Check out our staff members’ picks and analysis for UFC Fight Night 280 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The UFC is in Azerbaijan’s capital city for the second straight year, and there’s a lightweight home-grown headliner.
UFC Fight Night 280 (Paramount+) takes place Saturday at National Gymnastics Arena in Baku.
Get pick results from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below.
Abus Magomedov vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk
- Records: Magomedov (28-7-1 MMA, 4-3 UFC), Oleksiejczuk (22-9 MMA, 10-7 UFC)
- Division: Middleweight
- Rankings: None
- Odds (as of 06.22.26): Magomedov -140, Oleksiejczuk +118
- Junkie pick results: Oleksiejczuk 7, Magomedov 4
Ikram Aliskerov vs. Brunno Ferreira
- Records: Aliskerov (17-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC), Ferreira (15-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC)
- Division: Middleweight
- Rankings: None
- Odds (as of 06.22.26): Aliskerov -225, Ferreira +185
- Junkie pick results: Aliskerov 10, Ferreira 1
Asu Almabayev vs. Charles Johnson
- Records: Almabayev (23-3 MMA, 6-1 UFC), Johnson (19-8 MMA, 8-5 UFC)
- Division: Flyweight
- Rankings: None
- Odds (as of 06.22.26): Almabayev -220, Johnson +180
- Junkie pick results: Almabayev 9, Johnson 2
Matheus Camilo vs. Nazim Sadykhov
- Records: Camilo (10-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC), Sadykhov (11-2-1 MMA, 4-1-1 UFC)
- Division: Lightweight
- Rankings: None
- Odds (as of 06.22.26): Camilo +185, Sadykhov -225
- Junkie pick results: Sadykhov 10, Camilo 1
Shara Magomedov vs. Michel Pereira
- Records: Magomedov (16-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC), Pereira (32-14 MMA, 10-5 UFC)
- Division: Middleweight
- Rankings: None
- Odds (as of 06.22.26): Magomedov -350, Pereira +275
- Junkie pick results: Magomedov 10, Pereira 1
Rafael Fiziev vs. Manuel Torres
- Records: Fiziev (13-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC), Torres (17-3 MMA, 5-1 UFC)
- Division: Lightweight
- Rankings: Fiziev No. 12, Torres No. 13
- Odds (as of 06.22.26): Fiziev -120, Torres +100
- Junkie pick results: Torres 8, Fiziev 3
Individual staff member picks, main card
Readers 98-47: Torres (56%), Magomedov (79%), Sadykhov (88%), Almabayev (75%), Aliskerov (73%), Oleksiejczuk (59%)
- Danny Segura 109-39: Torres, Pereira, Sadykhov, Almabayev, Aliskerov, Oleksiejczuk
- Nolan King 99-49: Fiziev, Magomedov, Sadykhov, Almabayev, Aliskerov, Oleksiejczuk
- Matthew Wells 98-50: Torres, Magomedov, Sadykhov, Almabayev, Aliskerov, Magomedov
- Mike Bohn 97-51: Torres, Magomedov, Sadykhov, Almabayev, Aliskerov, Oleksiejczuk
- Farah Hannoun 94-54: Fiziev, Magomedov, Sadykhov, Almabayev, Aliskerov, Magomedov
- Simon Samano 94-54: Torres, Magomedov, Sadykhov, Almabayev, Aliskerov, Oleksiejczuk
- Matt Erickson 94-54: Fiziev, Magomedov, Sadykhov, Almabayev, Aliskerov, Magomedov
- Ken Hathaway 93-55: Torres, Magomedov, Sadykhov, Almabayev, Aliskerov, Oleksiejczuk
- Brian Garcia 91-57: Torres, Magomedov, Sadykhov, Almabayev, Aliskerov, Oleksiejczuk
- George Garcia 91-57: Torres, Magomedov, Camilo, Johnson, Ferreira, Magomedov
- Jero Guerra 9-3: Torres, Magomedov, Sadykhov, Johnson, Aliskerov, Oleksiejczuk
Preliminary card picks
Although they don’t count toward the standings, MMA Junkie staff members still pick the fights on the prelims. Here are the results:
- Farman Hasanov vs. Eric Nolan: Hasanov 11, Nolan 0
- Julius Walker vs. Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev: Yakhyaev 11, Walker 0
- Andrey Pulyaev vs. Nursulton Ruziboev: Ruziboev 11, Pulyaev 0
- Kaan Ofli vs. Javier Reyes: Reyes 7, Ofli 4
- Theodor Berggren vs. Daniil Donchenko: Donchenko 10, Berggren 1
- Bekzat Almakhan vs. Jean Matsumoto: Matsumoto 8, Almakhan 3
- Tahir Abdullayev vs. Jefferson Nascimento: Nascimento 7, Abdullayev 4
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