UFC on ESPN 29 predictions: Will Kelvin Gastelum get back on track vs. Jared Cannonier?

	Cannonier vs. Gastelum	Guida vs. Madsen	Porter vs. Sherman	Jones vs. Kakhramonov	Hubbard vs. Pichel	Pantoja vs. Royval
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2021: 124-77	Cannonier (54%)	Madsen (70%)	Sherman (74%)	Jones (N/A)	Pichel (68%)	Pantoja (55%)
John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2021: 127-74	Cannonier	Madsen	Sherman	Jones	Pichel	Pantoja
Simon Samano @SJSamano 2021: 125-76	Cannonier	Madsen	Porter	Jones	Pichel	Royval
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2021: 123-78 2018 Champion	Gastelum	Madsen	Sherman	Kakhramonov	Pichel	Pantoja
Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2021: 121-80 2020 Champion	Cannonier	Madsen	Sherman	Jones	Pichel	Pantoja
Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2021: 119-82 2014 Champion	Cannonier	Madsen	Sherman	Jones	Pichel	Pantoja
Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2021: 118-83	Cannonier	Madsen	Sherman	Jones	Pichel	Pantoja
Nolan King @mma_kings 2021: 118-83	Cannonier	Madsen	Sherman	Kakhramonov	Pichel	Pantoja
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2021: 117-84	Gastelum	Madsen	Sherman	Jones	Pichel	Royval
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 2021: 116-85	Gastelum	Madsen	Sherman	Kakhramonov	Pichel	Pantoja
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2021: 115-86	Cannonier	Madsen	Sherman	Jones	Pichel	Pantoja
Brian Garcia @thegoze 2021: 113-88 2017 Champion	Cannonier	Madsen	Sherman	Jones	Pichel	Royval
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2021: 112-89	Gastelum	Madsen	Sherman	Kakhramonov	Pichel	Pantoja
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 2021: 46-39	Cannonier	Madsen	Sherman	Jones	Pichel	Royval

The UFC is back in its home base this week with a middleweight showdown atop the lineup.

UFC on ESPN 29 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN2/ESPN+.

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

In the main event, Jared Cannonier (13-5 MMA, 6-5 UFC) takes on Kelvin Gastelum (17-7 MMA, 11-7 UFC) at middleweight. Cannonier is a slight betting favorite at Tipico around -150, and he has a 9-4 lead in the picks from our 13 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers.

In the co-feature, longtime fighter Clay Guida (36-20 MMA, 16-14 UFC) meets Mark Madsen (10-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC). Madsen is a -170 favorite, and he’s one of two unanimous picks from our staff members on the main card.

Parker Porter (11-6 MMA, 1-1 UFC) takes on Chase Sherman (15-7 MMA, 3-6 UFC) in a heavyweight bout. Sherman is a 2-1 favorite and has a big 12-1 lead in the picks.

Also on the main card, Trevin Jones (13-6 MMA, 1-1 UFC) meets short-notice replacement and UFC newcomer Saidyokub Kakhramonov (8-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) at bantamweight. Jones is the favorite at -145 and has a 9-4 lead in the picks.

Our other unanimous pick on the main card is Vinc Pichel (13-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) in a lightweight bout against Austin Hubbard (13-5 MMA, 3-3 UFC). It’s virtually a pick’em fight with Pichel at -115 and Hubbard at -110, but Pichel pitched a shutout in our picks at 13-0.

And to open the main card, Alexandre Pantoja (23-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) takes on Brandon Royval (12-5 MMA, 2-1 UFC) in a key flyweight bout. Pantoja is favored at the betting window at -180, and he’s got a 9-4 edge in the picks.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Kharitonov (57 percent), Storley (90 percent), Golm (55 percent) and Lugo (64 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.