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

Check out our staff members’ picks for the UFC on ESPN 29 main card, featuring Jared Cannonier vs. Kelvin Gastelum.

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
cannonier2021
Cannonier
(54%)
madsen2021
Madsen
(70%)
sherman2021
Sherman
(74%)
trevinjones2021
Jones
(N/A)
pichel2021
Pichel
(68%)
pantoja2021
Pantoja
(55%)
John Morgan
@MMAjunkieJohn
2021: 127-74
cannonier2021
Cannonier
madsen2021
Madsen
sherman2021
Sherman
trevinjones2021
Jones
pichel2021
Pichel
pantoja2021
Pantoja
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
2021: 125-76
cannonier2021
Cannonier
madsen2021
Madsen
porter2021
Porter
trevinjones2021
Jones
pichel2021
Pichel
royval2021
Royval
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
2021: 123-78
trophy copy 2018 Champion
gastelum2021
Gastelum
madsen2021
Madsen
sherman2021
Sherman
kakhramonov2021
Kakhramonov
pichel2021
Pichel
pantoja2021
Pantoja
Dan Tom
@DanTomMMA
2021: 121-80
trophy copy 2020 Champion
cannonier2021
Cannonier
madsen2021
Madsen
sherman2021
Sherman
trevinjones2021
Jones
pichel2021
Pichel
pantoja2021
Pantoja
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
2021: 119-82
trophy copy 2014 Champion
cannonier2021
Cannonier
madsen2021
Madsen
sherman2021
Sherman
trevinjones2021
Jones
pichel2021
Pichel
pantoja2021
Pantoja
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
2021: 118-83
cannonier2021
Cannonier
madsen2021
Madsen
sherman2021
Sherman
trevinjones2021
Jones
pichel2021
Pichel
pantoja2021
Pantoja
Nolan King
@mma_kings
2021: 118-83
cannonier2021
Cannonier
madsen2021
Madsen
sherman2021
Sherman
kakhramonov2021
Kakhramonov
pichel2021
Pichel
pantoja2021
Pantoja
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
2021: 117-84
gastelum2021
Gastelum
madsen2021
Madsen
sherman2021
Sherman
trevinjones2021
Jones
pichel2021
Pichel
royval2021
Royval
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
2021: 116-85
gastelum2021
Gastelum
madsen2021
Madsen
sherman2021
Sherman
kakhramonov2021
Kakhramonov
pichel2021
Pichel
pantoja2021
Pantoja
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
2021: 115-86
cannonier2021
Cannonier
madsen2021
Madsen
sherman2021
Sherman
trevinjones2021
Jones
pichel2021
Pichel
pantoja2021
Pantoja
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
2021: 113-88
trophy copy 2017 Champion
cannonier2021
Cannonier
madsen2021
Madsen
sherman2021
Sherman
trevinjones2021
Jones
pichel2021
Pichel
royval2021
Royval
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
2021: 112-89
gastelum2021
Gastelum
madsen2021
Madsen
sherman2021
Sherman
kakhramonov2021
Kakhramonov
pichel2021
Pichel
pantoja2021
Pantoja
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
2021: 46-39
cannonier2021
Cannonier
madsen2021
Madsen
sherman2021
Sherman
trevinjones2021
Jones
pichel2021
Pichel
royval2021
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, [autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag] (13-5 MMA, 6-5 UFC) takes on [autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] (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 [autotag]Clay Guida[/autotag] (36-20 MMA, 16-14 UFC) meets [autotag]Mark Madsen[/autotag] (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.

[autotag]Parker Porter[/autotag] (11-6 MMA, 1-1 UFC) takes on [autotag]Chase Sherman[/autotag] (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, [autotag]Trevin Jones[/autotag] (13-6 MMA, 1-1 UFC) meets short-notice replacement and UFC newcomer [autotag]Saidyokub Kakhramonov[/autotag] (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 [autotag]Vinc Pichel[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) in a lightweight bout against [autotag]Austin Hubbard[/autotag] (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, [autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag] (23-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) takes on [autotag]Brandon Royval[/autotag] (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.