UFC on ABC 7 predictions: Is anyone picking Cory Sandhagen to hand Umar Nurmagomedov his first loss?

The UFC is in Abu Dhabi, and an upcoming bantamweight title challenger is expected to emerge from the main event.

UFC on ABC 7 (ABC/ESPN2/ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Etihad Arena in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.

(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.

Joel Alvarez vs. Elves Brener

Joel Alvarez vs. Elves Brener, UFC on ABC 7 (via UFC)

Records: Alvarez (20-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC), Brener (16-4 MMA, 3-1 UFC)
Past five: Alvarez 4-1, Brener 4-1
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 08.02.24): Alvarez -165, Brener +140
Junkie pick results: Brener 6, Alvarez 5

Mackenzie Dern vs. Loopy Godinez

Mackenzie Dern vs. Loopy Godinez, UFC on ABC 7 (via UFC)

Records: Dern (13-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC), Godinez (12-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC)
Past five: Dern 2-3, Godinez 4-1
Division: Women’s strawweight
Rankings: Dern No. 10, Godinez No. 12
Odds (as of 08.02.24): Dern -120, Godinez +100
Junkie pick results: Dern 10, Godinez 1

Michael Chiesa vs. Tony Ferguson

Tony Ferguson vs. Michael Chiesa, UFC on ABC 7 (via UFC)

Records: Chiesa (16-7 MMA, 11-7 UFC), Ferguson (25-10 MMA, 15-8 UFC)
Past five: Chiesa 2-3, Ferguson 0-5
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 08.02.24): Chiesa -600, Ferguson +440
Junkie pick results: Chiesa 11, Ferguson 0

Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Marlon Vera

Marlon Vera vs. Deiveson Figueiredo, UFC on ABC 7 (via UFC)

Records: Figueiredo (23-3-1 MMA, 12-3-1 UFC), Vera (23-9-1 MMA, 15-8 UFC)
Past five: Figueiredo 3-2, Vera 3-2
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: Vera No. 10, Figueiredo No. 14
Odds (as of 08.02.24): Figueiredo -140, Vera +120
Junkie pick results: Figueiredo 8, Vera 3

Shara Magomedov vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk

Shara Magomedov vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk, UFC on ABC 7 (via UFC)

Records: Magomedov (13-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC), Oleksiejczuk (19-8 MMA, 17-6 UFC)
Past five: Magomedov 5-0, Oleksiejczuk 2-3
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 08.02.24): Magomedov -240, Oleksiejczuk +195
Junkie pick results: Magomedov 10, Oleksiejczuk 1

Cory Sandhagen vs. Umar Nurmagomedov

Cory Sandhagen vs. Umar Nurmagomedov, UFC on ABC 7 (via UFC)

Records: Sandhagen (17-4 MMA, 10-3 UFC), Nurmagomedov (17-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC)
Past five: Sandhagen 3-2, Nurmagomedov 5-0
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: Sandhagen No. 6, Nurmagomedov No. 13
Odds (as of 08.02.24): Sandhagen +270, Nurmagomedov -340
Junkie pick results: Nurmagomedov 6, Sandhagen 5

Check out all the main card picks below.

Preliminary card picks

Viktoriia Dudakova, UFC on ABC 7 (via UFC)

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

• Alonzo Menifield vs. Azamat Murzakanov: Murzakanov 11, Menifield 0
• Kaue Fernandes vs. Mohammad Yahya: Fernandes 8, Yahya 3
• Shamil Gaziev vs. Don’Tale Mayes: Gaziev 11, Mayes 0
• Guram Kutateladze vs. Jordan Vucenic: Vucenic 7, Kutateladze 4
• Viktoriia Dudakova vs. Sam Hughes: Dudakova 11, Hughes 0
• Rolando Bedoya vs. Jai Herbert: Herbert 8, Bedoya 3
• Sedriques Dumas vs. Denis Tiuliulin: Dumas 10, Tiuliulin 1

UFC on ABC 7 main card picks

	Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov	Magomedov vs. Oleksiejczuk	Figueiredo vs. Vera	Chiesa vs. Ferguson	Dern vs. Godinez	Alvarez vs. Brener
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 120-75	Nurmagomedov (56%)	Magomedov (91%)	Figueiredo (71%)	Chiesa (75%)	Dern (59%)	Alvarez (64%)
Ken Hathaway @1khathaway 128-67	Nurmagomedov	Magomedov	Vera	Chiesa	Dern	Brener
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 127-68	Nurmagomedov	Magomedov	Figueiredo	Chiesa	Dern	Brener
Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 122-73 2014 Champion	Nurmagomedov	Magomedov	Vera	Chiesa	Dern	Alvarez
Nolan King @mma_kings 121-74 2023 Champion	Sandhagen	Magomedov	Figueiredo	Chiesa	Dern	Alvarez
Simon Samano @SJSamano 119-76	Sandhagen	Magomedov	Figueiredo	Chiesa	Dern	Brener
Brian Garcia @thegoze 118-77	Sandhagen	Magomedov	Figueiredo	Chiesa	Dern	Brener
Matt Erickson @MattE 117-78	Nurmagomedov	Magomedov	Vera	Chiesa	Dern	Alvarez
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 117-78	Nurmagomedov	Magomedov	Figueiredo	Chiesa	Dern	Brener
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 116-79	Nurmagomedov	Magomedov	Figueiredo	Chiesa	Dern	Alvarez
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 109-86	Sandhagen	Oleksiejczuk	Figueiredo	Chiesa	Godinez	Alvarez
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 105-90	Sandhagen	Magomedov	Figueiredo	Chiesa	Dern	Brener

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 7.