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UFC on ESPN 29 predictions: Will Kelvin Gastelum get back on track vs. Jared Cannonier?

UFC on ESPN 29 predictions: Will Kelvin Gastelum get back on track vs. Jared Cannonier?

Cannonier
vs.
Gastelum

Guida
vs.
Madsen

Porter
vs.
Sherman

Jones
vs.
Kakhramonov

Hubbard
vs.
Pichel

Pantoja
vs.
Royval

MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
2021: 124-77

cannonier2021


Cannonier
(54%)

madsen2021


Madsen
(70%)

sherman2021


Sherman
(74%)

trevinjones2021


Jones
(N/A)

pichel2021


Pichel
(68%)

pantoja2021


Pantoja
(55%)

John Morgan
@MMAjunkieJohn
2021: 127-74

cannonier2021


Cannonier

madsen2021


Madsen

sherman2021


Sherman

trevinjones2021


Jones

pichel2021


Pichel

pantoja2021


Pantoja

Simon Samano
@SJSamano
2021: 125-76

cannonier2021


Cannonier

madsen2021


Madsen

porter2021


Porter

trevinjones2021


Jones

pichel2021


Pichel

royval2021


Royval

Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
2021: 123-78

trophy copy

2018 Champion

gastelum2021


Gastelum

madsen2021


Madsen

sherman2021


Sherman

kakhramonov2021


Kakhramonov

pichel2021


Pichel

pantoja2021


Pantoja

Dan Tom
@DanTomMMA
2021: 121-80

trophy copy

2020 Champion

cannonier2021


Cannonier

madsen2021


Madsen

sherman2021


Sherman

trevinjones2021


Jones

pichel2021


Pichel

pantoja2021


Pantoja

Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
2021: 119-82

trophy copy

2014 Champion

cannonier2021


Cannonier

madsen2021


Madsen

sherman2021


Sherman

trevinjones2021


Jones

pichel2021


Pichel

pantoja2021


Pantoja

Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
2021: 118-83

cannonier2021


Cannonier

madsen2021


Madsen

sherman2021


Sherman

trevinjones2021


Jones

pichel2021


Pichel

pantoja2021


Pantoja

Nolan King
@mma_kings
2021: 118-83

cannonier2021


Cannonier

madsen2021


Madsen

sherman2021


Sherman

kakhramonov2021


Kakhramonov

pichel2021


Pichel

pantoja2021


Pantoja

George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
2021: 117-84

gastelum2021


Gastelum

madsen2021


Madsen

sherman2021


Sherman

trevinjones2021


Jones

pichel2021


Pichel

royval2021


Royval

Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
2021: 116-85

gastelum2021


Gastelum

madsen2021


Madsen

sherman2021


Sherman

kakhramonov2021


Kakhramonov

pichel2021


Pichel

pantoja2021


Pantoja

Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
2021: 115-86

cannonier2021


Cannonier

madsen2021


Madsen

sherman2021


Sherman

trevinjones2021


Jones

pichel2021


Pichel

pantoja2021


Pantoja

Brian Garcia
@thegoze
2021: 113-88

trophy copy

2017 Champion

cannonier2021


Cannonier

madsen2021


Madsen

sherman2021


Sherman

trevinjones2021


Jones

pichel2021


Pichel

royval2021


Royval

Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
2021: 112-89

gastelum2021


Gastelum

madsen2021


Madsen

sherman2021


Sherman

kakhramonov2021


Kakhramonov

pichel2021


Pichel

pantoja2021


Pantoja

Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
2021: 46-39

cannonier2021


Cannonier

madsen2021


Madsen

sherman2021


Sherman

trevinjones2021


Jones

pichel2021


Pichel

royval2021


Royval

The UFC is back in its home base this week with a middleweight showdown atop the lineup.

UFC on ESPN 29 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN2/ESPN+.

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

In the main event, Jared Cannonier (13-5 MMA, 6-5 UFC) takes on Kelvin Gastelum (17-7 MMA, 11-7 UFC) at middleweight. Cannonier is a slight betting favorite at Tipico around -150, and he has a 9-4 lead in the picks from our 13 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers.

In the co-feature, longtime fighter Clay Guida (36-20 MMA, 16-14 UFC) meets Mark Madsen (10-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC). Madsen is a -170 favorite, and he’s one of two unanimous picks from our staff members on the main card.

Parker Porter (11-6 MMA, 1-1 UFC) takes on Chase Sherman (15-7 MMA, 3-6 UFC) in a heavyweight bout. Sherman is a 2-1 favorite and has a big 12-1 lead in the picks.

Also on the main card, Trevin Jones (13-6 MMA, 1-1 UFC) meets short-notice replacement and UFC newcomer Saidyokub Kakhramonov (8-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) at bantamweight. Jones is the favorite at -145 and has a 9-4 lead in the picks.

Our other unanimous pick on the main card is Vinc Pichel (13-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) in a lightweight bout against Austin Hubbard (13-5 MMA, 3-3 UFC). It’s virtually a pick’em fight with Pichel at -115 and Hubbard at -110, but Pichel pitched a shutout in our picks at 13-0.

And to open the main card, Alexandre Pantoja (23-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) takes on Brandon Royval (12-5 MMA, 2-1 UFC) in a key flyweight bout. Pantoja is favored at the betting window at -180, and he’s got a 9-4 edge in the picks.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Kharitonov (57 percent), Storley (90 percent), Golm (55 percent) and Lugo (64 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.