UFC on ESPN 35 predictions: Only one truly contentious fight – but what is it?

	Font vs. Vera	Arlovski vs. Collier	Brito vs. Fili	Dawson vs. Gordon	Connelly vs. Elkins	Jotko vs. Meerschaert
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 72-35	Font (55%)	Arlovski (87%)	Fili (84%)	Dawson (81%)	Elkins (68%)	Jotko (51%)
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 71-37 2018 Champion	Font	Arlovski	Fili	Dawson	Elkins	Jotko
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 71-37	Font	Arlovski	Fili	Dawson	Elkins	Jotko
Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 71-37	Font	Arlovski	Fili	Dawson	Elkins	Meerschaert
Simon Samano @SJSamano 69-39	Font	Arlovski	Fili	Dawson	Connelly	Jotko
Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 69-39 2014 Champion	Font	Arlovski	Fili	Dawson	Elkins	Jotko
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 67-41	Font	Arlovski	Fili	Dawson	Elkins	Jotko
Brian Garcia @thegoze 67-41 2017 Champion	Font	Arlovski	Fili	Dawson	Elkins	Meerschaert
Nolan King @mma_kings 67-41	Font	Arlovski	Fili	Dawson	Elkins	Jotko
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 66-42	Font	Arlovski	Fili	Dawson	Elkins	Meerschaert
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 64-44	Font	Arlovski	Fili	Gordon	Elkins	Meerschaert
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 53-55	Font	Arlovski	Fili	Dawson	Elkins	Meerschaert

The UFC stays at its home base in Las Vegas this week with a bantamweight clash at the top of the lineup.

UFC on ESPN 35 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, Rob Font (19-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC) takes on Marlon Vera (20-7-1 MMA, 10-6 UFC) in a 135-pound matchup that Font missed weight for by more than 2 pounds. The fight will go on, though, at a catchweight. Font is just a slight betting favorite at -135 at Tipico Sportsbook. The comeback on Vera is +105. But despite the close odds, all 11 of our editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers are taking Font as one of three unanimous picks on the main card.

In the co-feature, former heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski (33-20 MMA, 22-14 UFC) takes on Jake Collier (13-6 MMA, 5-5 UFC). Arlovski is a -150 favorite and the second of our three unanimous 11-0 picks.

The biggest favorite on the main card is Andre Fili (21-8 MMA, 9-7-1 UFC) in his featherweight fight against Joanderson Brito (12-3-1 MMA, 0-2 UFC). Fili is our third unanimous pick.

Also on the main card, Grant Dawson (17-1-1 MMA, 5-1-1 UFC) takes on Jared Gordon (18-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC) at lightweight. Dawson is a -190 favorite and nearly is a unanimous pick. Just one of our pickers is taking Gordon in an upset.

Darren Elkins (26-10 MMA, 16-9 UFC) is a -180 favorite against Tristan Connelly (14-7 MMA, 1-1 UFC) in their featherweight bout. Like Dawson, Elkins nearly made it unanimous. He’s a 10-1 choice from our staff pickers.

And to open the main card, Krzysztof Jotko (23-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) meets Gerald Meerschaert (34-14 MMA, 9-6 UFC) in what really is our only contentious pick. Jotko is a -180 favorite, but he’s got just a 6-5 lead in the picks. He’s also the closest fight in the picks from our readers.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Font (55 percent), Arlovski (87 percent), Fili (84 percent), Dawson (81 percent), Elkins (68 percent) and Jotko (51 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.