Rozenstruik vs. Almeida |
Smith vs. Walker |
Garry vs. Rodriguez |
Potieria vs. Ulberg |
Means vs. Morono |
|
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 66-49 |
Almeida (77%) |
Walker (50.1%) |
Garry (61%) |
Ulberg (83%) |
Morono (77%) |
Matt Erickson @MattE 75-40 |
Almeida |
Walker |
Garry |
Ulberg |
Morono |
Simon Samano @SJSamano 73-42 |
Almeida |
Walker |
Garry |
Ulberg |
Morono |
Nolan King @mma_kings 71-44 |
Almeida |
Smith |
Rodriguez |
Ulberg |
Morono |
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 70-45 |
Almeida |
Smith |
Garry |
Ulberg |
Morono |
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 70-45 |
Almeida |
Smith |
Garry |
Ulberg |
Means |
Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 68-47 2014 Champion |
Almeida |
Smith |
Rodriguez |
Ulberg |
Morono |
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway -65-50 2018, 2022 Champion |
Almeida |
Smith |
Rodriguez |
Ulberg |
Morono |
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 65-50 |
Rozenstruik |
Walker |
Garry |
Ulberg |
Means |
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 63-52 |
Almeida |
Walker |
Garry |
Ulberg |
Means |
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 62-53 |
Almeida |
Walker |
Garry |
Ulberg |
Morono |
Brian Garcia @thegoze 62-53 2017 Champion |
Rozenstruik |
Smith |
Garry |
Potieria |
Morono |
The UFC is back on the road this week for a rare daytime event in North Carolina, and heavyweights top the lineup.
UFC on ABC 4 takes place Saturday at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. The main card airs on ABC at 3 p.m. ET following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+ that start early at 11:30 a.m.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
In the main event, Jairzinho Rozenstruik (13-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) takes on Jailton Almeida (18-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC) at heavyweight. Almeida is more than a 5-1 favorite at some sportsbooks, and he’s got a big lead in the picks from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, who have it as a blowout for Almeida at 9-2.
In the co-feature, the closest fight on the main card from a betting perspective is between former light heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith (36-17 MMA, 11-7 UFC) and Johnny Walker (20-7 MMA, 6-4 UFC). The fight nearly is a pick’em at the betting window, and it’s close with our staff members, too, who have Smith with the smallest possible edge at 6-5.
Also on the main card, up-and-coming Irish welterweight Ian Machado Garry (11-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) puts his unbeaten record on the line against his most accomplished opponent yet, Daniel Rodriguez (17-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC). Garry is about a -250 favorite and he has a big 8-3 picks lead.
Ihor Potieria (19-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) meets Carlos Ulberg (7-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) in a light heavyweight fight that has Ulberg as a big betting favorite at -450. He’s got a near-unanimous lead in the picks, too – just one of our staff members has Potieria in an upset.
And to open the main card, Tim Means (32-14-1 MMA, 14-11 UFC) takes on Alex Morono (22-8 MMA, 11-5 UFC) at welterweight. Morono is more than a 2-1 favorite and he has a big 8-3 lead in the picks.
In the MMA Junkie consensus picks, Almeida (77 percent), Walker (50.1 percent), Garry (61 percent), Ulberg (83 percent) and Morono (77 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the picks above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 4.