UFC 171 staff picks: Johny Hendricks gets unanimous nod over Robbie Lawler

Ahead of Saturday’s UFC 171 event, MMAjunkie staffers give their main-card predictions – and they’re unanimous in their prediction for the main event.

All eight of our staff members believe Johny Hendricks (15-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) will top Robbie Lawler (22-9 MMA, 7-3 UFC) to become the next UFC welterweight champion after Georges St-Pierre vacated the belt late in 2013. Hendricks is a 4-to-1 favorite to claim the title he thought he had won against GSP at UFC 167 in November – though St-Pierre took the controversial split call.

And in the co-main event, six of three-quarters of the crew believes Tyron Woodley (12-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) will beat former interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit (29-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC). The winner of that fight could be next in line for the Hendricks-Lawler winner.

There are two bouts on the main card that the Junkie staff members see as split down the middle. The lightweight bout between Myles Jury (13-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) and Diego Sanchez (24-6 MMA, 13-6 UFC) is dead even with four staffers picking each. The same goes for the welterweight bout between Hector Lombard (33-4-1 MMA, 2-2 UFC) and Jake Shields (29-6-1 MMA, 4-2 UFC).

In the pay-per-view portion’s opening fight, though, the crew is again unanimous. All eight are picking Ovince St. Preux (14-5 MMA, 2-0 UFC) to top Nikita Krylov (16-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC).

Share your picks below.

UFC 171 takes place Saturday at American Airlines Center in Dallas. The main card airs on pay-per-view (10 p.m. ET) following prelims on FOX Sports 1 (8 p.m. ET) and UFC Fight Pass (6 p.m. ET).

For the latest on UFC 171, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.