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Sport
Matt Erickson

PFL: Battle of the Giants predictions: Name the last time Cyborg was an underdog. We’ll wait.

The PFL returns to pay-per-view this week with three title fights in Saudi Arabia.

PFL: Battle of the Giants (DAZN /ESPN+) takes place Saturday at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Get main card pick results from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below.

A.J. McKee vs. Paul Hughes

2024 PFL Superfights PPV: Battle of the Giants press conference at the Mayadeen Theater in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)

Records: McKee (22-1), Hughes (12-1)
Past five: McKee 4-1, Hughes 5-0
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: McKee honorable mention
Odds (as of 10.18.24): McKee -180, Hughes +150
Junkie pick results: McKee 11, Hughes 0

Husein Kadimagomaev vs. Zafar Mohsen

2024 PFL Superfights PPV: Battle of the Giants press conference at the Mayadeen Theater in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)

Records: Kadimagomaev (11-1), Mohsen (13-4)
Past five: Kadimagomaev 4-1, Mohsen 4-1
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 10.18.24): Kadimagomaev -1100, Mohsen +700
Junkie pick results: Kadimagomaev 11, Mohsen 0

Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards

2024 PFL Superfights PPV: Battle of the Giants press conference at the Mayadeen Theater in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)

Records: Eblen (15-0), Edwards (13-3)
Past five: Eblen 5-0, Edwards 4-1
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: Eblen No. 5
Odds (as of 10.18.24): Eblen -345, Edwards +275
Junkie pick results: Eblen 11, Edwards 0

Cris Cyborg vs. Larissa Pacheco

2024 PFL Superfights PPV: Battle of the Giants press conference at the Mayadeen Theater in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)

Records: Cyborg (27-2), Pacheco (23-4)
Past five: Cyborg 5-0, Pacheco 5-0
Division: Women’s featherweight
Rankings: Cyborg No. 1, No. 1 pound-for-pound; Pacheco No. 2, No. 5 pound-for-pound
Odds (as of 10.18.24): Cyborg +120, Pacheco -140
Junkie pick results: Cyborg 7, Pacheco 4

Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira

2024 PFL Superfights PPV: Battle of the Giants press conference at the Mayadeen Theater in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)

Records: Ngannou (17-3), Ferreira (13-3)
Past five: Ngannou 5-0, Ferreira 4-1
Division: Heavyweight
Rankings: Ferreira No. 11, Ngannou honorable mention
Odds (as of 10.18.24): Ngannou -245, Ferreira +200
Junkie pick results: Ngannou 10, Ferreira 1

Preliminary card picks

2024 PFL Superfights PPV: Battle of the Giants press conference at the Mayadeen Theater in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (Matt Ferris / PFL)

Although they don’t count toward the standings, MMA Junkie staff members still pick the fights on the prelims. Here are the results:

  • Taha Bendaoud vs. Tariq Ismail: Ismail 9, Bendaoud 2
  • Nacho Campos vs. Ibragim Ibragimov: Ibragimov 10, Campos 1
  • Dedrek Sanders vs. Makkasharip Zaynukov: Zaynukov 11, Sanders 0
  • Marcos Breno vs. Raufeon Stots: Stots 11, Breno 0

Check out all the main card picks below.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

Ngannou
vs.
Ferreira
Cyborg
vs.
Pacheco
Eblen
vs.
Edwards
Kadimagomaev
vs.
Mohsen
McKee
vs.
Hughes
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
168-94

Ngannou
(66%)

Cyborg
(68%)

Eblen
(83%)

Kadimagomaev
(84%)

McKee
(86%)
Ken Hathaway
@1khathaway
173-89
2017, 2022 Champion

Ngannou

Pacheco

Eblen

Kadimagomaev

McKee
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
171-91

Ngannou

Cyborg

Eblen

Kadimagomaev

McKee
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohn
166-96
2014 Champion

Ngannou

Cyborg

Eblen

Kadimagomaev

McKee
Nolan King
@mma_kings
163-99
2023 Champion

Ngannou

Cyborg

Eblen

Kadimagomaev

McKee
Matt Erickson
@MattE
161-101

Ferreira

Cyborg

Eblen

Kadimagomaev

McKee
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
160-102

Ngannou

Pacheco

Eblen

Kadimagomaev

McKee
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
157-105

Ngannou

Cyborg

Eblen

Kadimagomaev

McKee
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
157-105

Ngannou

Pacheco

Eblen

Kadimagomaev

McKee
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
156-106
2017 Champion

Ngannou

Cyborg

Eblen

Kadimagomaev

McKee
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
151-111

Ngannou

Pacheco

Eblen

Kadimagomaev

McKee
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
143-119

Ngannou

Cyborg

Eblen

Kadimagomaev

McKee

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL: Battle of the Giants.

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