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USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Matt Erickson

UFC on ESPN 51 predictions: Can ex-lightweight champ Rafael dos Anjos top Vicente Luque?

The UFC is back in its Las Vegas home base this week with a former champ at the top of the card.

UFC on ESPN 51 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.

(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.

Josh Fremd vs. Jamie Pickett

Josh Fremd

Records: Josh Fremd (10-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC), Jamie Pickett (13-9 MMA, 2-5 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Betting odds: Fremd -325, Pickett +260
Junkie pick results: Fremd 11, Pickett 0

AJ Dobson vs. Tafon Nchukwi

Tafon Nchukwi

Records: AJ Dobson (6-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC), Tafon Nchukwi (6-3 MMA, 2-3 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Betting odds: Nchukwi -140, Dobson +120
Junkie pick results: Nchukwi 10, Dobson 1

Iasmin Lucindo vs. Polyana Viana

Iasmin Lucindo

Records: Iasmin Lucindo (14-5 MMA, 1-1 UFC), Polyana Viana (13-5 MMA, 4-4 UFC)
Division: Women’s strawweight
Betting odds: Lucindo -200, Viana +165
Junkie pick results: Lucindo 8, Viana 3

Chris Daukaus vs. Khalil Rountree

Khalil Rountree

Records: Chris Daukaus (12-6 MMA, 4-3 UFC), Khalil Rountree (11-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC)
Division: Light heavyweight
Betting odds: Rountree -175, Daukaus +145
Junkie pick results: Rountree 11, Daukaus 0

Hakeem Dawodu vs. Cub Swanson

Hakeem Dawodu

Records: Hakeem Dawodu (13-3-1 MMA, 6-3 UFC), Cub Swanson (28-13 MMA, 13-9 UFC)
Division: Featherweight
Betting odds: Dawodu -245, Swanson +200
Junkie pick results: Dawodu 8, Swanson 3

Vicente Luque vs. Rafael dos Anjos

Rafael dos Anjos

Records: Vicente Luque (21-9-1 MMA, 14-5 UFC), Rafael dos Anjos (32-14 MMA, 21-12 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Betting odds: Dos Anjos -120, Luque -105
Junkie pick results: Dos Anjos 7, Luque 4

Check out all the main card picks below.

UFC on ESPN 51 main card picks

Luque
vs.
Dos Anjos
Dawodu
vs.
Swanson
Daukaus
vs.
Rountree
Lucindo
vs.
Viana
Dobson
vs.
Nchukwi
Fremd
vs.
Pickett
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
127-79

Luque
(61%)

Dawodu
(69%)

Rountree
(76%)

Viana
(55%)

Nchukwi
(63%)

Fremd
(74%)
Nolan King
@mma_kings
129-77

Dos Anjos

Dawodu

Rountree

Lucindo

Nchukwi

Fremd
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
127-79

Luque

Dawodu

Rountree

Lucindo

Nchukwi

Fremd
Matt Erickson
@MattE
124-82

Luque

Dawodu

Rountree

Lucindo

Nchukwi

Fremd
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohn
124-82
2014 Champion

Dos Anjos

Dawodu

Rountree

Viana

Nchukwi

Fremd
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
123-83

Dos Anjos

Dawodu

Rountree

Lucindo

Nchukwi

Fremd
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
123-83

Dos Anjos

Swanson

Rountree

Viana

Dobson

Fremd
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
122-84
2018, 2022 Champion

Luque

Swanson

Rountree

Lucindo

Nchukwi

Fremd
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
121-85

Dos Anjos

Dawodu

Rountree

Viana

Nchukwi

Fremd
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
117-89

Dos Anjos

Dawodu

Rountree

Lucindo

Nchukwi

Fremd
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
117-89
2017 Champion

Dos Anjos

Swanson

Rountree

Lucindo

Nchukwi

Fremd
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
114-92

Luque

Dawodu

Rountree

Lucindo

Nchukwi

Fremd

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 51.

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