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

UFC 273 predictions: Who are our two unanimous picks in Jacksonville?

Volkanovski
vs.
Jung
Sterling
vs.
Yan
Burns
vs.
Chimaev
Dern
vs.
Torres
Madsen
vs.
Pichel
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
47-19
volkanovski2022
Volkanovski
(76%)
yan2022
Yan
(82%)
chimaev2022
Chimaev
(72%)
dern2022
Dern
(68%)
madsen2022
Madsen
(62%)
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
47-25
trophy copy 2014 Champion
volkanovski2022
Volkanovski
yan2022
Yan
chimaev2022
Chimaev
dern2022
Dern
madsen2022
Madsen
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
47-25
volkanovski2022
Volkanovski
yan2022
Yan
chimaev2022
Chimaev
dern2022
Dern
madsen2022
Madsen
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
46-26
volkanovski2022
Volkanovski
yan2022
Yan
chimaev2022
Chimaev
dern2022
Dern
madsen2022
Madsen
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
46-26
trophy copy 2018 Champion
volkanovski2022
Volkanovski
yan2022
Yan
chimaev2022
Chimaev
dern2022
Dern
madsen2022
Madsen
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
45-27
volkanovski2022
Volkanovski
sterling2022
Sterling
chimaev2022
Chimaev
dern2022
Dern
madsen2022
Madsen
Nolan King
@mma_kings
45-27
volkanovski2022
Volkanovski
yan2022
Yan
chimaev2022
Chimaev
dern2022
Dern
madsen2022
Madsen
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
45-27
volkanovski2022
Volkanovski
sterling2022
Sterling
burns2022
Burns
dern2022
Dern
madsen2022
Madsen
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
42-30
trophy copy 2017 Champion
volkanovski2022
Volkanovski
yan2022
Yan
burns2022
Burns
dern2022
Dern
madsen2022
Madsen
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
42-30
volkanovski2022
Volkanovski
sterling2022
Sterling
chimaev2022
Chimaev
torres2022
Torres
madsen2022
Madsen
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
41-31
volkanovski2022
Volkanovski
sterling2022
Sterling
burns2022
Burns
dern2022
Dern
madsen2022
Madsen
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
31-41
volkanovski2022
Volkanovski
yan2022
Yan
burns2022
Burns
torres2022
Torres
madsen2022
Madsen

The UFC is back in Florida this week with two title fights at the top of the card.

UFC 273 takes place Saturday at Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. 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, featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski (23-1 MMA, 10-0 UFC) takes on challenger Chan Sung Jung (17-6 MMA, 7-3 UFC). Volkanovski is a huge -800 favorite at Tipico; the comeback on Jung is +470. With Volkanovski the biggest favorite on the main card, it’s no surprise our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers have him as one of two unanimous picks at 11-0.

In the co-feature, bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling (20-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC) meets interim champ and former titleholder Petr Yan (16-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC). Yan lost their first fight by disqualification. He’s a -475 favorite in the rematch and has a 7-4 lead in the picks.

Also on the main card, Khamzat Chimaev (10-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) is a 5-1 favorite to stay unbeaten against former welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns (20-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC). Chimaev has a 7-4 picks lead.

Mackenzie Dern (11-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) takes on Tecia Torres (13-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) in a women’s strawweight bout with tight betting odds. Dern is -115, with Torres at -110. But Dern has a heavy 9-2 lead in the picks from our staff members.

And to open the main card, Mark Madsen (11-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) is an underdog at lightweight against Vinc Pichel (14-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC), who is a a-130 favorite. The comeback on Madsen is +105. Yet all 11 of our pickers are going with Madsen as our second unanimous choice.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Volkanovski (76 percent), Yan (82 percent), Chimaev (72 percent), Dern (68 percent) and Madsen (62 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

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