UFC on ESPN 7 predictions: Overeem or Rozenstruik in heavyweight clash in D.C.?

Check out our staff’s picks for the UFC on ESPN 7 main card in Washington, D.C., featuring Alistair Overeem vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

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%)
rozenstruik2019
Rozenstruik
(56%)
calvillo2019
Calvillo
(66%)
rothwell2019
Rothwell
(53%)
ladd2019
Ladd
(80%)
yadong2019
Yadong
(64%)
font2019
Font
(51%)
Simon Head
@simonhead
2019: 119-65 (65%)
rozenstruik2019
Rozenstruik
rodriguez2019
Rodriguez
rothwell2019
Rothwell
ladd2019
Ladd
yadong2019
Yadong
font2019
Font
Nolan King
@mma_kings
2019: 115-64 (64%)
overeem2019
Overeem
rodriguez2019
Rodriguez
rothwell2019
Rothwell
ladd2019
Ladd
stamann2019
Stamann
font2019
Font
Dan Tom
@DanTomMMA
2019: 209-117 (64%)
overeem2019
Overeem
calvillo2019
Calvillo
rothwell2019
Rothwell
ladd2019
Ladd
yadong2019
Yadong
font2019
Font
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
2019: 207-119 (64%)
trophy copy 2017 Champion
rozenstruik2019
Rozenstruik
rodriguez2019
Rodriguez
rothwell2019
Rothwell
kunitskaya2019
Kunitskaya
stamann2019
Stamann
font2019
Font
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
2019: 206-120 (63%)
trophy copy 2018 Champion
rozenstruik2019
Rozenstruik
calvillo2019
Calvillo
rothwell2019
Rothwell
ladd2019
Ladd
yadong2019
Yadong
font2019
Font
John Morgan
@MMAjunkieJohn
2019: 204-122 (63%)
overeem2019
Overeem
rodriguez2019
Rodriguez
rothwell2019
Rothwell
ladd2019
Ladd
stamann2019
Stamann
font2019
Font
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
2019: 203-123 (62%)
trophy copy 2014 Champion
overeem2019
Overeem
rodriguez2019
Rodriguez
rothwell2019
Rothwell
ladd2019
Ladd
yadong2019
Yadong
simon2019
Simon
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
2019: 203-123 (62%)
rozenstruik2019
Rozenstruik
rodriguez2019
Rodriguez
rothwell2019
Rothwell
ladd2019
Ladd
yadong2019
Yadong
font2019
Font
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
2019: 200-126 (61%)
overeem2019
Overeem
calvillo2019
Calvillo
rothwell2019
Rothwell
ladd2019
Ladd
stamann2019
Stamann
font2019
Font
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
2019: 141-69 (60%)
overeem2019
Overeem
calvillo2019
Calvillo
rothwell2019
Rothwell
ladd2019
Ladd
yadong2019
Yadong
font2019
Font
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
2019: 193-133 (59%)
rozenstruik2019
Rozenstruik
rodriguez2019
Rodriguez
rothwell2019
Rothwell
ladd2019
Ladd
yadong2019
Yadong
font2019
Font
Dave Doyle
@davedoylemma
2019: 131-103 (56%)
overeem2019
Overeem
calvillo2019
Calvillo
rothwell2019
Rothwell
ladd2019
Ladd
stamann2019
Stamann
font2019
Font
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
2019: 172-154 (53%)
rozenstruik2019
Rozenstruik
calvillo2019
Calvillo
struve2019
Struve
kunitskaya2019
Kunitskaya
stamann2019
Stamann
simon2019
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.)

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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.

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