| Chiesa vs. Magny |
Alves vs. Lazzez |
Moreira vs. Villanueva |
Araujo vs. Modafferi |
Nam vs. Schnell |
Murphy vs. De Andrade |
|
| MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2021: 2-3 |
Magny (57%) |
 Lazzez (69%) |
 Villanueva (62%) |
 Araujo (61%) |
 Nam (56%) |
 Murphy (72%) |
| Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2021: 3-2  2020 Champion |
 Chiesa |
Lazzez |
Villanueva |
Araujo |
Nam |
Murphy |
| Simon Samano @SJSamano 2021: 3-2 |
Magny | Lazzez |
 Moreira |
 Modafferi |
Nam |
Murphy |
| Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2021: 3-2 2018 Champion |
Magny | Lazzez |
Villanueva |
Araujo |
 Schnell |
Murphy |
| Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2021: 2-3 |
Magny | Lazzez |
Villanueva |
Araujo |
Schnell |
Murphy |
| Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 2021: 2-3 |
Magny | Lazzez |
Villanueva |
Araujo |
Nam |
Murphy |
| Nolan King @mma_kings 2021: 2-3 |
Magny | Lazzez |
Villanueva |
Araujo |
Schnell |
Murphy |
| Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2021: 2-3 2014 Champion |
Chiesa |
 Alves |
Villanueva |
Araujo |
Schnell |
Murphy |
| Simon Head @simonhead 2021: 2-3 2019 Champion* |
Magny | Lazzez |
Villanueva |
Araujo |
Nam |
Murphy |
| Brian Garcia @thegoze 2021: 2-3 2017 Champion |
Chiesa |
Lazzez |
Moreira |
Araujo |
Schnell |
Murphy |
| John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2021: 2-3 |
Chiesa |
Alves |
Villanueva |
Modafferi |
Schnell |
Murphy |
| Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2021: 2-3 |
Magny | Lazzez |
Villanueva |
Araujo |
Nam |
Murphy |
| Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2021: 2-3 |
Magny | Lazzez |
Moreira |
Araujo |
Nam |
Murphy |
| Dave Doyle @davedoylemma 2021: 1-4 |
Chiesa |
Alves |
Moreira |
Araujo |
Nam |
Murphy |
| George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2021: 1-4 |
Chiesa |
Alves |
Villanueva |
Modafferi |
Schnell |
Murphy |
The UFC is back for its second of three events in eight days to kick off 2021 on “Fight Island.”
UFC on ESPN 20 takes place Wednesday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The card airs on ESPN.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
In the main event, Michael Chiesa (16-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC) takes on Neil Magny (24-7 MMA, 17-6 UFC) at welterweight. Holloway is a slight favorite at BetMGM at -140, and it’s close with our 14 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts, too. Magny has just a slim 8-6 lead in our picks.
In the co-feature, Warlley Alves (13-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) meets Mounir Lazzez (10-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) at welterweight. Lazzez is more than a 2-1 favorite at the sports book, and he’s got a big 10-4 lead in our picks.
Also on the main card, Vinicius Moreira (9-4 MMA, 0-3 UFC) takes on Ike Villanueva (16-11 MMA, 0-2 UFC) at light heavyweight. Villanueva is a slight favorite, but he’s got a hefty lead from our staff members at 10-4.
Viviane Araujo (9-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) is the biggest favorite on the main card in her women’s flyweight fight against women’s MMA pioneer Roxanne Modafferi (25-17 MMA, 4-5 UFC). And the Brazilian has a big 11-3 picks lead.
The closest fight on the main card from a betting standpoint is between flyweights Tyson Nam (20-11-1 MMA, 2-2 UFC) and Matt Schnell (14-5 MMA, 4-3 UFC). And our pickers responded appropriately with a split of picks down the middle at 7-7.
And to open the main card, Lerone Murphy (9-0-1 MMA, 1-0-1 UFC) nearly is a 3-1 favorite at featherweight against Douglas Silva de Andrade (26-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC). Murphy is our only unanimous pick, and he’s also our readers’ biggest favorite.
In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Magny (57 percent), Lazzez (69 percent), Villanueva (62 percent), Araujo (61 percent), Nam (56 percent) and Murphy (72 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the picks above.
UFC on ESPN 20 predictions: Michael Chiesa or Neil Magny on ‘Fight Island’?
