UFC on ESPN+ 34 predictions: Who’s taking Augusto Sakai over Alistair Overeem in changing of the guard?

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UFC on ESPN+ 34 predictions: Who’s taking Augusto Sakai over Alistair Overeem in changing of the guard?
Overeem
vs.
Sakai
Menifield
vs.
Saint Preux
Imadaev
vs.
Pereira
Kelleher
vs.
Natividad
Moises
vs.
Turner
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
2020: 88-58
Overeem
(71%)
saintpreux2020
Saint Preux
(55%)
pereira2020
Pereira
(73%)
kelleher2020
Kelleher
(N/A)
moises2020
Moises
(64%)
Dan Tom
@DanTomMMA
2020: 100-46
sakai2020
Sakai
saintpreux2020
Saint Preux
pereira2020
Pereira
kelleher2020
Kelleher
turner2020
Turner
Nolan King
@mma_kings
2020: 100-46
Overeem saintpreux2020
Saint Preux
pereira2020
Pereira
kelleher2020
Kelleher
moises2020
Moises
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
2020: 99-47
Overeem menifield2020
Menifield
pereira2020
Pereira
kelleher2020
Kelleher
moises2020
Moises
Simon Head
@simonhead
2020: 97-49
trophy copy 2019 Champion*
Overeem menifield2020
Menifield
pereira2020
Pereira
kelleher2020
Kelleher
moises2020
Moises
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
2020: 96-50
Overeem menifield2020
Menifield
pereira2020
Pereira
kelleher2020
Kelleher
moises2020
Moises
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
2020: 95-51
trophy copy 2017 Champion
sakai2020
Sakai
saintpreux2020
Saint Preux
pereira2020
Pereira
kelleher2020
Kelleher
moises2020
Moises
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
2020: 94-52
Overeem menifield2020
Menifield
pereira2020
Pereira
kelleher2020
Kelleher
turner2020
Turner
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
2020: 94-52
trophy copy 2014 Champion
Overeem menifield2020
Menifield
pereira2020
Pereira
kelleher2020
Kelleher
moises2020
Moises
Dave Doyle
@davedoylemma
2020: 93-53
Overeem saintpreux2020
Saint Preux
pereira2020
Pereira
kelleher2020
Kelleher
moises2020
Moises
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
2020: 92-54
trophy copy 2018 Champion
sakai2020
Sakai
menifield2020
Menifield
pereira2020
Pereira
kelleher2020
Kelleher
moises2020
Moises
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
2020: 89-57
Overeem saintpreux2020
Saint Preux
pereira2020
Pereira
kelleher2020
Kelleher
moises2020
Moises
John Morgan
@MMAjunkieJohn
2020: 88-58
Overeem saintpreux2020
Saint Preux
pereira2020
Pereira
kelleher2020
Kelleher
moises2020
Moises
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
2020: 87-59
Overeem menifield2020
Menifield
pereira2020
Pereira
kelleher2020
Kelleher
moises2020
Moises
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
2020: 61-85
sakai2020
Sakai
saintpreux2020
Saint Preux
imadaev2020
Imadaev
natividad2020
Natividad
turner2020
Turner

The UFC is home in Las Vegas again this week with a former heavyweight title challenger atop the card.

UFC on ESPN+ 34 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card streams on ESPN+.

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

In the main event, Alistair Overeem (46-18 MMA, 11-7 UFC) takes on Augusto Sakai (15-1-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) in a heavyweight bout. Overeem is a -165 favorite, and our 14 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts have him with a big lead at 10-4.

In the co-main event, Alonzo Menifield (9-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) meets Ovince Saint Preux (24-14 MMA, 12-9 UFC) in a light heavyweight fight that was delayed from a couple weeks back. Menifield is a slight favorite, but our pickers have the bout split down the middle at 7-7.

Also on the main card, Zelim Imadaev (8-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) takes on Michel Pereira (23-11 MMA, 1-2 UFC) at welterweight. There was bad blood at Friday’s weigh-ins, culminating in a shove from Imadaev. But when it comes to the picks, even though the fight is a pick’em at some sportsbooks, our staff members have Pereira with a massive 13-1 lead.

The other near-unanimous pick on the main card goes to Brian Kelleher (21-11 MMA, 5-4 UFC), who is more than a 2-1 favorite against short-notice featherweight opponent Kevin Natividad (9-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC). Only one of our pickers is taking Natividad to pull the upset.

And to open the main card, Thiago Moises (13-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) is a slight favorite against Jalin Turner (9-5 MMA, 2-2 UFC) in their lightweight bout. But our pickers have Moises with a big lead at 11-3.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Overeem (71 percent), Saint Preux (55 percent), Pereira (73 percent), Kelleher (N/A percent) and Moises (64 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

UFC on ESPN+ 34 predictions: Who’s taking Augusto Sakai over Alistair Overeem in changing of the guard?