| Overeem vs. Rozenstruik |
Calvillo vs. Rodriguez |
Rothwell vs. Struve |
Kunitskaya vs. Ladd |
Stamann vs. Yadong |
Font vs. Simon |
|
| MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2019: 203-123 (62%) |
 Rozenstruik (56%) |
 Calvillo (66%) |
 Rothwell (53%) |
 Ladd (80%) |
 Yadong (64%) |
 Font (51%) |
| Simon Head @simonhead 2019: 119-65 (65%) |
Rozenstruik |
 Rodriguez |
Rothwell |
Ladd |
Yadong |
Font |
| Nolan King @mma_kings 2019: 115-64 (64%) |
 Overeem |
Rodriguez |
Rothwell |
Ladd |
 Stamann |
Font |
| Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2019: 209-117 (64%) |
Overeem |
Calvillo |
Rothwell |
Ladd |
Yadong |
Font |
| Brian Garcia @thegoze 2019: 207-119 (64%)  2017 Champion |
Rozenstruik |
Rodriguez |
Rothwell |
 Kunitskaya |
Stamann |
Font |
| Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2019: 206-120 (63%) 2018 Champion |
Rozenstruik |
Calvillo |
Rothwell |
Ladd |
Yadong |
Font |
| John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2019: 204-122 (63%) |
Overeem |
Rodriguez |
Rothwell |
Ladd |
Stamann |
Font |
| Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2019: 203-123 (62%) 2014 Champion |
Overeem |
Rodriguez |
Rothwell |
Ladd |
Yadong |
 Simon |
| Simon Samano @SJSamano 2019: 203-123 (62%) |
Rozenstruik |
Rodriguez |
Rothwell |
Ladd |
Yadong |
Font |
| George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2019: 200-126 (61%) |
Overeem |
Calvillo |
Rothwell |
Ladd |
Stamann |
Font |
| Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2019: 141-69 (60%) |
Overeem |
Calvillo |
Rothwell |
Ladd |
Yadong |
Font |
| Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2019: 193-133 (59%) |
Rozenstruik |
Rodriguez |
Rothwell |
Ladd |
Yadong |
Font |
| Dave Doyle @davedoylemma 2019: 131-103 (56%) |
Overeem |
Calvillo |
Rothwell |
Ladd |
Stamann |
Font |
| Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2019: 172-154 (53%) |
Rozenstruik |
Calvillo |
 Struve |
Kunitskaya |
Stamann |
Simon |
The UFC is back in the nation’s capital city this week for the first time since 2011, and heavyweights top the bill.
UFC on ESPN 7 takes place Saturday at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. The main card airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
[lawrence-related id=467512,467189]
In the main event, [autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] (45-17 MMA, 10-6 UFC) takes on the unbeaten [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag] (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) at heavyweight. The fight is a virtual pick’em with the oddsmakers, and it’s close with our 13 MMA Junkie editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well. Overeem has the slightest possible edge at 7-6 in our picks.
In the co-main event, [autotag]Cynthia Calvillo[/autotag] (8-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) badly missed weight for her women’s strawweight bout against [autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag] (12-0-1 MMA, 2-0-1 UFC), but the fight will go on. Rodriguez is a slight favorite at the sports books, and she has a slight edge at 7-6 in our picks.
Also on the main card, [autotag]Ben Rothwell[/autotag] (36-12 MMA, 6-6 UFC) meets [autotag]Stefan Struve[/autotag] (29-11 MMA, 13-9 UFC) in a battle of heavyweight veterans. Rothwell has a slight betting edge around -150, but he has a massive 12-1 lead in the picks with only one of our staff members taking the 7-foot Struve.
Another picks blowout belongs to [autotag]Aspen Ladd[/autotag] (8-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) in her women’s bantamweight fight against [autotag]Yana Kunitskaya[/autotag] (12-4 MMA, 2-1 UFC). Ladd is a -160 favorite, but has an 11-2 lead in the picks.
[autotag]Song Yadong[/autotag] (15-4 MMA, 4-0 UFC) is more than a 2-1 favorite in his bantamweight fight against [autotag]Cody Stamann[/autotag] (18-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC), making him the heaviest favorite on the main card. But Yadong has just a 7-6 lead in the picks.
And to open the main card, [autotag]Rob Font[/autotag] (16-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC) is just a slight favorite against [autotag]Ricky Simon[/autotag] (15-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) in their bantamweight fight. But Font pulled off a big 11-2 rout in the picks.
In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Rozenstruik (56%), Calvillo (66 percent), Rothwell (53 percent), Ladd (80 percent), Yadong (64 percent) and Font (51 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the picks above.
[vertical-gallery id=468376]
[vertical-gallery id=391998]