UFC 297 predictions: Four blowouts, but no unanimous picks in Toronto

The UFC returns to Toronto for the first time in nearly five years Saturday with a pair of title fights at the top of the bill in Canada.

UFC 297 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

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

Get pick results from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below.

Arnold Allen vs. Movsar Evloev

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 04: (L-R) Movsar Evloev of Russia punches Dan Ige in a featherweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on June 04, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Records: Allen (19-2 MMA, 10-1 UFC), Evloev (17-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC)
Division: Featherweight
Betting odds: Evloev -165, Allen +140
Junkie pick results: Evloev 6, Allen 5

Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Chris Curtis

Jun 10, 2023; Vancouver, BC, Canada; Marc-Andre Barriault reacts after being declared the winner by decison against Eryk Anders during UFC 289 at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

Records: Barriault (16-6 MMA, 5-5 UFC), Curtis (30-10 MMA, 4-2 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Betting odds: Curtis -165, Barriault +140
Junkie pick results: Curtis 9, Barriault 2

Neil Magny vs. Mike Malott

Jun 10, 2023; Vancouver, BC, Canada; Mike Malott moves in with a kick against Adam Fugitt during UFC 289 at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

Records: Magny (28-11 MMA, 21-10 UFC), Malott (10-1-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Betting odds: Malott -250, Magny +205
Junkie pick results: Malott 10, Magny 1

Raquel Pennington vs. Mayra Bueno Silva

Mayra Bueno Silva

Records: Pennington (15-8 MMA, 12-5 UFC), Bueno Silva (10-2-1 MMA, 5-2-1 UFC)
Division: Women’s bantamweight
Betting odds: Bueno Silva -165, Pennington +140
Junkie pick results: Bueno Silva 10, Pennington 1

Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis

Jul 8, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Dricus Du Plessis (blue gloves) reacts after defeating Robert Whittaker (red gloves) during UFC 290 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Records: Strickland (28-5 MMA, 15-5 UFC), Du Plessis (20-2 MMA, 4p-0 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Betting odds: Strickland -130, Du Plessis +115
Junkie pick results: Du Plessis 8, Strickland 3

Check out all the main card picks below.

UFC 297 main card picks

	Strickland vs. Du Plessis	Pennington vs. Bueno Silva	Magny vs. Malott	Barriault vs. Curtis	Allen vs. Evloev
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 4-1	Du Plessis (67%)	Bueno Silva (67%)	Malott (78%)	Curtis (71%)	Allen (58%)
Ken Hathaway @1khathaway 5-0 2018, 2022 Champion	Strickland	Bueno Silva	Malott	Curtis	Evloev
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 5-0	Du Plessis	Bueno Silva	Malott	Curtis	Evloev
Simon Samano @SJSamano 4-1	Du Plessis	Bueno Silva	Malott	Barriault	Allen
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 4-1	Du Plessis	Bueno Silva	Malott	Barriault	Evloev
Brian Garcia @thegoze 4-1 2017 Champion	Du Plessis	Bueno Silva	Malott	Curtis	Evloev
Matt Erickson @MattE 4-1	Du Plessis	Pennington	Malott	Curtis	Evloev
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 4-1	Du Plessis	Bueno Silva	Malott	Curtis	Allen
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 4-1	Du Plessis	Bueno Silva	Malott	Curtis	Allen
Nolan King @mma_kings 3-2 2023 Champion	Du Plessis	Bueno Silva	Malott	Curtis	Allen
Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 3-2 2014 Champion	Du Plessis	Bueno Silva	Magny	Curtis	Evloev
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 3-2	Strickland	Bueno Silva	Malott	Curtis	Allen

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 297.