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UFC 253 predictions: Who’s picking upsets in Adesanya-Costa, Reyes-Blachowicz title fights?

Adesanya
vs.
Costa
Blachowicz
vs.
Reyes
Kara-France
vs.
Royval
Eubanks
vs.
Vieira
Dawodu
vs.
Tukhugov
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
2020: 104-62
costa2020
Costa
(55%)
reyes2020
Reyes
(72%)
karafrance2020
Kara-France
(76%)
vieira2020
Vieira
(72%)
tukhugov2020
Tukhugov
(53%)
Nolan King
@mma_kings
2020: 113-53
costa2020
Costa
reyes2020
Reyes
karafrance2020
Kara-France
vieira2020
Vieira
tukhugov2020
Tukhugov
Dan Tom
@DanTomMMA
2020: 111-55
adesanya2020
Adesanya
reyes2020
Reyes
royval2020
Royval
vieira2020
Vieira
tukhugov2020
Tukhugov
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
2020: 110-56
trophy copy2017 Champion
costa2020
Costa
reyes2020
Reyes
karafrance2020
Kara-France
vieira2020
Vieira
tukhugov2020
Tukhugov
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
2020: 110-56
adesanya2020
Adesanya
reyes2020
Reyes
karafrance2020
Kara-France
vieira2020
Vieira
dawodu2020
Dawodu
Dave Doyle
@davedoylemma
2020: 109-57
adesanya2020
Adesanya
reyes2020
Reyes
karafrance2020
Kara-France
eubanks2020
Eubanks
tukhugov2020
Tukhugov
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
2020: 108-58
adesanya2020
Adesanya
blachowicz2020
Blachowicz
karafrance2020
Kara-France
vieira2020
Vieira
dawodu2020
Dawodu
Simon Head
@simonhead
2020: 108-58
trophy copy2019 Champion*
adesanya2020
Adesanya
reyes2020
Reyes
karafrance2020
Kara-France
vieira2020
Vieira
dawodu2020
Dawodu
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
2020: 106-60
trophy copy2014 Champion
adesanya2020
Adesanya
reyes2020
Reyes
karafrance2020
Kara-France
vieira2020
Vieira
dawodu2020
Dawodu
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
2020: 104-62
adesanya2020
Adesanya
reyes2020
Reyes
karafrance2020
Kara-France
vieira2020
Vieira
dawodu2020
Dawodu
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
2020: 103-63
adesanya2020
Adesanya
reyes2020
Reyes
karafrance2020
Kara-France
vieira2020
Vieira
dawodu2020
Dawodu
John Morgan
@MMAjunkieJohn
2020: 101-65
adesanya2020
Adesanya
reyes2020
Reyes
karafrance2020
Kara-France
vieira2020
Vieira
tukhugov2020
Tukhugov
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
2020: 101-65
trophy copy2018 Champion
costa2020
Costa
blachowicz2020
Blachowicz
karafrance2020
Kara-France
vieira2020
Vieira
tukhugov2020
Tukhugov
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
2020: 99-67
adesanya2020
Adesanya
blachowicz2020
Blachowicz
karafrance2020
Kara-France
vieira2020
Vieira
tukhugov2020
Tukhugov
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
2020: 69-97
costa2020
Costa
blachowicz2020
Blachowicz
royval2020
Royval
eubanks2020
Eubanks
dawodu2020
Dawodu

The UFC is back on “Fight Island” this week with a pair of title fights to kick off another lengthy run in Abu Dhabi.

UFC 253 takes place Saturday at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN+.

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

In the main event, middleweight champion Israel Adesanya (19-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) puts his title on the line against fellow unbeaten Paulo Costa (13-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC). Adesanya is the favorite at around -170, and 10 of our 14 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts are picking him to defend his belt.

In the co-main event, the light heavyweight title vacated by Jon Jones is up for grabs when Jan Blachowicz (26-8 MMA, 9-5 UFC) takes on recent title challenger Dominick Reyes (12-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC), who suffered a close loss to Jones earlier this year. Reyes is a big -255 favorite, and he’s got a big 10-4 lead in the picks.

Also on the main card, Kai Kara-France (21-8 MMA, 4-1 UFC) is more than a 2-1 favorite in his flyweight fight against Brandon Royval (11-4 MMA, 1-0 UFC). Only two of our pickers are taking Royval in an upset.

Sijara Eubanks (6-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC) makes a quick turnaround after a win two weeks ago when she takes on Ketlen Vieira (10-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) in a women’s bantamweight bout. Vieira nearly is a 2-1 favorite, and all but two of our pickers are taking her to win.

And to open the main card, it’s a close betting line between Hakeem Dawodu (11-1-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) and Zubaira Tukhugov (19-4-1 MMA, 4-1-1 UFC). The fight nearly is a pick’em with the oddsmakers, and our staff members are split down the middle, accordingly, at 7-7.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Costa (55 percent), Reyes (72 percent), Kara-France (76 percent), Vieira (72 percent), and Tukhugov (53 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

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