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UFC 266: Make your predictions for Volkanovski-Ortega, Shevchenko-Murphy, Diaz-Lawler (Updated)

(Editor’s note: Updated at 6:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021, to reflect new matchup of Cody Brundage vs. Nick Maximov.)

We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC 266 event in Las Vegas.

Our staff picks feature includes the consensus picks from MMA Junkie readers. Simply cast your vote for each bout below, and we’ll use the official tallies that are registered by Thursday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT).

Those MMA Junkie reader consensus picks will be part of the UFC 266 main card staff predictions we release Friday ahead of the event. UFC 266 takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and early prelims on ESPN+.

Make your picks for the fights below.

Omar Morales vs. Jonathan Pearce

Records: Omar Morales (11-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC), Jonathan Pearce (10-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC)
Past five: Morales 4-1, Pearce 4-1
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 09.20.21): Morales -160, Pearce +125

Martin Sano vs. Matthew Semelsberger

Records: Martin Sano (4-2-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), Matthew Semelsberger (8-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC)
Past five: Sano 2-2-1, Semelsberger 4-1
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 09.20.21): Semelsberger -475, Sano +320

Cody Brundage vs. Nick Maximov

Records: Cody Brundage (6-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), (Nick Maximov (6-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
Past five: Brundage 4-1, Maximov 5-0
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 09.20.21): N/A

Uros Medic vs. Jalin Turner

Records: Uros Medic (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC), Jalin Turner (10-5 MMA, 3-2 UFC)
Past five: Medic 5-0, Turner 3-2
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 09.20.21): Medic -130, Turner +105

Roxanne Modafferi vs. Taila Santos

Records: Roxanne Modafferi (25-18 MMA, 4-6 UFC), Taila Santos (17-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC)
Past five: Modafferi 2-3, Santos 4-1
Division: Women’s flyweight
Rankings: Modafferi No. 13, Santos No. 14
Odds (as of 09.20.21): Santos -420, Modafferi +300

Shamil Abdurakhimov vs. Chris Daukaus

Records: Shamil Abdurakhimov (20-5 MMA, 5-3 UFC), Chris Daukaus (11-3 MMA, 3-0 UFC)
Past five: Abdurakhimov 3-2, Daukaus 4-1
Division: Heavyweight
Rankings: Daukaus honorable mention
Odds (as of 09.20.21): Daukaus -205, Abdurakhimov +155

Nasrat Haqparast vs. Dan Hooker

Records: Nasrat Haqparast (13-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC), Dan Hooker (20-10 MMA, 10-6 UFC)
Past five: Haqparast 4-1, Hooker 3-2
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: Hooker No. 10
Odds (as of 09.20.21): Hooker -160, Haqparast +125

Merab Dvalishvili vs. Marlon Moraes

Records: Merab Dvalishvili (13-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC), Marlon Moraes (23-8-1 MMA, 5-4 UFC)
Past five: Dvalishvili 5-0, Moraes 2-3
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: Moraes No. 7, Dvalishvili No. 14
Odds (as of 09.20.21): Dvalishvili -260, Moraes +195

Jessica Andrade vs. Cynthia Calvillo

Records: Jessica Andrade (21-9 MMA, 12-7 UFC), Cynthia Calvillo (9-2-1 MMA, 6-2-1 UFC)
Past five: Andrade 3-2, Calvillo 2-2-1
Division: Women’s flyweight
Rankings: Andrade No. 5
Odds (as of 09.20.21): Andrade -290, Calvillo +220

Curtis Blaydes vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik

Records: Curtis Blaydes (14-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC), Jairzinho Rozenstruik (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC)
Past five: Blaydes 4-1, Rozenstruik 3-2
Division: Heavyweight
Rankings: Blaydes No. 5, Rozenstruik No. 7
Odds (as of 09.20.21): Blaydes -320, Rozenstruik +225

Nick Diaz vs. Robbie Lawler

Records: Nick Diaz (26-9 MMA, 7-6 UFC), Robbie Lawler (28-15 MMA, 13-9 UFC)
Past five: Diaz 3-2, Lawler 1-4
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 09.20.21): Lawler -115, Diaz -110

Valentina Shevchenko vs. Lauren Murphy

Records: Valentina Shevchenko (21-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC), Lauren Murphy (15-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC)
Past five: Shevchenko 5-0, Murphy 5-0
Division: Women’s flyweight
Rankings: Shevchenko No. 1, No. 2 pound-for-pound; Murphy No. 7
Odds (as of 09.20.21): Shevchenko -1600, Murphy +720

Alexander Volkanovski vs. Brian Ortega

Records: Alexander Volkanovski (22-1 MMA, 9-0 UFC), Brian Ortega (15-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC)
Past five: Volkanovski 5-0, Ortega 4-1
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: Volkanovski No. 2, No. 9 pound-for-pound; Ortega No. 5
Odds (as of 09.20.21): Volkanovski -170, Ortega +135

UFC 266 fight card (as of Sept. 20, noon ET)

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Champ Alexander Volkanovski vs. Brian Ortega – for featherweight title
  • Champ Valentina Shevchenko vs. Lauren Murphy – for women’s flyweight title
  • Nick Diaz vs. Robbie Lawler
  • Curtis Blaydes vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
  • Jessica Andrade vs. Cynthia Calvillo

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPNews, ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Marlon Moraes vs. Merab Dvalishvili
  • Nasrat Haqparast vs. Dan Hooker
  • Shamil Abdurakhimov vs. Chris Daukaus
  • Roxanne Modafferi vs. Taila Santos

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)

  • Uros Medic vs. Jalin Turner
  • Cody Brundage vs. Nick Maximov
  • Martin Sano vs. Matthew Semelsberger
  • Omar Morales vs. Jonathan Pearce

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