UFC on ESPN 42 predictions: No unanimous picks in Orlando
Check out our staff members' picks for the UFC on ESPN 42 main card in Orlando, which features Stephen Thompson vs. Kevin Holland.
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| Thompson
vs. Holland |
Barberena
vs. Dos Anjos |
Nicolau
vs. Schnell |
Pavlovich
vs. Tuivasa |
Dolidze
vs. Hermansson |
Anders
vs. Daukaus |
|
| MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks 190-112 |
Holland (52%) |
Dos Anjos (72%) |
Nicolau (72%) |
Tuivasa (62%) |
Hermansson (52%) |
Daukaus (60%) |
| Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway 200-107  2018 Champion |
Holland |
Dos Anjos |
Nicolau |
Pavlovich |
Dolidze |
Daukaus |
| Matthew Wells
@MrMWells 191-116 |
Holland |
Dos Anjos |
Nicolau |
Pavlovich |
Dolidze |
Daukaus |
| Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze 189-118 |
Thompson |
Dos Anjos |
Nicolau |
Tuivasa |
Hermansson |
Anders |
| Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun 187-120 |
Thompson |
Dos Anjos |
Schnell |
Tuivasa |
Dolidze |
Anders |
| Mike Bohn
@MikeBohn 187-120 2014 Champion |
Holland |
Dos Anjos |
Nicolau |
Pavlovich |
Dolidze |
Daukaus |
| Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt 185-122 |
Thompson |
Barberena |
Nicolau |
Tuivasa |
Dolidze |
Anders |
| Simon Samano
@SJSamano 184-123 |
Thompson |
Barberena |
Schnell |
Pavlovich |
Dolidze |
Anders |
| Brian Garcia
@thegoze 177-130 2017 Champion |
Thompson |
Dos Anjos |
Nicolau |
Tuivasa |
Hermansson |
Anders |
| Nolan King
@mma_kings 177-130 |
Holland |
Dos Anjos |
Nicolau |
Pavlovich |
Hermansson |
Daukaus |
| George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge 168-139 |
Thompson |
Dos Anjos |
Schnell |
Tuivasa |
Dolidze |
Anders |
| Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv 150-157 |
Thompson |
Dos Anjos |
Nicolau |
Tuivasa |
Dolidze |
Daukaus |
The UFC is back on the road this week in Florida with big-name welterweights atop the lineup.
UFC on ESPN 42 takes place Saturday at Amway Center in Orlando, Fla. The card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
In the main event, two-time welterweight title challenger Stephen Thompson (16-6-1 MMA, 11-6-1 UFC) takes on Kevin Holland (23-8 MMA, 10-5 UFC). Holland nearly is a 2-1 favorite at Tipico Sportsbook; the comeback on Thompson is +160. Our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers are taking Thompson, though, at a 7-4 clip.
In the co-feature, former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos (31-14 MMA, 20-12 UFC) meets Bryan Barberena (18-8 MMA, 9-6 UFC) at welterweight. Dos Anjos is the biggest favorite on the card at -575, but he’s not unanimous. Two of our staff pickers have Barberena in an upset.
Also on the main card, Matheus Nicolau (18-3-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) meets Matt Schnell (16-6 MMA, 6-5 UFC) in a key flyweight fight. Nicolau is a big favorite at -370 and has an 8-3 picks lead.
Sergei Pavlovich (16-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) takes on Tai Tuivasa (15-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) in a heavyweight bout. Pavlovich is a -230 favorite at the betting window, but Tuivasa has a slim 6-5 lead from our staff members.
Roman Dolidze (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) is an underdog in his middleweight fight against -190 favorite Jack Hermansson (23-7 MMA, 10-5 UFC). But our staff members are thinking upset with Dolidze picked at a big 8-3 margin.
And to open the main card, Eryk Anders (14-7 MMA, 6-7 UFC) takes on Kyle Daukaus (11-3 MMA, 2-3 UFC) at middleweight. Daukaus is more than a 2-1 favorite, but Anders is bucking the trend and has a 6-5 picks lead.
In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Holland (52 percent), Dos Anjos (72 percent), Nicolau (63 percent), Tuivasa (62 percent), Hermansson (52 percent) and Daukaus (60 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the picks above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 42.