| Blachowicz vs. Souza |
Craig vs. Rua |
Gordon vs. Oliveira |
Arroyo vs. Muniz |
Perez vs. Turman |
|
|
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2019: 194-120 (62%) |
 Blachowicz (61%) |
 Rua (64%) |
 Oliveira (95%) |
 Muniz (53%) |
 Perez (56%) |
|
Simon Head @simonhead 2019: 110-62 (64%) |
Blachowicz |
Rua |
Oliveira |
Muniz |
Perez |
|
Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2019: 200-114 (64%) |
Blachowicz |
Rua |
Oliveira |
Muniz |
Perez |
|
Nolan King @mma_kings 2019: 106-61 (63%) |
Blachowicz |
Rua |
Oliveira |
Muniz |
Perez |
|
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2019: 198-116 (63%)  2018 Champion
|
 Souza |
Rua |
Oliveira |
Muniz |
 Turman |
|
Brian Garcia @thegoze 2019: 197-117 (63%) 2017 Champion
|
Blachowicz |
Rua |
Oliveira |
Muniz |
Perez |
|
John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2019: 195-119 (62%) |
Blachowicz |
Rua |
Oliveira |
Muniz |
Perez |
|
Simon Samano @SJSamano 2019: 195-119 (62%) |
Souza |
Rua |
Oliveira |
Muniz |
Perez |
|
Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2019: 194-120 (62%) 2014 Champion
|
Souza |
Rua |
Oliveira |
Muniz |
Perez |
|
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2019: 190-124 (61%) |
Blachowicz |
Rua |
Oliveira |
Muniz |
Turman |
|
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2019: 96-65 (60%) |
Blachowicz |
Rua |
 Gordon |
Muniz |
Perez |
|
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2019: 184-130 (59%) |
Blachowicz |
Rua |
Oliveira |
Muniz |
Perez |
|
Dave Doyle @davedoylemma 2019: 122-100 (55%) |
Blachowicz |
Rua |
Oliveira |
Muniz |
Perez |
|
Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2019: 167-147 (53%) |
Souza |
 Craig |
Gordon |
 Arroyo |
Turman |
The UFC is back in Brazil this week with a longtime middleweight heading to 205 pounds for the first time.
UFC on ESPN+ 22 takes place Saturday at Ginásio do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo. The card streams on ESPN+.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
In the main event, Jan Blachowicz (24-8 MMA, 7-5 UFC) takes on longtime 185-pound standout Ronaldo Souza (26-7 MMA, 9-4 UFC), who is moving to light heavyweight for the first time. Blachowicz is as much as a 2-1 favorite at some sports books, and nine of our 13 MMA Junkie editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers are picking him to win in hostile territory.
In the co-main event, Paul Craig (12-4 MMA, 4-4 UFC) travels into hostile territory to take on former light heavyweight champion and longtime fan favorite Mauricio Rua (26-11 MMA, 10-9 UFC). “Shogun” is a heavy favorite, and all but one of our pickers are taking him to beat Craig.
Also on the main card, only two pickers are taking Jared Gordon (15-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) to upset Charles Oliveira (27-8 MMA, 15-8 UFC) in their lightweight bout. Oliveira is the heaviest favorite on the card at -450.
A pair of promotional newcomers from Dana White’s Contender Series meet at middleweight when Antonio Arroyo (9-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) takes on Andre Muniz (18-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC). It’s a close fight with the oddsmakers, who have it nearly a pick’em with just a slight betting edge to Muniz. But Muniz has the picks lead from our staff members in a 12-1 blowout.
And to open the main card, Markus Perez (11-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) is a slight favorite against Wellington Turman (15-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) at middleweight, but our pickers have Perez with a heavy 10-3 lead.
In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Blachowicz (61%), Rua (64 percent), Oliveira (95 percent), Muniz (53 percent) and Perez (56 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the picks above.
