UFC on ESPN 54 predictions: Just one unanimous pick, but all blowouts in Atlantic City

matt erickson

Fri, 29 Mar 2024, 1:15 pm·3-min read

The UFC is in “America’s Playground” – Atlantic City, N.J. – for the time in nearly six years, and women’s flyweights are in the top spot for the second straight week.

UFC on ESPN 54 (ESPN/ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Boardwalk Hall.

(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.

Rhys McKee vs. Chidi Njokuani

Records: McKee (13-5-1 MMA, 0-3 UFC), Njokuani (22-10 MMA, 2-3 UFC)
Past five: McKee 3-2, Njokuani 2-3
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.29.24): McKee +120, Njokuani -140
Junkie pick results: Njokuani 11, McKee 0

Bill Algeo vs. Kyle Nelson

Records: Algeo (18-7 MMA, 5-3 UFC), Nelson (15-5-1 MMA, 3-4-1 UFC)
Past five: Algeo 4-1, Nelson 2-2-1
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.29.24): Algeo -245, Nelson +200
Junkie pick results: Algeo 9, Nelson 2

Sedriques Dumas vs. Nursulton Ruziboev

Records: Dumas (9-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC), Ruziboev (35-8-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
Past five: Dumas 4-1, Nursulton 5-0
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.29.24): Dumas +190, Ruziboev -210
Junkie pick results: Ruziboev 8, Dumas 3

Bruno Silva vs. Chris Weidman

Records: Silva (23-10 MMA, 4-4 UFC), Weidman (15-7 MMA, 11-7 UFC)
Past five: Silva 1-4, Weidman 1-4
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.29.24): Silva -250, Weidman +205
Junkie pick results: Silva 10, Weidman 1

Joaquin Buckley vs. Vicente Luque

Records: Buckley (17-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC), Luque (22-9-1 MMA, 15-5 UFC)
Past five: Buckley 3-2, Vicente 3-2
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: Luque No. 14
Odds (as of 03.29.24): Buckley -105, Luque -115
Junkie pick results: Luque 9, Buckley 2

Erin Blanchfield vs. Manon Fiorot

Records: Blanchfield (12-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC), Fiorot (11-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC)
Past five: Blanchfield 5-0, Manon 5-0
Division: Women’s flyweight
Rankings: Blanchfield No. 4, No. 8 pound-for-pound; Fiorot No. 5, No. 9 pound-for-pound
Odds (as of 03.29.24): Blanchfield -185, Fiorot +155
Junkie pick results: Blanchfield 8, Fiorot 3

Check out all the main card picks below.

UFC on ESPN 54 main card picks

	Blanchfield vs. Fiorot	Buckley vs. Luque	Silva vs. Weidman	Dumas vs. Ruziboev	Algeo vs. Nelson	McKee vs. Njokuani
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 41-22	blanchfield2024 Blanchfield (70%)	luque2024 Luque (73%)	silva2024 Silva (75%)	ruziboev2024 Ruziboev (82%)	algeo2024 Algeo (80%)	njokuani2024 Njokuani (79%)
Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 46-17 trophy copy 2014 Champion	blanchfield2024 Blanchfield	buckley2024 Buckley	silva2024 Silva	ruziboev2024 Ruziboev	algeo2024 Algeo	njokuani2024 Njokuani
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 42-21	fiorot2024 Fiorot	buckley2024 Buckley	silva2024 Silva	ruziboev2024 Ruziboev	algeo2024 Algeo	njokuani2024 Njokuani
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 40-23	blanchfield2024 Blanchfield	luque2024 Luque	silva2024 Silva	ruziboev2024 Ruziboev	nelson2024 Nelson	njokuani2024 Njokuani
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 40-23	blanchfield2024 Blanchfield	luque2024 Luque	silva2024 Silva	ruziboev2024 Ruziboev	algeo2024 Algeo	njokuani2024 Njokuani
Ken Hathaway @1khathaway 39-24 trophy copy 2018, 2022 Champion	fiorot2024 Fiorot	luque2024 Luque	silva2024 Silva	ruziboev2024 Ruziboev	nelson2024 Nelson	njokuani2024 Njokuani
Brian Garcia @thegoze 39-24 trophy copy 2017 Champion	blanchfield2024 Blanchfield	luque2024 Luque	silva2024 Silva	dumas2024 Dumas	algeo2024 Algeo	njokuani2024 Njokuani
Nolan King @mma_kings 38-25 trophy copy 2023 Champion	blanchfield2024 Blanchfield	luque2024 Luque	silva2024 Silva	ruziboev2024 Ruziboev	algeo2024 Algeo	njokuani2024 Njokuani
Matt Erickson @MattE 38-25	fiorot2024 Fiorot	luque2024 Luque	silva2024 Silva	ruziboev2024 Ruziboev	algeo2024 Algeo	njokuani2024 Njokuani
Simon Samano @SJSamano 37-26	blanchfield2024 Blanchfield	luque2024 Luque	silva2024 Silva	dumas2024 Dumas	algeo2024 Algeo	njokuani2024 Njokuani
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 30-33	blanchfield2024 Blanchfield	luque2024 Luque	silva2024 Silva	ruziboev2024 Ruziboev	algeo2024 Algeo	njokuani2024 Njokuani
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 28-35	blanchfield2024 Blanchfield	luque2024 Luque	weidman2024 Weidman	dumas2024 Dumas	algeo2024 Algeo	njokuani2024 Njokuani

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 54.

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie