UFC on ESPN 18 predictions: Anthony Smith or Devin Clark in new main event?

	Clark vs. Smith	Parisian vs. Porter	Baeza vs. Sato	Algeo vs. Carlyle
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2020: 147-89	Smith (67%)	Parisian (87%)	Baeza (73%)	Carlyle (75%)
Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2020: 162-74	Smith	Parisian	Baeza	Algeo
Nolan King @mma_kings 2020: 157-79	Clark	Parisian	Sato	Carlyle
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 2020: 157-79	Smith	Parisian	Baeza	Algeo
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2020: 156-80	Smith	Parisian	Sato	Algeo
Simon Head @simonhead 2020: 153-83 2019 Champion*	Smith	Parisian	Baeza	Algeo
Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2020: 152-84 2014 Champion	Smith	Parisian	Baeza	Algeo
Dave Doyle @davedoylemma 2020: 151-85	Clark	Parisian	Sato	Carlyle
Brian Garcia @thegoze 2020: 150-86 2017 Champion	Smith	Parisian	Baeza	Algeo
Simon Samano @SJSamano 2020: 149-87	Clark	Porter	Baeza	Algeo
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2020: 148-88 2018 Champion	Clark	Parisian	Baeza	Algeo
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2020: 148-88	Smith	Parisian	Baeza	Carlyle
John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2020: 147-89	Smith	Parisian	Baeza	Algeo
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2020: 144-92	Smith	Parisian	Baeza	Algeo
Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2020: 88-148	Clark	Porter	Sato	Algeo

The UFC is back this week with a new main event after the previously scheduled headliner fell apart Friday.

UFC on ESPN 18 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The event airs on ESPN2 and streams on ESPN+.

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

In the main event, Devin Clark (12-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) meets former light heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith (33-16 MMA, 8-6 UFC). Smith is a slight favorite at -139, and he’s got a 9-5 picks lead from our 14 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts have it right down the middle at 7-7.

That fight moved up with the previously scheduled main event between Curtis Blaydes (14-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) and former title challenger Derrick Lewis (24-7 MMA, 15-5 UFC) was scrapped after Blaydes tested positive for COVID-19.

Also on the main card, Josh Parisian (13-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC) takes on Parker Porter (10-6 MMA, 0-1 UFC) at heavyweight. Parisian is the favorite at -233, and he’s got a big 12-2 lead in the picks.

Miguel Baeza (9-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) is a -182 favorite against Takashi Sato (16-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC) at welterweight, and he’s got a significant 10-4 lead from our pickers.

And to open the main card, Spike Carlyle (9-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) is a -176 favorite at featherweight against Bill Algeo (13-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC), but it’s Algeo with a big 11-3 picks lead.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Smith (67 percent), Parisian (87 percent), Baeza (73 percent) and Carlyle (75 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.