchell2022
Mitchell
(58%)
holland2022
Holland
(82%)
spivac2022
Spivac
(64%)
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
30-15
covington2022
Covington
moicano2022
Moicano
barboza2022
Barboza
holland2022
Holland
spivac2022
Spivac
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
29-16
trophy copy 2018 Champion
covington2022
Covington
dosanjos2022
Dos Anjos
mitchell2022
Mitchell
holland2022
Holland
spivac2022
Spivac
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
29-16
covington2022
Covington
moicano2022
Moicano
barboza2022
Barboza
holland2022
Holland
spivac2022
Spivac
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
28-17
masvidal2022
Masvidal
dosanjos2022
Dos Anjos
barboza2022
Barboza
holland2022
Holland
hardy2022
Hardy
Nolan King
@mma_kings
27-18
covington2022
Covington
dosanjos2022
Dos Anjos
barboza2022
Barboza
holland2022
Holland
spivac2022
Spivac
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
27-18
trophy copy 2014 Champion
covington2022
Covington
dosanjos2022
Dos Anjos
barboza2022
Barboza
holland2022
Holland
hardy2022
Hardy
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
27-18
covington2022
Covington
dosanjos2022
Dos Anjos
barboza2022
Barboza
holland2022
Holland
spivac2022
Spivac
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
25-20
covington2022
Covington
dosanjos2022
Dos Anjos
barboza2022
Barboza
holland2022
Holland
spivac2022
Spivac
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
25-20
trophy copy 2017 Champion
masvidal2022
Masvidal
dosanjos2022
Dos Anjos
barboza2022
Barboza
holland2022
Holland
spivac2022
Spivac
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
24-21
covington2022
Covington
dosanjos2022
Dos Anjos
mitchell2022
Mitchell
holland2022
Holland
hardy2022
Hardy
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
24-21
masvidal2022
Masvidal
moicano2022
Moicano
barboza2022
Barboza
oliveira2022
Oliveira
hardy2022
Hardy

The UFC is back in front of a big arena crowd in Las Vegas this week with a huge grudge match at the top of the bill.

UFC 272 takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

In the main event, Colby Covington (16-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC) takes on former teammate and training partner – as well as former friend and roommate – Jorge Masvidal (35-15 MMA, 12-8 UFC) in one of the biggest grudge matches in UFC history. Covington is a heavy -350 favorite at Tipico; the comeback on Masvidal is +255. Our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers have Covington with a big 8-3 edge in the picks.

In the co-feature, former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos (30-13 MMA, 19-11 UFC) takes on short-notice replacement Renato Moicano (16-4-1 MMA, 8-4 UFC). Dos Anjos nearly is a 2-1 favorite and, like in the main event, has an 8-3 picks lead.

Also on the main card, featherweight Edson Barboza (22-10 MMA, 16-10 UFC) will try to hand Bryce Mitchell (14-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) his first loss. Mitchell is the favorite at the betting window at -165, but Barboza put up a total blowout in the picks at 9-2 from our staff members.

The biggest favorite on the main card is Kevin Holland (21-7 MMA, 8-4 UFC), who is dropping from middleweight to welterweight for the first time to take on Alex Oliveira (22-11-1 MMA, 11-9 UFC). Holland is a -370 favorite and is a near-unanimous choice from our pickers at 10-1.

And to open the main card, Greg Hardy (7-4 MMA, 4-4 UFC) meets Serghei Spivac (13-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) at heavyweight. Spivac is more than a 2-1 favorite, but he’s involved in our most contentious fight from a picks standpoint with a 7-4 lead.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Covington (65 percent), Dos Anjos (71 percent), Mitchell (58 percent), Holland (82 percent) and Spivac (64 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

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