UFC Fight Night 57 staff picks: Two sweeps, two near unanimous, two close races

In our MMAjunkie staff picks for the UFC’s return to Austin, we have a little bit of everything across the six-fight main card.

There are two unanimous picks, two near unanimous choices, and two close fights from our MMAjunkie writers and radio hosts.

Smack in the middle of the main card are our two unanimous selections. Jared Rosholt (11-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) was the choice of all eight staffers in his heavyweight fight against Oleksiy Oliynyk (49-9-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC). And fan favorite Brad Pickett (24-9 MMA, 4-4 UFC), from American Top Team by way of England, is a unanimous choice in his flyweight bout against Chico Camus (14-5 MMA, 3-2 UFC).

The two other blowouts from our staff pickers are the fights to open the main card. Seven of eight believe two-time flyweight title challenger Joseph Benavidez (20-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC) will top Dustin Ortiz (14-3 MMA, 3-1 UFC). And seven of eight like Matt Wiman (15-7 MMA, 9-5 UFC) to return after nearly two years away to beat Isaac Vallie-Flagg (14-5-1 MMA, 1-2 UFC). At -450, Benavidez is the biggest favorite on Saturday’s card, while Wiman is a mild favorite over Vallie-Flagg.

It’s the main and co-main events where things get interesting. In the lightweight co-feature, Edson Barboza (14-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) and Bobby Green (23-5 MMA, 4-0 UFC) are split down the middle, with four staff picks going to each fighter. Barboza is just a slight favorite over Green, who is unbeaten in the UFC.

And in the crucial featherweight main event, Cub Swanson (21-5 MMA, 6-1 UFC) and his six-fight winning streak have five of the eight votes to top former lightweight champ Frankie Edgar (17-4-1 MMA, 11-4-1 UFC), who is a 2-to-1 favorite to win the fight.

UFC Fight Night 57 takes place at Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas. The main card airs on FOX Sports 1 following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.

Check out the full picks above.

Additionally, leave your main-card picks below. As usual, MMAjunkie reader “IAMMA” is organizing the MMAjunkie Member Picks, where “Walter White” is in the lead for winning percentage, and “sadowolf” and “Shut the Fitch Up” ares tied for the lead for most correct picks.

For more on UFC Fight Night 57, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.