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

UFC 271 predictions: Who’s picking Robert Whittaker to get title back from Israel Adesanya?

Adesanya
vs.
Whittaker
Lewis
vs.
Tuivasa
Brunson
vs.
Cannonier
Hernandez
vs.
Moicano
Green
vs.
Haqparast
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
11-10
adesanya2022
Adesanya
(53%)
lewis2022
Lewis
(68%)
brunson2022
Brunson
(50.1%)
moicano2022
Moicano
(57%)
green2022
Green
(67%)
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
14-7
adesanya2022
Adesanya
lewis2022
Lewis
brunson2022
Brunson
hernandez2022
Hernandez
haqparast2022
Haqparast
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
14-7
adesanya2022
Adesanya
lewis2022
Lewis
brunson2022
Brunson
moicano2022
Moicano
green2022
Green
John Morgan
@MMAjunkieJohn
14-7
trophy copy 2021 Champion
adesanya2022
Adesanya
lewis2022
Lewis
cannonier2022
Cannonier
moicano2022
Moicano
green2022
Green
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
13-8
trophy copy 2018 Champion
adesanya2022
Adesanya
lewis2022
Lewis
brunson2022
Brunson
moicano2022
Moicano
green2022
Green
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
13-8
adesanya2022
Adesanya
lewis2022
Lewis
brunson2022
Brunson
moicano2022
Moicano
green2022
Green
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
12-9
trophy copy 2014 Champion
adesanya2022
Adesanya
lewis2022
Lewis
brunson2022
Brunson
hernandez2022
Hernandez
green2022
Green
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
12-9
adesanya2022
Adesanya
tuivasa2022
Tuivasa
cannonier2022
Cannonier
moicano2022
Moicano
haqparast2022
Haqparast
Nolan King
@mma_kings
11-10
adesanya2022
Adesanya
lewis2022
Lewis
cannonier2022
Cannonier
moicano2022
Moicano
haqparast2022
Haqparast
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
11-10
adesanya2022
Adesanya
lewis2022
Lewis
cannonier2022
Cannonier
hernandez2022
Hernandez
green2022
Green
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
10-11
trophy copy 2017 Champion
adesanya2022
Adesanya
lewis2022
Lewis
brunson2022
Brunson
moicano2022
Moicano
green2022
Green
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
10-11
whittaker2022
Whittaker
tuivasa2022
Tuivasa
brunson2022
Brunson
moicano2022
Moicano
green2022
Green
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
9-12
adesanya2022
Adesanya
lewis2022
Lewis
brunson2022
Brunson
moicano2022
Moicano
haqparast2022
Haqparast

The UFC is back in Texas this week with a big middleweight title rematch at the top of the bill.

UFC 271 takes place Saturday at Toyota Center in Houston. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

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

In the main event, middleweight champion Israel Adesanya (21-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) takes on Robert Whittaker (23-5 MMA, 14-3 UFC), the man he took the belt from, in a rematch. Adesanya is a big -300 favorite at Tipico; the comeback on Whittaker is +225. Our 12 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers are backing the champ nearly unanimously at an 11-1 clip.

In the co-feature, Houston hometown fan favorite and former heavyweight title challenger Derrick Lewis (26-8 MMA, 17-6 UFC) meets Tai Tuivasa (14-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC). Lewis is a 2-1 favorite and has a big 10-2 edge in the picks.

Also on the main card, Derek Brunson (23-7 MMA, 14-5 UFC) fights Jared Cannonier (14-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) in a key middleweight contenders matchup. Cannonier is a -170 favorite, but it’s actually Brunson who has the backing of most of our staff members at 8-4.

Alexander Hernandez (13-4 MMA, 5-3 UFC) and Renato Moicano (15-4-1 MMA, 7-4 UFC) throw down in a lightweight fight. Moicano is a -175 favorite and has a sizable 9-3 edge in the picks.

And to open the main card, Bobby Green (28-12-1 MMA, 9-7-1 UFC) takes on Nasrat Haqparast (13-4 MMA, 5-3 UFC) at lightweight. Green is a -150 favorite and has an 8-4 lead in the picks.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Adesanya (53 percent), Lewis (68 percent), Brunson (50.1 percent), Moicano (57 percent) and Green (67 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

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