| Volkanovski vs. Ortega |
Shevchenko vs. Murphy |
Diaz vs. Lawler |
Blaydes vs. Rozenstruik |
Andrade vs. Calvillo |
|
| MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2021: 147-90 |
 Volkanovski (58%) |
 Shevchenko (95%) |
 Diaz (61%) |
 Blaydes (71%) |
 Andrade (80%) |
| John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2021: 152-85 |
Volkanovski |
Shevchenko |
 Lawler |
Blaydes |
Andrade |
| Simon Samano @SJSamano 2021: 147-90 |
Volkanovski |
Shevchenko |
Lawler |
Blaydes |
Andrade |
| Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2021: 144-93  2018 Champion |
Volkanovski |
Shevchenko |
Diaz |
Blaydes |
 Calvillo |
| Nolan King @mma_kings 2021: 143-94 |
Volkanovski |
Shevchenko |
Lawler |
Blaydes |
Andrade |
| Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2021: 142-95 2014 Champion |
Volkanovski |
Shevchenko |
Diaz |
Blaydes |
Andrade |
| Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2021: 142-95 |
Volkanovski |
Shevchenko |
Lawler |
Blaydes |
Andrade |
| Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2021: 141-96 2020 Champion |
Volkanovski |
Shevchenko |
Diaz |
Blaydes |
Andrade |
| Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 2021: 137-100 |
Volkanovski |
Shevchenko |
Diaz |
Blaydes |
Andrade |
| Brian Garcia @thegoze 2021: 135-102 2017 Champion |
Volkanovski |
Shevchenko |
Lawler |
Blaydes |
Andrade |
| George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2021: 135-102 |
 Ortega |
Shevchenko |
Diaz |
Blaydes |
Calvillo |
| Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2021: 134-103 |
Volkanovski |
Shevchenko |
Diaz |
Blaydes |
Andrade |
| Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2021: 132-105 |
Volkanovski |
Shevchenko |
Lawler |
Blaydes |
Calvillo |
| Matthew Wells @MrMWells 2021: 70-51 |
Volkanovski |
Shevchenko |
Lawler |
Blaydes |
Andrade |
A pair of UFC titles are on the line when the UFC returns to pay-per-view Saturday.
UFC 266 takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and early prelims on ESPN+.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
In the main event, featherweight champion [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] (22-1 MMA, 9-0 UFC) takes on challenger [autotag]Brian Ortega[/autotag] (15-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC). Volkanovski is a -190 favorite at Tipico. And only one of our 13 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers is picking the +145 underdog Ortega to pull the upset.
In the co-feature, women’s flyweight champ [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] (21-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) is a massive -1800 favorite against challenger [autotag]Lauren Murphy[/autotag] (15-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC). Not surprisingly, Shevchenko is one of two unanimous picks on our main card.
Also on the main card, [autotag]Nick Diaz[/autotag] (26-9 MMA, 7-6 UFC) returns for the first time in nearly seven years to take on former welterweight champ [autotag]Robbie Lawler[/autotag] (28-15 MMA, 13-9 UFC) in a rematch at middleweight. Lawler is a -155 favorite, but he’s only got a 7-6 lead in the picks.
Our other unanimous pick is at heavyweight. [autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag] (14-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) is a -340 favorite against [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC), and he pitched a 13-0 shutout in the picks.
And to open the main card, former women’s strawweight champ [autotag]Jessica Andrade[/autotag] (21-9 MMA, 12-7 UFC) is a -270 favorite at flyweight against [autotag]Cynthia Calvillo[/autotag] (9-2-1 MMA, 6-2-1 UFC). Andrade has a big 10-3 lead in the picks.
In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Volkanovski (58 percent), Shevchenko (95 percent), Diaz (61 percent), Blaydes (71 percent) and Andrade (80 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the picks above.
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