PFL 2021, Week 1 predictions: Who are our three unanimous picks on the main card?

	Pettis vs. Collard	Held vs. Schulte	Khaybulaev vs. Stojadinovic	Jenkins vs. Palmer
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2021: 46-29	Pettis (78%)	Schulte (66%)	Khaybulaev (80%)	Palmer (82%)
John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2021: 49-26	Pettis	Schulte	Khaybulaev	Palmer
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2021: 48-27 2018 Champion	Pettis	Schulte	Khaybulaev	Palmer
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 2021: 47-28	Pettis	Schulte	Khaybulaev	Palmer
Simon Samano @SJSamano 2021: 47-28	Pettis	Schulte	Khaybulaev	Palmer
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2021: 47-28	Pettis	Schulte	Khaybulaev	Palmer
Nolan King @mma_kings 2021: 45-30	Pettis	Schulte	Khaybulaev	Palmer
Brian Garcia @thegoze 2021: 45-30 2017 Champion	Pettis	Schulte	Khaybulaev	Palmer
Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2021: 44-31 2020 Champion	Pettis	Schulte	Khaybulaev	Palmer
Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2021: 43-32	Pettis	Held	Khaybulaev	Palmer
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2021: 42-33	Pettis	Schulte	Khaybulaev	Palmer
Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2021: 41-34 2014 Champion	Pettis	Schulte	Khaybulaev	Palmer
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2021: 39-36	Pettis	Schulte	Khaybulaev	Palmer
BetMGM Betting Favorites	Pettis -600	Schulte -400	Khaybulaev -650	Palmer -350

The PFL returns Friday after missing 2020, and lightweights and featherweights kick off the 2021 season.

PFL 2021, Week 1 takes place at Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, N.J. The main card airs on ESPN2 following prelims on ESPN+.

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

In the main event, former UFC and WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis (24-10) makes his PFL debut in a lightweight regular season bout against Clay Collard (18-8). Whittaker is a heavy favorite at -600 at BetMGM, and he’s one of three unanimous picks from our 12 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts.

In the co-feature, two-time PFL lightweight season winner Natan Schulte (20-3-1) returns to take on Marcin Held (26-7). Schulte is a 4-1 favorite, and only one of our pickers is taking submission specialist Held to pull off the upset.

Also on the main card, Movlid Khaybulaev (15-0-1) will try to stay unbeaten in a featherweight season bout against Lazar Stojadinovic (14-7). Khaybulaev is a -650 favorite and another of our unanimous picks.

And to open the main card, two-time featherweight season winner Lance Palmer (22-3) takes on Bubba Jenkins (14-4). Palmer is a -350 favorite and our third unanimous pick.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Pettis (78 percent), Schulte (66 percent), Khaybulaev (80 percent) and Palmer (82 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.