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

2022 PFL Championship predictions: Who are our two unanimous picks in $1 million finals?

Harrison
vs.
Pacheco
Jenkins
vs.
Loughnane
Delija
vs.
Scheffel
Budd
vs.
Ladd
Aubin-Mercier
vs.
Ray
Sy
vs.
Taylor
Akhmedov
vs.
Wilkinson
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
186-109

Harrison
(81%)

Jenkins
(51%)

Delija
(77%)

Budd
(57%)

Aubin-Mercier
(81%)

Sy
(56%)

Wilkinson
(56%)
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
196-104
2018 Champion

Harrison

Loughnane

Delija

Budd

Aubin-Mercier

Sy

Akhmedov
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
187-113

Harrison

Jenkins

Delija

Ladd

Aubin-Mercier

Taylor

Wilkinson
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
186-114

Harrison

Loughnane

Delija

Budd

Aubin-Mercier

Taylor

Akhmedov
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
183-117

Harrison

Jenkins

Delija

Ladd

Aubin-Mercier

Taylor

Wilkinson
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohn
183-117
2014 Champion

Harrison

Loughnane

Delija

Budd

Aubin-Mercier

Sy

Akhmedov
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
181-119

Harrison

Loughnane

Delija

Budd

Aubin-Mercier

Taylor

Wilkinson
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
178-122

Pacheco

Jenkins

Delija

Ladd

Aubin-Mercier

Sy

Wilkinson
Nolan King
@mma_kings
173-127

Harrison

Jenkins

Delija

Ladd

Aubin-Mercier

Taylor

Wilkinson
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
172-128
2017 Champion

Harrison

Loughnane

Delija

Ladd

Aubin-Mercier

Sy

Wilkinson
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
163-137

Harrison

Loughnane

Delija

Budd

Aubin-Mercier

Sy

Wilkinson
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
146-154

Harrison

Loughnane

Delija

Budd

Aubin-Mercier

Sy

Akhmedov

The PFL closes out its 2022 season with six $1 million playoff finals this week.

The 2022 PFL finals take place Friday at Hulu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN+.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

In the main event, two-time women’s lightweight season winner Kayla Harrison (15-0) goes after her third crown when she meets Larissa Pacheco (18-4) for the third time. Harrison is 2-0 against the Brazilian. Harrison is a massive 8-1 favorite at Tipico Sportsbook; the comeback on Pacheco is +470. But not all of our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers are taking Harrison. One of our pickers has Pacheco in a big upset.

In the co-feature, Bubba Jenkins (19-5) takes on Brendan Loughnane (25-4) in the featherweight final. Loughnane is a -180 favorite and has a 7-4 lead in our picks.

Also on the main card, Ante Delija (22-5) is a heavy -350 favorite in the heavyweight season final against Matheus Scheffel (17-8). Delija, the 2021 runner-up, is one of our two unanimous picks at 11-0.

In a non-playoff showcase fight, former Bellator women’s featherweight champion Julia Budd (16-4) takes on Aspen Ladd (9-3), who recently was released by the UFC and signed with the PFL. Ladd is a -230 favorite at the betting window, but it’s Budd who has a narrow 6-5 edge from our pickers.

In the lightweight season final, Olivier Aubin-Mercier (16-5) is a big -420 favorite against Stevie Ray (25-10) and is our second unanimous pick.

Sadibou Sy (12-6-2) takes on Dilano Taylor (10-2) in the welterweight final. Sy nearly is a 2-1 favorite, but he has just a slim 6-5 picks lead.

And to open the main card, Omari Akhmedov (24-7-1) meets 2-1 favorite Rob Wilkinson (16-2) in the light heavyweight final. Australia’s Wilkinson has a 7-4 lead from our staff pickers.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Harrison (81 percent), Jenkins (51 percent), Delija (77 percent), Budd (57 percent), Aubin-Mercier (81 percent), Sy (56 percent) and Wilkinson (74 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for 2022 PFL Championships.

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