UFC Atlanta sees the return of a former UFC Welterweight champion on top of an exciting card full of action on June 14.
Kamaru Usman returns to face Joaquin Buckley after nearly two years away, with an eye on returning to the world title scene with a win over his younger opponent.
Meanwhile, the co-main event pits two women looking to catapult themselves up the rankings, as former champion Rose Namajunas faces a young and hungry Miranda Maverick.
Other bouts include Cody Durden’s exciting clash with Jose Ochoa, the highly anticipated Malcolm Wellmaker vs Kris Moutinho bout, and Cody Garbrandt looking to impress as he takes on Raoni Barcelos.
Ahead of UFC Atlanta, the experts at Bloody Elbow have made their staff picks for the two main event fights, as well as the Performance of the Night and their Fight of the Night.
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UFC Atlanta predictions
Joaquin Buckley vs. Kamaru Usman predictions
- Harvey Leonard – Kamaru Usman
- Jamie Theodosi – Kamaru Usman
- Hamish Woodward – Kamaru Usman
The main event of UFC Atlanta sees Usman stepping back into the octagon after nearly two years away, although the Bloody Elbow staff doesn’t have high hopes for him.
Harvey, Jamie, and Hamish all picked Buckley to beat Usman in his UFC comeback, seeing him as too strong for the chronically injured Nigerian.
Knee injuries have plagued Usman over the past decade, and he admits that he is not 100% going into the fight at UFC Atlanta on June 14.
He took an extended break from the sport in 2023 after back-to-back losses to Leon Edwards, followed by a majority decision loss to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294.
The former UFC Welterweight champion could be taking one fight too many, and Usman’s goals of regaining his world title may be a pipe dream for the Nigerian Nightmare.
Rose Namajunas vs Miranda Maverick predictions
- Harvey Leonard – Rose Namajunas
- Jamie Theodosi – Rose Namajunas
- Hamish Woodward – Rose Namajunas
The co-main event of UFC Atlanta is another clear-cut fight, according to the Bloody Elbow staff picks.
Despite Namajunas coming off a defeat to Erin Blanchfield, she remains #7 in the UFC Women’s Flyweight rankings and will feel confident in beating the #11-ranked Maverick in a close contest.
The former two-time UFC Women’s Strawweight has had a mixed run since making the step up in weight classes, winning two and losing two fights over the last two years.
That will give confidence to Maverick, who is undefeated in her last four fights.
However, her opponents have been of a much lower caliber compared to Namajunas and have come up short when faced with a high-ranking contender like Namajunas.
UFC Atlanta Performance of the Night predictions
- Harvey Leonard – Malcolm Wellmaker
- Jamie Theodosi – Cody Garbrandt
- Hamish Woodward – Joaquin Buckley
When it comes to the Performance of the Night at UFC Atlanta, the experts all have a different choice of who they think will impress.
Harvey predicts Malcolm Wellmaker will walk away with the accolade, as “The Machine” tackles a tricky bout with Kris Moutinho.
Wellmaker is 9-0 in his career so far and won his UFC debut in April with a first-round knockout win against Cameron Saaiman.
With five of his nine wins coming via that method, he has a good chance of knocking out Moutinho and increasing his reputation as a knockout artist in the UFC Bantamweight division.
Meanwhile, Jamie is backing Cody Garbrandt to impress and earn the bonus for the Performance of the Night at UFC Atlanta.
While Garbrandt was once compared to Conor McGregor, his mixed record since debuting in the UFC nearly a decade ago has struggled to flatter the American fighter.
He recently strung together back-to-back wins before being submitted by Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 300, and will have a point to prove when he takes on Barcelos on June 14.
Finally, Hamish thinks that Buckley will be the most impressive fighter at UFC Atlanta in his main event bout with Usman.
Having already predicted a win for the American, he backs Buckley to add another knockout to his already impressive record and move one step closer to the UFC Welterweight title fight.
UFC Atlanta Fight of the Night predictions
- Harvey Leonard – Cody Durden vs Jose Ochoa
- Jamie Theodosi – Malcolm Wellmaker vs Kris Moutinho
- Hamish Woodward – Malcolm Wellmaker vs Kris Moutinho
The Fight of the Night comes down to two different bouts, with the Bloody Elbow experts split on which one will earn the accolade.
Harvey is most excited to see Cody Durden’s bout with Jose Ochoa. Both men have a mixed record in the UFC so far, showing themselves to be capable of picking up wins also being susceptible to big hits and submissions.
This has all the makings of an exciting fight, with both men having weaknesses that the other could exploit for an open bout at UFC Atlanta.
Meanwhile, both Jamie and Hamish see the clash between Wellmaker and Moutinho as the future Fight of the Night winner.
Moutinho has amassed five wins outside of the promotion since losing his first UFC fight, and impressed in Cage Titans and Combat Zone en route back to the UFC.
Both men have something to prove in what is predicted to be one of the most exciting fights at UFC Atlanta.