| Poirier vs. McGregor |
Chandler vs. Hooker |
Calderwood vs. Eye |
Ribas vs. Rodriguez |
|
| MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2021: 5-6 |
McGregor (62%) |
 Hooker (57%) |
 Calderwood (58%) |
 Ribas (94%) |
| Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2021: 8-3  2014 Champion |
 Poirier |
Hooker |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
| John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2021: 7-4 |
Poirier |
Hooker |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
| Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2021: 7-4 2020 Champion |
McGregor |  Chandler |
 Eye |
Ribas |
| Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2021: 7-4 2018 Champion |
McGregor | Chandler |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
| George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2021: 6-6 |
Poirier |
Chandler |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
| Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2021: 6-5 |
McGregor | Chandler |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
| Nolan King @mma_kings 2021: 6-5 |
McGregor | Hooker |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
| Brian Garcia @thegoze 2021: 6-5 2017 Champion |
McGregor | Chandler |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
| Dave Doyle @davedoylemma 2021: 5-6 |
McGregor | Chandler |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
| Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 2021: 5-6 |
Poirier |
Chandler |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
| Simon Head @simonhead 2021: 5-6 2019 Champion* |
McGregor | Chandler |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
| Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2021: 5-6 |
McGregor | Hooker |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
| Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2021: 4-7 |
McGregor | Chandler |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
| Simon Samano @SJSamano 2021: 4-7 |
McGregor | Chandler |
Calderwood |
Ribas |
(Editor’s note: The main card fight between Ottman Azaitar and Matt Frevola was canceled Friday during weigh-ins. The new main card fight between Makhmud Muradov and Andrew Sanchez was added too late for our picks deadline.)
The UFC wraps up its three-event stint over eight days on “Fight Island” with its biggest draw.
UFC 257 takes place Saturday at Etihad Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
In the main event, former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier (26-6 MMA, 18-5 UFC) meets ex-lightweight and featherweight champ Conor McGregor (22-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) in a rematch from a 2014 fight won by McGregor. McGregor is a 3-1 favorite at BetMGM, and he’s got a sizable 10-4 lead from our 14 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts.
In the co-feature, former Bellator lightweight champ Michael Chandler (21-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC) makes his promotional debut against Dan Hooker (20-9 MMA, 10-5 UFC). Hooker is just a slight favorite at -130, but it’s Chandler with a big 10-4 picks lead.
Joanne Calderwood (14-5 MMA, 6-5 UFC) may have the slimmest betting odds in her favor on the main card at -120 for her women’s flyweight bout against former title challenger Jessica Eye (15-8 MMA, 5-7 UFC), but the picks are a blowout at 13-1 for Calderwood.
And Amanda Ribas (10-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) is a -350 favorite in her women’s strawweight fight against Marina Rodriguez (12-1-2 MMA, 2-1-2 UFC). Ribas is our only unanimous pick, and she’s also our readers’ biggest favorite at a whopping 94 percent.
In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, McGregor (62 percent), Hooker (57 percent), Calderwood (58 percent) and Ribas (94 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the picks above.
UFC 257 predictions: Who’s picking Dustin Poirier to upset Conor McGregor?
