UFC Fight Night 184 predictions: Will it be Alistair Overeem or Alexander Volkov in big-man showdown?

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UFC Fight Night 184 predictions: Will it be Alistair Overeem or Alexander Volkov in big-man showdown?

Overeem
vs.
Volkov
Edgar
vs.
Sandhagen
Kape
vs.
Pantoja
Askar
vs.
Stamann
Dariush
vs.
Ferreira
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
2021: 6-9
Overeem
(68%)
sandhagen2021
Sandhagen
(68%)
pantoja2021
Pantoja
(61%)
stamann2021
Stamann
(85%)
dariush2021
Dariush
(69%)
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
2021: 10-5
trophy copy 2014 Champion
Overeem sandhagen2021
Sandhagen
kape2021
Kape
stamann2021
Stamann
ferreira2021
Ferreira
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
2021: 9-6
volkov2021
Volkov
sandhagen2021
Sandhagen
pantoja2021
Pantoja
stamann2021
Stamann
dariush2021
Dariush
John Morgan
@MMAjunkieJohn
2021: 9-6
Overeem sandhagen2021
Sandhagen
kape2021
Kape
stamann2021
Stamann
dariush2021
Dariush
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
2021: 9-6
trophy copy 2018 Champion
Overeem sandhagen2021
Sandhagen
kape2021
Kape
stamann2021
Stamann
dariush2021
Dariush
Dan Tom
@DanTomMMA
2021: 8-7
trophy copy 2020 Champion
Overeem edgar2021
Edgar
pantoja2021
Pantoja
stamann2021
Stamann
dariush2021
Dariush
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
2021: 8-7
Overeem sandhagen2021
Sandhagen
pantoja2021
Pantoja
stamann2021
Stamann
dariush2021
Dariush
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
2021: 8-7
trophy copy 2017 Champion
Overeem sandhagen2021
Sandhagen
pantoja2021
Pantoja
stamann2021
Stamann
dariush2021
Dariush
Dave Doyle
@davedoylemma
2021: 7-8
Overeem sandhagen2021
Sandhagen
pantoja2021
Pantoja
stamann2021
Stamann
dariush2021
Dariush
Simon Head
@simonhead
2021: 7-8
trophy copy 2019 Champion*
Overeem sandhagen2021
Sandhagen
pantoja2021
Pantoja
stamann2021
Stamann
ferreira2021
Ferreira
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
2021: 7-8
Overeem sandhagen2021
Sandhagen
kape2021
Kape
askar2021
Askar
ferreira2021
Ferreira
Nolan King
@mma_kings
2021: 7-8
Overeem sandhagen2021
Sandhagen
kape2021
Kape
stamann2021
Stamann
ferreira2021
Ferreira
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
2021: 6-9
Overeem sandhagen2021
Sandhagen
pantoja2021
Pantoja
stamann2021
Stamann
dariush2021
Dariush
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
2021: 6-9
volkov2021
Volkov
sandhagen2021
Sandhagen
pantoja2021
Pantoja
stamann2021
Stamann
ferreira2021
Ferreira
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
2021: 6-9
Overeem sandhagen2021
Sandhagen
kape2021
Kape
stamann2021
Stamann
ferreira2021
Ferreira

(Editor’s note: The fight between Clay Guida and Michael Johnson was moved to the main card too late for our picks deadline.)

The UFC is back in “Sin City” after three “Fight Island” events to open up 2021, and heavyweights top the bill.

UFC Fight Night 184 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The event streams on ESPN+.

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

In the main event, former heavyweight title challenger Alistair Overeem (47-18 MMA, 12-7 UFC) takes on former Bellator champion Alexander Volkov (32-8 MMA, 6-2 UFC). And even though Volkov is a fairly sizable favorite at nearly 2-1 at BetMGM, it’s Overeem who has a big 12-2 lead from our 14 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts.

In the co-feature, former lightweight champ Frankie Edgar (24-8-1 MMA, 18-8-1 UFC) is the second biggest underdog on the main card against Cory Sandhagen (13-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC). And at -375, not surprisingly, Sandhagen is a heavy 13-1 favorite in our picks.

Also on the main card, the flyweight fight between UFC newcomer Manel Kape (15-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and Alexandre Pantoja (22-5 MMA, 6-3 UFC) nearly is a pick’em with Pantoja just a slight favorite at -120. And he has just a slight 8-6 lead in the picks, as well.

It’s a blowout for Cody Stamann (19-3-1 MMA, 5-2-1 UFC) in his bantamweight fight against short-notice replacement Askar Askar (11-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC). Stamann is the card’s biggest favorite at 5-1, and he has a 13-1 lead in the picks.

And to open the main card, Beneil Dariush (19-4-1 MMA, 13-4-1 UFC) takes on Diego Ferreira (17-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) at lightweight. It’s dead even at the betting window, and our pickers have it close, too, with just an 8-6 lead for Dariush.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Overeem (68 percent), Sandhagen (68 percent), Pantoja (61 percent), Stamann (85 percent) and Dariush (69 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

UFC Fight Night 184 predictions: Will it be Alistair Overeem or Alexander Volkov in big-man showdown?