UFC on ESPN 51 predictions: Can ex-lightweight champ Rafael dos Anjos top Vicente Luque?

The UFC is back in its Las Vegas home base this week with a former champ at the top of the card.

UFC on ESPN 51 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.

(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.

Josh Fremd vs. Jamie Pickett

Records: Josh Fremd (10-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC), Jamie Pickett (13-9 MMA, 2-5 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Betting odds: Fremd -325, Pickett +260
Junkie pick results: Fremd 11, Pickett 0

AJ Dobson vs. Tafon Nchukwi

Records: AJ Dobson (6-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC), Tafon Nchukwi (6-3 MMA, 2-3 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Betting odds: Nchukwi -140, Dobson +120
Junkie pick results: Nchukwi 10, Dobson 1

Iasmin Lucindo vs. Polyana Viana

Records: Iasmin Lucindo (14-5 MMA, 1-1 UFC), Polyana Viana (13-5 MMA, 4-4 UFC)
Division: Women’s strawweight
Betting odds: Lucindo -200, Viana +165
Junkie pick results: Lucindo 8, Viana 3

Chris Daukaus vs. Khalil Rountree

Records: Chris Daukaus (12-6 MMA, 4-3 UFC), Khalil Rountree (11-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC)
Division: Light heavyweight
Betting odds: Rountree -175, Daukaus +145
Junkie pick results: Rountree 11, Daukaus 0

Hakeem Dawodu vs. Cub Swanson

Records: Hakeem Dawodu (13-3-1 MMA, 6-3 UFC), Cub Swanson (28-13 MMA, 13-9 UFC)
Division: Featherweight
Betting odds: Dawodu -245, Swanson +200
Junkie pick results: Dawodu 8, Swanson 3

Vicente Luque vs. Rafael dos Anjos

Records: Vicente Luque (21-9-1 MMA, 14-5 UFC), Rafael dos Anjos (32-14 MMA, 21-12 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Betting odds: Dos Anjos -120, Luque -105
Junkie pick results: Dos Anjos 7, Luque 4

Check out all the main card picks below.

UFC on ESPN 51 main card picks

	Luque vs. Dos Anjos	Dawodu vs. Swanson	Daukaus vs. Rountree	Lucindo vs. Viana	Dobson vs. Nchukwi	Fremd vs. Pickett
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 127-79	Luque (61%)	Dawodu (69%)	Rountree (76%)	Viana (55%)	Nchukwi (63%)	Fremd (74%)
Nolan King @mma_kings 129-77	Dos Anjos	Dawodu	Rountree	Lucindo	Nchukwi	Fremd
Simon Samano @SJSamano 127-79	Luque	Dawodu	Rountree	Lucindo	Nchukwi	Fremd
Matt Erickson @MattE 124-82	Luque	Dawodu	Rountree	Lucindo	Nchukwi	Fremd
Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 124-82 2014 Champion	Dos Anjos	Dawodu	Rountree	Viana	Nchukwi	Fremd
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 123-83	Dos Anjos	Dawodu	Rountree	Lucindo	Nchukwi	Fremd
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 123-83	Dos Anjos	Swanson	Rountree	Viana	Dobson	Fremd
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 122-84 2018, 2022 Champion	Luque	Swanson	Rountree	Lucindo	Nchukwi	Fremd
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 121-85	Dos Anjos	Dawodu	Rountree	Viana	Nchukwi	Fremd
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 117-89	Dos Anjos	Dawodu	Rountree	Lucindo	Nchukwi	Fremd
Brian Garcia @thegoze 117-89 2017 Champion	Dos Anjos	Swanson	Rountree	Lucindo	Nchukwi	Fremd
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 114-92	Luque	Dawodu	Rountree	Lucindo	Nchukwi	Fremd

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 51.

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie