UFC Fight Night 74 staff picks: Why isn't anyone picking Charles Oliveira?

Both fighters are top-10 featherweights, and they’re separated by just two spots in the NOS Energy Drink MMA featherweight rankings. So why is no one picking No. 9-ranked Charles Oliveira over No. 7 Max Holloway in our UFC Fight Night 74 staff picks?

Both rising contenders are carrying momentum into Sunday’s event, which takes place at at SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan, Canada. The event airs on FOX Sports 1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.

Holloway (13-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) is a solid -250 (2.5-1) favorite at the sportsbooks, and he was the 9-0 choice over Oliveira (20-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) among our nine writers, editors and radio hosts.

Other consensus picks include lightweight Chad Laprise (11-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) over Francisco Trinaldo (17-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) and 155-pounder Olivier Aubin-Mercier (6-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) over Tony Sims (12-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC). In a near-consensus pick, strawweight Maryna Moroz (6-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) was the 8-1 choice over Valerie Letourneau (7-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC).

Two features bouts, though, split our staff. Welterweight Neil Magny (15-4 MMA, 8-3 UFC) is the 5-4 pick over Erick Silva (18-5 MMA, 6-4 UFC), and Josh Burkman (27-11 MMA, 5-6 UFC) is the 5-4 choice over fellow 170-pounder Patrick Cote (21-9 MMA, 8-9 UFC).

Check out all the picks above. Additionally, leave your main-card picks below. As usual, MMAjunkie reader “IAMMA” is organizing the MMAjunkie Member Picks, where “sadowolf” is still leading both categories.

For more on UFC Fight Night 74, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.