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

UFC on ESPN 13 predictions: Is it Calvin Kattar or Dan Ige in Abu Dhabi?

Kattar
vs.
Ige
Benoit
vs.
Elliott
Rivera
vs.
Stamann
McCann
vs.
Santos
Alhassan
vs.
Lazzez
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
2020: 60-36
kattar2020
Kattar
(75%)
elliott2020
Elliott
(59%)
stamann2020
Stamann
(59%)
mccann2020
McCann
(67%)
alhassan2020
Alhassan
(87%)
Nolan King
@mma_kings
2020: 76-25
kattar2020
Kattar
elliott2020
Elliott
stamann2020
Stamann
mccann2020
McCann
alhassan2020
Alhassan
Dan Tom
@DanTomMMA
2020: 75-26
kattar2020
Kattar
elliott2020
Elliott
rivera2020
Rivera
mccann2020
McCann
alhassan2020
Alhassan
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
2020: 73-28
kattar2020
Kattar
elliott2020
Elliott
rivera2020
Rivera
mccann2020
McCann
lazzez2020
Lazzez
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
2020: 72-29
trophy copy 2014 Champion
kattar2020
Kattar
elliott2020
Elliott
rivera2020
Rivera
mccann2020
McCann
alhassan2020
Alhassan
Simon Head
@simonhead
2020: 71-30
trophy copy 2019 Champion*
kattar2020
Kattar
elliott2020
Elliott
stamann2020
Stamann
mccann2020
McCann
alhassan2020
Alhassan
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
2020: 71-30
kattar2020
Kattar
elliott2020
Elliott
rivera2020
Rivera
mccann2020
McCann
alhassan2020
Alhassan
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
2020: 70-31
trophy copy 2017 Champion
kattar2020
Kattar
elliott2020
Elliott
stamann2020
Stamann
mccann2020
McCann
alhassan2020
Alhassan
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
2020: 69-32
trophy copy 2018 Champion
ige2020
Ige
elliott2020
Elliott
stamann2020
Stamann
mccann2020
McCann
alhassan2020
Alhassan
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
2020: 69-32
kattar2020
Kattar
benoit2020
Benoit
stamann2020
Stamann
mccann2020
McCann
alhassan2020
Alhassan
Dave Doyle
@davedoylemma
2020: 68-33
kattar2020
Kattar
elliott2020
Elliott
stamann2020
Stamann
mccann2020
McCann
alhassan2020
Alhassan
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
2020: 67-34
ige2020
Ige
benoit2020
Benoit
stamann2020
Stamann
mccann2020
McCann
alhassan2020
Alhassan
John Morgan
@MMAjunkieJohn
2020: 67-34
ige2020
Ige
benoit2020
Benoit
stamann2020
Stamann
mccann2020
McCann
alhassan2020
Alhassan
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
2020: 63-38
kattar2020
Kattar
elliott2020
Elliott
stamann2020
Stamann
mccann2020
McCann
alhassan2020
Alhassan
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
2020: 38-63
kattar2020
Kattar
benoit2020
Benoit
stamann2020
Stamann
santos2020
Santos
lazzez2020
Lazzez

The UFC puts on its second of four straight events on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, and featherweight contenders top the card.

UFC on ESPN 13 takes place Wednesday at Flash Forum in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. 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, Calvin Kattar (21-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) takes on Dan Ige (14-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) in a featherweight bout. Kattar is more than a 3-1 favorite, and he’s got a big 11-3 lead in the picks from our 14 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts.

In the co-main event, Ryan Benoit (10-6 MMA, 3-4 UFC) meets former flyweight title challenger Tim Elliott (15-11-1 MMA, 4-9 UFC). Elliott is just a slight favorite, but he’s got a big 10-4 picks advantage.

Also on the main card, Jimmie Rivera (22-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC) fights Cody Stamann (19-2-1 MMA, 5-1-1 UFC) in a bantamweight bout. Although it’s Rivera with a slight edge at the sportsbooks, it’s Stamann with a 10-4 rout in our picks.

Molly McCann (10-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) takes on Taila Santos (15-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) in a women’s flyweight fight that is a virtual pick’em from the oddsmakers. But despite that, McCann is our closest thing to a unanimous pick with a 13-1 lead from our staff members.

And to open the main card, Abdul Razak Alhassan (10-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) is the biggest favorite on the main card, and he’s got a big 12-2 picks lead over promotional newcomer Mounir Lazzez (9-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), who is fighting what amounts to a home bout.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Kattar (75 percent), Elliott (59 percent), Stamann (59 percent), McCann (67 percent) and Alhassan (87 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

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