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

UFC 304 predictions: Will both champions keep their titles in Manchester?

The UFC is back in the United Kingdom this week with two British champions and two titles on the line at the top of the bill.

UFC 304 (pay-per-view, ESPN2, ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Co-op Live in Manchester, England.

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

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

Arnold Allen vs. Giga Chikadze

Arnold Allen

Records: Allen (19-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC), Chikadze (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC)
Past five: Allen 3-2, Chikadze 4-1
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: Allen No. 8, Chikadze No. 13
Odds (as of 07.27.24): Allen -230, Chikadze +190
Junkie pick results: Allen 9, Chikadze 2

Christian Leroy Duncan vs. Gregory Rodrigues

Christian Leroy Duncan

Records: Duncan (10-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC), Rodrigues (15-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC)
Past five: Duncan 4-1, Rodrigues 4-1
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: Rodrigues honorable mention
Odds (as of 07.27.24): Duncan -135, Rodrigues +110
Junkie pick results: Duncan 6, Rodrigues 5

King Green vs. Paddy Pimblett

King Green vs. Paddy Pimblett

Records: Green (32-15-1 MMA, 13-10-1 UFC), Pimblett (21-3 MMA, 5-0 UFC)
Past five: Green 3-2, Pimblett 5-0
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 07.27.24): Green -115, Pimblett -105
Junkie pick results: Green 7, Pimblett 4

Tom Aspinall vs. Curtis Blaydes

Tom Aspinall vs. Curtis Blaydes

Records: Aspinall (14-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC), Blaydes (18-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC)
Past five: Aspinall 4-1, Blaydes 4-1
Division: Heavyweight
Rankings: Aspinall No. 2, Blaydes No. 6
Odds (as of 07.27.24): Aspinall -395, Blaydes +310
Junkie pick results: Aspinall 9, Blaydes 2

Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad

Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad

Records: Edwards (22-3 MMA, 14-2 UFC), Muhammad (23-3 MMA, 14-3 UFC)
Past five: Edwards 5-0, Muhammad 5-0
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: Edwards No. 1, No. xxx pound-for-pound; Muhammad No. 3
Odds (as of 07.27.24): Edwards -250, Muhammad +205
Junkie pick results: Edwards 6, Muhammad 5

Preliminary card picks

Molly McCann vs. Bruna Brasil

Although they don’t count toward the standings, MMA Junkie staff members still pick the fights on the prelims. Here are the results:

  • Daniel Pineda vs. Nathaniel Wood: Wood 11, Pineda 0
  • Bruna Brasil vs. Molly McCann: McCann 10, Brasil 1
  • Jake Hadley vs. Caolan Loughran: Loughran 7, Hadley 4
  • Modestas Bukauskas vs. Marcin Prachnio: Bukauskas 7, Prachnio 4
  • Oban Elliott vs. Preston Parsons: Elliott 10, Parsons 1
  • Manel Kape vs. Muhammad Mokaev: Mokaev 9, Kape 2
  • Kiefer Crosbie vs. Sam Patterson: Patterson 7, Crosbie 4
  • Lukasz Brzeski vs. Mick Parkin: Park 11, Brzeski 0
  • Alice Ardelean vs. Shauna Bannon: Bannon 9, Ardelean 2

Check out all the main card picks below.

UFC 304 main card picks

Edwards
vs.
Muhammad
Aspinall
vs.
Blaydes
Green
vs.
Pimblett
Duncan
vs.
Rodrigues
Allen
vs.
Chikadze
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
116-74

Edwards
(77%)

Aspinall
(87%)

Pimblett
(55%)

Rodrigues
(57%)

Allen
(78%)
Ken Hathaway
@1khathaway
125-65

Edwards

Aspinall

Pimblett

Rodrigues

Chikadze
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
123-67

Muhammad

Aspinall

Pimblett

Duncan

Allen
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohn
120-70
2014 Champion

Edwards

Blaydes

Pimblett

Duncan

Allen
Nolan King
@mma_kings
119-71
2023 Champion

Edwards

Aspinall

Green

Duncan

Allen
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
115-75

Muhammad

Aspinall

Green

Duncan

Allen
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
115-75

Edwards

Aspinall

Green

Duncan

Allen
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
114-76

Muhammad

Aspinall

Pimblett

Rodrigues

Allen
Matt Erickson
@MattE
114-76

Muhammad

Blaydes

Green

Rodrigues

Allen
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
114-76

Edwards

Aspinall

Green

Duncan

Allen
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
106-84

Edwards

Aspinall

Green

Rodrigues

Allen
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
102-88

Muhammad

Aspinall

Green

Rodrigues

Chikadze

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 304.

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