TUF 25 Finale staff picks: Will it be a rude awakening for Justin Gaethje's UFC debut?

	Johnson vs. Gaethje	Lima vs. Taylor	Diekiese vs. Klose	Cannonier vs. Roehrick	Tavares vs. Theodorou	Fortuna vs. Johnson
MMAjunkie readers’ consensus picks 2017: 58-47	Gaethje (67%)	Taylor (59%)	Diakiese (84%)	Cannonier (76%)	Theodorou (65%)	Johnson (53%)
Simon Samano @SJSamano 2017: 68-37	Gaethje	Taylor	Diakiese	Cannonier	Theodorou	Fortuna
Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2017: 66-39	Johnson	Taylor	Diakiese	Cannonier	Theodorou	Johnson
Dann Stupp @DannStupp 2017: 64-41 2015 Champion	Gaethje	Taylor	Diakiese	Cannonier	Theodorou	Johnson
Steven Marrocco @MMAjunkieSteven 2017: 64-41	Gaethje	Lima	Diakiese	Cannonier	Theodorou	Fortuna
Ben Fowlkes @BenFowlkesMMA 2017: 63-42 2016 Champion	Gaethje	Taylor	Diakiese	Cannonier	Theodorou	Fortuna
Brian Garcia @thegoze 2017: 62-43	Johnson	Taylor	Klose	Cannonier	Tavares	Fortuna
Fernanda Prates @nandaprates_ 2017: 61-44	Gaethje	Taylor	Diakiese	Cannonier	Theodorou	Fortuna
Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2017: 59-46 2014 Champion	Gaethje	Taylor	Diakiese	Cannonier	Theodorou	Johnson
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2017: 58-47	Johnson	Lima	Diakiese	Cannonier	Tavares	Johnson
John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2017: 56-49	Gaethje	Taylor	Diakiese	Cannonier	Tavares	Fortuna

The UFC’s “International Fight Week” has two events this year, including another live finale of “The Ultimate Fighter.”

The TUF 25 Finale takes place Friday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The card airs on FS1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

In the main event, Michael Johnson (17-11 MMA, 9-7 UFC) takes on former WSOF lightweight champ Justin Gaethje (17-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), who makes his UFC debut. Johnson is the betting favorite at -170, but it’s Gaethje who has a 7-3 edge from our 10 MMAjunkie editors, writers and radio hosts.

In the co-main event, the latest “TUF” winner will be crowned. The 25th season of the show featured former cast members, including finalists and winners. The welterweight final will be between Season 19 runner-up Dhiego Lima (12-5 MMA, 1-3 UFC) and Season 7 finalist Jesse Taylor (30-15 MMA, 0-1 UFC) – who never made it to the final because he was kicked off the show. He has his shot at redemption nine years later, and he’s got an 8-2 edge in our picks.

Also on the main card, Marc Diakiese (12-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) puts his unbeaten record on the line against fellow unbeaten lightweight Drakkar Klose (7-0-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC). Diakiese is one of the biggest favorites on the card at 3-1 and is a 9-1 pick from our staff members. At light heavyweight, Jared Cannonier (9-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) takes on short-notice replacement Nick Roehrick (7-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), and Cannonier is the event’s only unanimous pick.

Elias Theodorou (13-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) has an 7-3 picks edge over Brad Tavares (14-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC) in their middleweight fight, and Marcel Fortuna (9-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) is a 6-4 pick over Jordan Johnson (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) in their light heavyweight bout to open the main card.

In the MMAjunkie reader consensus picks, Gaethje, Taylor, Diakiese, Cannonier, Theodorou and Jordan Johnson are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

For more on The Ultimate Fighter 25 Finale, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.