Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Matt Erickson

UFC on ABC 7 predictions: Is anyone picking Cory Sandhagen to hand Umar Nurmagomedov his first loss?

The UFC is in Abu Dhabi, and an upcoming bantamweight title challenger is expected to emerge from the main event.

UFC on ABC 7 (ABC/ESPN2/ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Etihad Arena in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.

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

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

Joel Alvarez vs. Elves Brener

Joel Alvarez vs. Elves Brener, UFC on ABC 7 (via UFC)

Records: Alvarez (20-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC), Brener (16-4 MMA, 3-1 UFC)
Past five: Alvarez 4-1, Brener 4-1
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 08.02.24): Alvarez -165, Brener +140
Junkie pick results: Brener 6, Alvarez 5

Mackenzie Dern vs. Loopy Godinez

Mackenzie Dern vs. Loopy Godinez, UFC on ABC 7 (via UFC)

Records: Dern (13-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC), Godinez (12-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC)
Past five: Dern 2-3, Godinez 4-1
Division: Women’s strawweight
Rankings: Dern No. 10, Godinez No. 12
Odds (as of 08.02.24): Dern -120, Godinez +100
Junkie pick results: Dern 10, Godinez 1

Michael Chiesa vs. Tony Ferguson

Tony Ferguson vs. Michael Chiesa, UFC on ABC 7 (via UFC)

Records: Chiesa (16-7 MMA, 11-7 UFC), Ferguson (25-10 MMA, 15-8 UFC)
Past five: Chiesa 2-3, Ferguson 0-5
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 08.02.24): Chiesa -600, Ferguson +440
Junkie pick results: Chiesa 11, Ferguson 0

Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Marlon Vera

Marlon Vera vs. Deiveson Figueiredo, UFC on ABC 7 (via UFC)

Records: Figueiredo (23-3-1 MMA, 12-3-1 UFC), Vera (23-9-1 MMA, 15-8 UFC)
Past five: Figueiredo 3-2, Vera 3-2
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: Vera No. 10, Figueiredo No. 14
Odds (as of 08.02.24): Figueiredo -140, Vera +120
Junkie pick results: Figueiredo 8, Vera 3

Shara Magomedov vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk

Shara Magomedov vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk, UFC on ABC 7 (via UFC)

Records: Magomedov (13-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC), Oleksiejczuk (19-8 MMA, 17-6 UFC)
Past five: Magomedov 5-0, Oleksiejczuk 2-3
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 08.02.24): Magomedov -240, Oleksiejczuk +195
Junkie pick results: Magomedov 10, Oleksiejczuk 1

Cory Sandhagen vs. Umar Nurmagomedov

Cory Sandhagen vs. Umar Nurmagomedov, UFC on ABC 7 (via UFC)

Records: Sandhagen (17-4 MMA, 10-3 UFC), Nurmagomedov (17-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC)
Past five: Sandhagen 3-2, Nurmagomedov 5-0
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: Sandhagen No. 6, Nurmagomedov No. 13
Odds (as of 08.02.24): Sandhagen +270, Nurmagomedov -340
Junkie pick results: Nurmagomedov 6, Sandhagen 5

Check out all the main card picks below.

Preliminary card picks

Viktoriia Dudakova, UFC on ABC 7 (via UFC)

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

  • Alonzo Menifield vs. Azamat Murzakanov: Murzakanov 11, Menifield 0
  • Kaue Fernandes vs. Mohammad Yahya: Fernandes 8, Yahya 3
  • Shamil Gaziev vs. Don’Tale Mayes: Gaziev 11, Mayes 0
  • Guram Kutateladze vs. Jordan Vucenic: Vucenic 7, Kutateladze 4
  • Viktoriia Dudakova vs. Sam Hughes: Dudakova 11, Hughes 0
  • Rolando Bedoya vs. Jai Herbert: Herbert 8, Bedoya 3
  • Sedriques Dumas vs. Denis Tiuliulin: Dumas 10, Tiuliulin 1

UFC on ABC 7 main card picks

Sandhagen
vs.
Nurmagomedov
Magomedov
vs.
Oleksiejczuk
Figueiredo
vs.
Vera
Chiesa
vs.
Ferguson
Dern
vs.
Godinez
Alvarez
vs.
Brener
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
120-75

Nurmagomedov
(56%)

Magomedov
(91%)

Figueiredo
(71%)

Chiesa
(75%)

Dern
(59%)

Alvarez
(64%)
Ken Hathaway
@1khathaway
128-67

Nurmagomedov

Magomedov

Vera

Chiesa

Dern

Brener
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
127-68

Nurmagomedov

Magomedov

Figueiredo

Chiesa

Dern

Brener
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohn
122-73
2014 Champion

Nurmagomedov

Magomedov

Vera

Chiesa

Dern

Alvarez
Nolan King
@mma_kings
121-74
2023 Champion

Sandhagen

Magomedov

Figueiredo

Chiesa

Dern

Alvarez
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
119-76

Sandhagen

Magomedov

Figueiredo

Chiesa

Dern

Brener
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
118-77

Sandhagen

Magomedov

Figueiredo

Chiesa

Dern

Brener
Matt Erickson
@MattE
117-78

Nurmagomedov

Magomedov

Vera

Chiesa

Dern

Alvarez
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
117-78

Nurmagomedov

Magomedov

Figueiredo

Chiesa

Dern

Brener
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
116-79

Nurmagomedov

Magomedov

Figueiredo

Chiesa

Dern

Alvarez
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
109-86

Sandhagen

Oleksiejczuk

Figueiredo

Chiesa

Godinez

Alvarez
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
105-90

Sandhagen

Magomedov

Figueiredo

Chiesa

Dern

Brener

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 7.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.