UFC 297 predictions: Four blowouts, but no unanimous picks in Toronto

matt erickson

Fri, 19 Jan 2024, 3:00 pm·3-min read

The UFC returns to Toronto for the first time in nearly five years Saturday with a pair of title fights at the top of the bill in Canada.

UFC 297 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

(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.

Arnold Allen vs. Movsar Evloev

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 04: (L-R) Movsar Evloev of Russia punches Dan Ige in a featherweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on June 04, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Records: Allen (19-2 MMA, 10-1 UFC), Evloev (17-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC)
Division: Featherweight
Betting odds: Evloev -165, Allen +140
Junkie pick results: Evloev 6, Allen 5

Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Chris Curtis

Jun 10, 2023; Vancouver, BC, Canada; Marc-Andre Barriault reacts after being declared the winner by decison against Eryk Anders during UFC 289 at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

Records: Barriault (16-6 MMA, 5-5 UFC), Curtis (30-10 MMA, 4-2 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Betting odds: Curtis -165, Barriault +140
Junkie pick results: Curtis 9, Barriault 2

Neil Magny vs. Mike Malott

Jun 10, 2023; Vancouver, BC, Canada; Mike Malott moves in with a kick against Adam Fugitt during UFC 289 at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

Records: Magny (28-11 MMA, 21-10 UFC), Malott (10-1-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Betting odds: Malott -250, Magny +205
Junkie pick results: Malott 10, Magny 1

Raquel Pennington vs. Mayra Bueno Silva

Records: Pennington (15-8 MMA, 12-5 UFC), Bueno Silva (10-2-1 MMA, 5-2-1 UFC)
Division: Women’s bantamweight
Betting odds: Bueno Silva -165, Pennington +140
Junkie pick results: Bueno Silva 10, Pennington 1

Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis

Jul 8, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Dricus Du Plessis (blue gloves) reacts after defeating Robert Whittaker (red gloves) during UFC 290 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Records: Strickland (28-5 MMA, 15-5 UFC), Du Plessis (20-2 MMA, 4p-0 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Betting odds: Strickland -130, Du Plessis +115
Junkie pick results: Du Plessis 8, Strickland 3

Check out all the main card picks below.

UFC 297 main card picks

	Strickland vs. Du Plessis	Pennington vs. Bueno Silva	Magny vs. Malott	Barriault vs. Curtis	Allen vs. Evloev
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 4-1	duplessis2024 Du Plessis (67%)	buenosilva2024 Bueno Silva (67%)	malott2024 Malott (78%)	curtis2024 Curtis (71%)	allen2024 Allen (58%)
Ken Hathaway @1kenhathaway 5-0 trophy copy 2018, 2022 Champion	strickland2024 Strickland	buenosilva2024 Bueno Silva	malott2024 Malott	curtis2024 Curtis	evloev2024 Evloev
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 5-0	duplessis2024 Du Plessis	buenosilva2024 Bueno Silva	malott2024 Malott	curtis2024 Curtis	evloev2024 Evloev
Simon Samano @SJSamano 4-1	duplessis2024 Du Plessis	buenosilva2024 Bueno Silva	malott2024 Malott	barriault2024 Barriault	allen2024 Allen
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 4-1	duplessis2024 Du Plessis	buenosilva2024 Bueno Silva	malott2024 Malott	barriault2024 Barriault	evloev2024 Evloev
Brian Garcia @thegoze 4-1 trophy copy 2017 Champion	duplessis2024 Du Plessis	buenosilva2024 Bueno Silva	malott2024 Malott	curtis2024 Curtis	evloev2024 Evloev
Matt Erickson @MattE 4-1	duplessis2024 Du Plessis	pennington2024 Pennington	malott2024 Malott	curtis2024 Curtis	evloev2024 Evloev
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 4-1	duplessis2024 Du Plessis	buenosilva2024 Bueno Silva	malott2024 Malott	curtis2024 Curtis	allen2024 Allen
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 4-1	duplessis2024 Du Plessis	buenosilva2024 Bueno Silva	malott2024 Malott	curtis2024 Curtis	allen2024 Allen
Nolan King @mma_kings 3-2 trophy copy 2023 Champion	duplessis2024 Du Plessis	buenosilva2024 Bueno Silva	malott2024 Malott	curtis2024 Curtis	allen2024 Allen
Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 3-2 trophy copy 2014 Champion	duplessis2024 Du Plessis	buenosilva2024 Bueno Silva	magny2024 Magny	curtis2024 Curtis	evloev2024 Evloev
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 3-2	strickland2024 Strickland	buenosilva2024 Bueno Silva	malott2024 Malott	curtis2024 Curtis	allen2024 Allen

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 297.

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie