Picking & Grinning: UFC on Fox 25 ‘Weidman vs. Gastelum’

Chris Weidman’s career has reached a potential tipping point.

The former Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight titleholder will enter the cage on a three-fight losing streak when he locks horns with Kelvin Gastelum in the UFC on Fox 25 main event on Saturday at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. Meanwhile, featherweight staples collide, as Dennis Bermudez faces Darren Elkins in the three-round co-headliner at 145 pounds. The rest of the four-fight main draw features a light heavyweight battle pitting Patrick Cummins against Gian Villante and a hotly anticipated bantamweight tilt pairing Jimmie Rivera with Thomas Almeida.

Ahead of UFC on Fox 25 “Weidman vs. Gastelum,” Sherdog.com staff members and contributors swallowed their pride and put their reputations on the line with bold predictions:

THE LINEUP

185: Chris Weidman vs. Kelvin Gastelum
145: Dennis Bermudez vs. Darren Elkins
205: Patrick Cummins vs. Gian Villante
135: Jimmie Rivera vs. Thomas Almeida
170: Lyman Good vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos
185: Rafael Natal vs. Eryk Anders
170: Ryan LaFlare vs. Alex Oliveira
265: Damian Grabowski vs. Chase Sherman
145: Kyle Bochniak vs. Jeremy Kennedy
135: Brian Kelleher vs. Marlon Vera
265: Timothy Johnson vs. Junior Albini
145: Shane Burgos vs. Godofredo Castro
155: Chris Wade vs. Frankie Perez

THE STANDINGS

Jordan Breen: 164-70
Tristen Critchfield: 158-76
Brian Knapp: 156-78
Todd Martin: 148-86
Mike Fridley: 145-89
Mike Sloan: 142-92
Eric Stinton: 138-96

THE PICKS

Jordan Breen: Weidman, Elkins, Villante, Rivera, Good, Anders, LaFlare, Grabowski, Kennedy, Kelleher, Johnson, Burgos, Wade

Tristen Critchfield: Gastelum, Elkins, Villante, Rivera, Good, Anders, Oliveira, Sherman, Kennedy, Kelleher, Johnson, Burgos, Wade

Brian Knapp: Gastelum, Elkins, Villante, Rivera, Good, Anders, LaFlare, Grabowski, Kennedy, Kelleher, Johnson, Burgos, Wade

Todd Martin: Weidman, Bermudez, Villante, Rivera, Good, Natal, LaFlare, Sherman, Kennedy, Kelleher, Albini, Burgos, Wade

Mike Fridley: Gastelum, Bermudez, Villante, Rivera, Good, Anders, Oliveira, Sherman, Kennedy, Kelleher, Johnson, Burgos, Wade

Mike Sloan: Weidman, Bermudez, Villante, Rivera, Good, Natal, LaFlare, Sherman, Kennedy, Kelleher, Johnson, Burgos, Wade

Eric Stinton: Gastelum, Elkins, Villante, Rivera, Good, Anders, LaFlare, Sherman, Kennedy, Kelleher, Albini, Burgos, Wade