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

UFC 281 predictions: Who are we picking in the two title fights in New York?

Adesanya
vs.
Pereira
Esparza
vs.
Weili
Chandler
vs.
Poirier
Edgar
vs.
Gutierrez
Hooker
vs.
Puelles
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
176-105

Adesanya
(51%)

Weili
(86%)

Poirier
(69%)

Gutierrez
(64%)

Hooker
(55%)
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
187-99
2018 Champion

Adesanya

Weili

Poirier

Gutierrez

Puelles
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
180-106

Adesanya

Esparza

Poirier

Gutierrez

Puelles
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
179-107

Adesanya

Weili

Poirier

Gutierrez

Puelles
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
176-110

Adesanya

Weili

Poirier

Edgar

Hooker
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohn
175-111
2014 Champion

Adesanya

Weili

Poirier

Gutierrez

Puelles
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
173-113

Pereira

Weili

Chandler

Edgar

Hooker
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
173-113

Pereira

Esparza

Poirier

Edgar

Puelles
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
167-119
2017 Champion

Adesanya

Weili

Chandler

Gutierrez

Puelles
Nolan King
@mma_kings
166-120

Adesanya

Weili

Poirier

Gutierrez

Hooker
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
157-129

Adesanya

Esparza

Chandler

Edgar

Puelles
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
140-146

Adesanya

Weili

Chandler

Gutierrez

Puelles

The UFC is back in the “Big Apple” with a pair of title fights at the top of the bill.

UFC 281 takes place Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and early prelims on ESPN+.

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

In the main event, middleweight champion Israel Adesanya (23-1 MMA, 12-1 UFC) puts his title on the line against Alex Pereira (6-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC), who holds two wins over him in kickboxing. Adesanya is a -220 favorite at Tipico Sportsbook; the comeback on Pereira is +170. Our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers largely are sticking with the champ at a big 9-2 clip.

In the co-feature, women’s strawweight champ Carla Esparza (19-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) defends the title for the first time in her second stint as champion when she meets former titleholder Zhang Weili (22-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC). Weili is the biggest favorite on the main card at 4-1 and has a big 8-3 picks lead.

Also on the main card, former Bellator lightweight champ Michael Chandler (23-7 MMA, 2-2 UFC) meets former UFC interim champ Dustin Poirier (28-7 MMA, 20-6 UFC). Poirier is more than a 2-1 favorite at the betting window and has a 7-4 edge in the picks.

Former lightweight champ Frankie Edgar (24-10-1 MMA, 18-10-1 UFC) will fight for what is likely to be the final time when he takes on Chris Gutierrez (18-3-2 MMA, 6-1-1 UFC) at bantamweight. Gutierrez is a -230 favorite and has a 7-4 picks lead.

And to open the main card, Dan Hooker (21-12 MMA, 11-8 UFC) takes on Claudio Puelles (12-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) at lightweight. Hooker is the favorite at -165, but Puelles is bucking the betting trend and has a big 8-3 lead from our staff members.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Adesanya (51 percent), Weili (86 percent), Poirier (6z9 percent), Gutierrez (64 percent) and Hooker (55 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 214.

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