UFC on ESPN 36 predictions: Can ex-champ Jan Blachowicz get back on track vs. Aleksandar Rakic?

	Blachowicz vs. Rakic	Cutelaba vs. Spann	Grant vs. Smolka	Chookagian vs. Ribas	Camacho vs. Torres	Hadley vs. Nascimento
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 79-38	Blachowicz (56%)	Spann (53%)	Grant (80%)	Ribas (52%)	Torres (73%)	Hadley (81%)
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 78-40	Blachowicz	Spann	Grant	Chookagian	Torres	Hadley
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 77-41 2018 Champion	Rakic	Spann	Grant	Chookagian	Torres	Hadley
Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 76-42 2014 Champion	Rakic	Spann	Grant	Chookagian	Torres	Hadley
Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 76-42	Rakic	Spann	Grant	Chookagian	Camacho	Hadley
Simon Samano @SJSamano 75-43	Rakic	Spann	Smolka	Chookagian	Torres	Hadley
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 74-44	Blachowicz	Spann	Grant	Chookagian	Torres	Hadley
Nolan King @mma_kings 74-44	Rakic	Cutelaba	Smolka	Chookagian	Torres	Hadley
Brian Garcia @thegoze 73-45 2017 Champion	Rakic	Spann	Grant	Chookagian	Torres	Hadley
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 72-46	Rakic	Cutelaba	Grant	Chookagian	Torres	Hadley
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 68-50	Rakic	Spann	Grant	Chookagian	Torres	Hadley
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 59-59	Blachowicz	Spann	Smolka	Ribas	Torres	Hadley

The UFC is back in its Las Vegas home base this week with a former champion at the top of the bill.

UFC on ESPN 36 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card airs on ESPN2 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, former light heavyweight champ Jan Blachowicz (28-9 MMA, 11-6 UFC) takes on Aleksandar Rakic (14-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC). Rakic is a 2-1 favorite at Tipico Sportsbook; the comeback on Blachowicz is +150. Our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers are taking Rakic at a pretty high 8-3 clip.

In the co-feature, Ion Cutelaba (16-6-1 MMA, 5-5-1 UFC) meets Ryan Spann (19-7 MMA, 5-2 UFC) in another light heavyweight bout. Cutelaba is a -240 favorite, but it’s underdog Spann with a big 9-2 picks lead.

Also on the main card, Davey Grant (11-6 MMA, 4-5 UFC will go after his fifth straight post-fight bonus award when he takes on Louis Smolka (17-8 MMA, 8-8 UFC) at bantamweight. Grant is more than a 3-1 favorite and has a big 8-3 edge in the picks from our staff members.

Former women’s flyweight title challenger Katlyn Chookagian (17-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC) will go after her fourth straight win when she meets Amanda Ribas (11-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC). Chookagian nearly is a 2-1 favorite and only one of our pickers is taking Ribas in an upset.

Frank Camacho (22-9 MMA, 2-5 UFC) returns after a hiatus of nearly two years to take on Manuel Torres (12-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) at lightweight. Torres is a modest -130 favorite – the smallest favorite on the main card. But he’s a near-unanimous pick at 11-1.

And to open the main card, we have our only unanimous pick: -230 favorite Jake Hadley (8-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is an 11-0 pick against Allan Nascimento (18-6 MMA, 0-1 UFC) in their flyweight bout.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Blachowicz (56 percent), Spann (53 percent), Grant (80 percent), Ribas (52 percent), Torres (73 percent) and Hadley (81 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.