Picking & Grinning: UFC 216 ‘Ferguson vs. Lee’

Undisputed or otherwise, Ultimate Fighting Championship gold is oftentimes accompanied by life-altering change.

“The Ultimate Fighter 13” winner Tony Ferguson and Xtreme Couture’s Kevin Lee will vie for the interim lightweight title in the UFC 216 main event on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena. They will do so in the enormous shadow of Conor McGregor, as the reigning 155-pound champion remains on the sidelines following his blockbuster boxing match with Floyd Mayweather Jr. a little less than two months ago. The Ferguson-Lee winner could be in line to face McGregor in a unification bout once he finishes counting his millions.

Meanwhile, the fate of the UFC flyweight championship will hang in the balance in the five-round co-headliner, where longtime champion Demetrious Johnson awaits Ray Borg. Should “Mighty Mouse” emerge victorious, he will eclipse Anderson Silva’s all-time record for consecutive title defenses with his 11th.

Ahead of UFC 216 “Ferguson vs. Lee,” Sherdog.com staff members and contributors swallowed their pride and put their reputations on the line with bold predictions:

THE LINEUP

155: Tony Ferguson vs. Kevin Lee
125: Demetrious Johnson vs. Ray Borg
265: Fabricio Werdum vs. Derrick Lewis
125: Kalindra Faria vs. Mara Romero Borella
155: Beneil Dariush vs. Evan Dunham
145: Tom Duquesnoy vs. Cody Stamann
125: Matt Schnell vs. Marco Beltran
155: Lando Vannata vs. Bobby Green
115: Pearl Gonzalez vs. Poliana Botelho
265: Walt Harris vs. Mark Godbeer
125: Magomed Bibulatov vs. John Moraga
185: Thales Leites vs. Brad Tavares

THE STANDINGS

Jordan Breen: 213-101
Tristen Critchfield: 210-104
Brian Knapp: 205-109
Todd Martin: 198-116
Mike Fridley: 194-120
Eric Stinton: 194-120

THE PICKS

Jordan Breen: Ferguson, Johnson, Werdum, Faria, Dariush, Duquesnoy, Schnell, Vannata, Botelho, Harris, Bibulatov, Tavares

Tristen Critchfield: Ferguson, Johnson, Werdum, Faria, Dariush, Duquesnoy, Schnell, Vannata, Botelho, Harris, Bibulatov, Tavares

Brian Knapp: Ferguson, Johnson, Werdum, Faria, Dariush, Duquesnoy, Schnell, Vannata, Botelho, Harris, Bibulatov, Tavares

Todd Martin: Ferguson, Johnson, Werdum, Faria, Dariush, Duquesnoy, Schnell, Vannata, Botelho, Harris, Bibulatov, Leites

Mike Fridley: Ferguson, Johnson, Werdum, Faria, Dariush, Duquesnoy, Schnell, Vannata, Botelho, Harris, Bibulatov, Tavares

Eric Stinton: Ferguson, Johnson, Werdum, Faria, Dariush, Duquesnoy, Schnell, Vannata, Botelho, Harris, Bibulatov, Tavares