March 17, 2023 1:00 pm ET
The UFC is again in London for the third time in a few yr this week with a welterweight trilogy rematch atop the cardboard.
UFC 286 takes place Saturday at The O2 in London. The principle card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and early prelims on ESPN+.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
In the primary occasion, welterweight champion Leon Edwards (20-3 MMA, 12-2 UFC) takes on former champ Kamaru Usman (20-2 MMA, 15-1 UFC) in a trilogy title rematch. Usman had little subject with Edwards for practically 25 minutes once they fought this previous August, however Edwards pulled off a surprising late head-kick knockout to take the title.
Usman is a -250 favourite at Tipico Sportsbook; the comeback on Edwards is +200. It’s not a shutout, although it’s a blowout. Our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers have Usman forward at 9-2.
Within the co-feature, Rafael Fiziev (12-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) takes on former interim light-weight champ Justin Gaethje (23-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC). Fiziev is greater than a 2-1 favourite, however it’s Gaethje who has the slimmest doable picks lead at 6-5. Additionally on the primary card, Bryan Barberena (18-9 MMA, 9-7 UFC) meets Gunnar Nelson (18-5-1 MMA, 9-5 UFC) in a welterweight bout. Nelson is the largest favourite on the primary card at -360, however he has only a 7-4 lead within the picks from our employees members.
Jennifer Maia (20-9-1 MMA, 5-5 UFC) takes on the unbeaten Casey O’Neill (9-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) in a ladies’s flyweight bout. O’Neill is a -170 favourite – the smallest favourite on the primary card. But she is our closest factor to a unanimous choose at 10-1.
And to open the primary card, former middleweight title challenger Marvin Vettori (18-5-1 MMA, 8-4-1 UFC) fights Roman Dolidze (12-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC). Vettori practically is a 3-1 favourite on the betting window, however he solely has a 6-5 lead within the picks.
In the MMA Junkie consensus picks, Usman (59 p.c), Fiziev (52 p.c), Nelson (62 p.c), O’Neill (73 p.c) and Vettori (59 p.c) are the alternatives.
Try all of the picks above.
For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC 286.
Edwards
vs.
UsmanFiziev
vs.
GaethjeBarberena
vs.
NelsonMaia
vs.
O’NeillDolidze
vs.
Vettori
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
30-19
Usman
(59%)
Fiziev
(52%)
Nelson
(62%)
O’Neill
(73%)
Vettori
(59%)
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
33-16
Usman
Gaethje
Barberena
O’Neill
Dolidze
Nolan King
@mma_kings
30-19/em>
Usman
Fiziev
Nelson
Maia
Vettori
Matt Erickson
@MattE
30-19
Usman
Gaethje
Nelson
O’Neill
Dolidze
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
30-19
Usman
Fiziev
Nelson
O’Neill
Dolidze
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
29-20
Edwards
Gaethje
Nelson
O’Neill
Dolidze
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
29-20
2018, 2022 Champion
Usman
Fiziev
Barberena
O’Neill
Dolidze
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
28-21
Usman
Fiziev
Barberena
O’Neill
Vettori
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohn
27-22
2014 Champion
Usman
Fiziev
Nelson
O’Neill
Vettori
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
27-22
Usman
Gaethje
Nelson
O’Neill
Vettori
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
26-23
2017 Champion
Usman
Gaethje
Barberena
O’Neill
Vettori
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
26-23
Edwards
Gaethje
Nelson
O’Neill
Vettori
