UFC on ESPN 61 predictions: Marcin Tybura or Serghei Spivac in Las Vegas rematch?

The UFC is back in its home base this week with a heavyweight rematch at the top of the lineup.

UFC on ESPN 61 (ESPN/ESPN+) takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

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

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

Charalampos Grigoriou vs. Toshiomi Kazama

Toshiomi Kazama vs. Charalampos Grigoriou

Records: Grigoriou (8-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC), Kazama (10-4 MMA, 0-2 UFC)
Past five: Grigoriou 4-1, Kazama 2-3
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 08.09.24): Grigoriou -260, Kazama +210
Junkie pick results: Grigoriou 9, Kazama 2

Chelsea Chandler vs. Yana Santos

Yana Santos vs. Chelsea Chandler

Records: Chandler (6-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC), Santos (14-8 MMA, 4-5 UFC)
Past five: Chandler 4-1, Santos 2-3
Division: Women’s bantamweight
Rankings: Santos No. 14
Odds (as of 08.09.24): Chandler +125, Santos -150
Junkie pick results: Chandler 6, Santos 5

Chris Gutierrez vs. Quang Le

Chris Gutierrez vs. Quang Le

Records: Gutierrez (20-5-2 MMA, 8-3-1 UFC), Le (8-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
Past five: Gutierrez 3-2, Le 5-0
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 08.09.24): Gutierrez -535, Le +400
Junkie pick results: Gutierrez 9, Le 2

Danny Barlow vs. Nikolay Veretennikov

Danny Barlow vs. Nikolay Veretennikov

Records: Barlow (8-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC), Veretennikov (12-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
Past five: Barlow 5-0, Veretennikov 4-1
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 08.09.24): Barlow -375, Veretennikov +295
Junkie pick results: Barlow 9, Veretennikov 2

Damon Jackson vs. Chepe Mariscal

Damon Jackson vs. Chepe Mariscal

Records: Jackson (23-6-1 MMA, 6-4-1 UFC), Mariscal (16-6 MMA, 3-0 UFC)
Past five: Jackson 3-2, Mariscal 5-0
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 08.09.24): Jackson +170, Mariscal -205
Junkie pick results: Mariscal 11, Jackson 0

Marcin Tybura vs. Serghei Spivac

Records: Tybura (25-8 MMA, 12-7 UFC), Spivac (16-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC)
Past five: Tybura 3-2, Spivac 3-2
Division: Heavyweight
Rankings: Tybura No. 8, Spivac No. 9
Odds (as of 08.09.24): Tybura +140, Spivac -170
Junkie pick results: Tybura 6, Spivac 5

Preliminary card picks

Stephanie Luciano vs. Talita Alencar

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

• Pannie Kianzad vs. Karol Rosa: Rosa 10, Kianzad 1
• Jhonata Diniz vs. Karl Williams: Williams 9, Diniz 2
• Jarno Errens vs. Youssef Zalal: Zalal 10, Errens 1
• Talita Alencar vs. Stephanie Luciano: Alencar 8, Luciano 3

Check out all the main card picks below.

UFC on ESPN 61 main card picks

	Tybura vs. Spivac	Jackson vs. Mariscal	Barlow vs. Veretennikov	Gutierrez vs. Le	Chandler vs. Santos	Grigoriou vs. Kazama
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 130-75	Spivac (55%)	Mariscal (73%)	Barlow (84%)	Gutierrez (80%)	Chandler (72%)	Grigoriou (77%)
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 136-69	Tybura	Mariscal	Barlow	Gutierrez	Chandler	Grigoriou
Ken Hathaway @1khathaway 135-70	Spivac	Mariscal	Barlow	Gutierrez	Chandler	Grigoriou
Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 131-74 2014 Champion	Tybura	Mariscal	Barlow	Gutierrez	Santos	Grigoriou
Nolan King @mma_kings 129-76 2023 Champion	Tybura	Mariscal	Veretennikov	Gutierrez	Santos	Grigoriou
Simon Samano @SJSamano 127-78	Tybura	Mariscal	Veretennikov	Le	Santos	Grigoriou
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 126-79	Spivac	Mariscal	Barlow	Le	Chandler	Grigoriou
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 124-81	Spivac	Mariscal	Barlow	Gutierrez	Santos	Grigoriou
Matt Erickson @MattE 124-81	Spivac	Mariscal	Barlow	Gutierrez	Chandler	Kazama
Brian Garcia @thegoze 123-82	Spivac	Mariscal	Barlow	Gutierrez	Chandler	Grigoriou
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 115-90	Tybura	Mariscal	Barlow	Gutierrez	Santos	Grigoriou
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 111-94	Tybura	Mariscal	Barlow	Gutierrez	Chandler	Kazama

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 61.