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USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Matt Erickson

UFC on ESPN 63 predictions: Will Joaquin Buckley steal Covington’s home thunder?

The UFC wraps up its calendar for 2024 this week with welterweight contenders at the top of the lineup.

UFC on ESPN 63 (ESPN2/ESPNews/ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla.

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

Navajo Stirling vs. Tuco Tokkos

Records: Stirling (5-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), Tokkos (10-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Past five: Stirling 5-0, Tokkos 3-2
Division: Light heavyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 12.14.24): Stirling -700, Tokkos +500
Junkie pick results: Stirling 11, Tokkos 0

Daniel Marcos vs. Adrian Yanez

Records: Marcos (16-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC), Yanez (17-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC)
Past five: Marcos 5-0, Yanez 3-2
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 12.14.24): Marcos -205, Yanez +170
Junkie pick results: Marcos 6, Yanez 5

Dustin Jacoby vs. Vitor Petrino

Records: Jacoby (19-9-1 MMA, 7-6-1 UFC), Petrino (11-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC)
Past five: Jacoby 1-4, Petrino 4-1
Division: Light heavyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 12.14.24): Jacoby +250, Petrino -310
Junkie pick results: Jacoby 6, Petrino 5

Manel Kape vs. Bruno Silva

Records: Kape (19-7 MMA, 4-3 UFC), Silva (14-5-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC)
Past five: Kape 4-1, Silva 4-1
Division: Flyweight
Rankings: Kape No. 8, Silva No. 13
Odds (as of 12.14.24): Kape -375, Silva +295
Junkie pick results: Kape 11, Silva 0

Cub Swanson vs. Billy Quarantillo

Records: Swanson (29-14 MMA, 14-10 UFC), Quarantillo (18-6 MMA, 6-4 UFC)
Past five: Swanson 2-3, Quarantillo 2-3
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 12.14.24): Swanson +135, Quarantillo -160
Junkie pick results: Swanson 10, Quarantillo 1

Colby Covington vs. Joaquin Buckley

Records: Covington (17-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC), Buckley (20-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC)
Past five: Covington 2-3, Buckley 5-0
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: Covington No. 5, Buckley No. 10
Odds (as of 12.14.24): Covington +230, Buckley -285
Junkie pick results: Buckley 10, Covington 1

Check out all the main card picks below.

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

Covington
vs.
Buckley
Swanton
vs.
Quarantillo
Kape
vs.
Silva
Jacoby
vs.
Petrino
Marcos
vs.
Yanez
Stirling
vs.
Tokkos
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
204-106

Buckley
(52%)

Swanson
(54%)

Kape
(77%)

Petrino
(80%)

Yanez
(51%)

Stirling
(86%)
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
204-106

Buckley

Swanson

Kape

Jacoby

Yanez

Stirling
Ken Hathaway
@1khathaway
204-106
2017, 2022 Champion

Buckley

Swanson

Kape

Petrino

Marcos

Stirling
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohn
198-112
2014 Champion

Buckley

Swanson

Kape

Jacoby

Marcos

Stirling
Nolan King
@mma_kings
197-113
2023 Champion

Buckley

Quarantillo

Kape

Jacoby

Marcos

Stirling
Matt Erickson
@MattE
193-117

Buckley

Swanson

Kape

Jacoby

Yanez

Stirling
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
192-118

Buckley

Swanson

Kape

Petrino

Yanez

Stirling
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
189-121

Covington

Swanson

Kape

Petrino

Marcos

Stirling
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
184-126

Buckley

Swanson

Kape

Petrino

Marcos

Stirling
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
184-126
2017 Champion

Buckley

Swanson

Kape

Jacoby

Yanez

Stirling
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
181-129

Buckley

Swanson

Kape

Jacoby

Marcos

Stirling
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
173-137

Buckley

Swanson

Kape

Petrino

Yanez

Stirling

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 63.

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