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

UFC on ESPN 54 predictions: Just one unanimous pick, but all blowouts in Atlantic City

The UFC is in “America’s Playground” – Atlantic City, N.J. – for the time in nearly six years, and women’s flyweights are in the top spot for the second straight week.

UFC on ESPN 54 (ESPN/ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Boardwalk Hall.

(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.

Rhys McKee vs. Chidi Njokuani

Chidi Njokuani

Records: McKee (13-5-1 MMA, 0-3 UFC), Njokuani (22-10 MMA, 2-3 UFC)
Past five: McKee 3-2, Njokuani 2-3
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.29.24): McKee +120, Njokuani -140
Junkie pick results: Njokuani 11, McKee 0

Bill Algeo vs. Kyle Nelson

Bill Algeo

Records: Algeo (18-7 MMA, 5-3 UFC), Nelson (15-5-1 MMA, 3-4-1 UFC)
Past five: Algeo 4-1, Nelson 2-2-1
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.29.24): Algeo -245, Nelson +200
Junkie pick results: Algeo 9, Nelson 2

Sedriques Dumas vs. Nursulton Ruziboev

Nursulton Ruziboev

Records: Dumas (9-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC), Ruziboev (35-8-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
Past five: Dumas 4-1, Nursulton 5-0
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.29.24): Dumas +190, Ruziboev -210
Junkie pick results: Ruziboev 8, Dumas 3

Bruno Silva vs. Chris Weidman

Bruno Silva

Records: Silva (23-10 MMA, 4-4 UFC), Weidman (15-7 MMA, 11-7 UFC)
Past five: Silva 1-4, Weidman 1-4
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.29.24): Silva -250, Weidman +205
Junkie pick results: Silva 10, Weidman 1

Joaquin Buckley vs. Vicente Luque

Vicente Luque

Records: Buckley (17-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC), Luque (22-9-1 MMA, 15-5 UFC)
Past five: Buckley 3-2, Vicente 3-2
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: Luque No. 14
Odds (as of 03.29.24): Buckley -105, Luque -115
Junkie pick results: Luque 9, Buckley 2

Erin Blanchfield vs. Manon Fiorot

Erin Blanchfield

Records: Blanchfield (12-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC), Fiorot (11-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC)
Past five: Blanchfield 5-0, Manon 5-0
Division: Women’s flyweight
Rankings: Blanchfield No. 4, No. 8 pound-for-pound; Fiorot No. 5, No. 9 pound-for-pound
Odds (as of 03.29.24): Blanchfield -185, Fiorot +155
Junkie pick results: Blanchfield 8, Fiorot 3

Check out all the main card picks below.

UFC on ESPN 54 main card picks

Blanchfield
vs.
Fiorot
Buckley
vs.
Luque
Silva
vs.
Weidman
Dumas
vs.
Ruziboev
Algeo
vs.
Nelson
McKee
vs.
Njokuani
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
41-22

Blanchfield
(70%)

Luque
(73%)

Silva
(75%)

Ruziboev
(82%)

Algeo
(80%)

Njokuani
(79%)
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohn
46-17
2014 Champion

Blanchfield

Buckley

Silva

Ruziboev

Algeo

Njokuani
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
42-21

Fiorot

Buckley

Silva

Ruziboev

Algeo

Njokuani
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
40-23

Blanchfield

Luque

Silva

Ruziboev

Nelson

Njokuani
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
40-23

Blanchfield

Luque

Silva

Ruziboev

Algeo

Njokuani
Ken Hathaway
@1khathaway
39-24
2018, 2022 Champion

Fiorot

Luque

Silva

Ruziboev

Nelson

Njokuani
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
39-24
2017 Champion

Blanchfield

Luque

Silva

Dumas

Algeo

Njokuani
Nolan King
@mma_kings
38-25
2023 Champion

Blanchfield

Luque

Silva

Ruziboev

Algeo

Njokuani
Matt Erickson
@MattE
38-25

Fiorot

Luque

Silva

Ruziboev

Algeo

Njokuani
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
37-26

Blanchfield

Luque

Silva

Dumas

Algeo

Njokuani
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
30-33

Blanchfield

Luque

Silva

Ruziboev

Algeo

Njokuani
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
28-35

Blanchfield

Luque

Weidman

Dumas

Algeo

Njokuani

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 54.

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