Picking & Grinning: UFC 215 ‘Nunes vs. Shevchenko 2’

Valentina Shevchenko would like nothing more than to disrupt the order that has been restored to the Ultimate Fighting Championship women’s bantamweight division under the reign of current champion Amanda Nunes.

Shevchenko challenges Nunes for the title in the UFC 215 main event on Saturday at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, where she will attempt to avenge a March 2016 decision loss to the Brazilian “Lioness.” Meanwhile, Rafael dos Anjos takes on “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 16 semifinalist Neil Magny in the three-round welterweight co-headliner. The rest of the five-fight main draw features a flyweight clash pairing Henry Cejudo with Wilson Reis, a light heavyweight encounter pitting Ilir Latifi against Tyson Pedro and a featherweight scrap matching two-time Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez with Jeremy Stephens.

Ahead of UFC 215 “Nunes vs. Shevchenko 2,” Sherdog.com staff members and contributors swallowed their pride and put their reputations on the line with bold predictions:

THE LINEUP

135: Amanda Nunes vs. Valentina Shevchenko
170: Rafael dos Anjos vs. Neil Magny
125: Henry Cejudo vs. Wilson Reis
205: Ilir Latifi vs. Tyson Pedro
145: Gilbert Melendez vs. Jeremy Stephens
135: Sara McMann vs. Ketlen Vieira
135: Sarah Moras vs. Ashlee Evans-Smith
145: Gavin Tucker vs. Rick Glenn
155: Alex White vs. Mitch Clarke
265: Luis Henrique Barbosa de Oliveira vs. Arjan Bhullar
155: Kajan Johnson vs. Adriano Martins

THE STANDINGS

Jordan Breen: 194-89
Tristen Critchfield: 193-90
Brian Knapp: 186-97
Todd Martin: 183-100
Mike Fridley: 180-103
Eric Stinton: 170-113

THE PICKS

Jordan Breen: Shevchenko, dos Anjos, Cejudo, Latifi, Melendez, McMann, Evans-Smith, Tucker, White, Bhullar, Martins

Tristen Critchfield: Shevchenko, dos Anjos, Cejudo, Pedro, Melendez, McMann, Evans-Smith, Tucker, Clarke, Bhullar, Martins

Brian Knapp: Nunes, dos Anjos, Cejudo, Pedro, Melendez, McMann, Evans-Smith, Tucker, White, Bhullar, Martins

Todd Martin: Shevchenko, Magny, Cejudo, Pedro, Melendez, McMann, Moras, Tucker, White, Bhullar, Martins

Mike Fridley: Shevchenko, dos Anjos, Cejudo, Pedro, Melendez, McMann, Evans-Smith, Tucker, Clarke, Oliveira, Martins

Eric Stinton: Nunes, dos Anjos, Cejudo, Latifi, Stephens, McMann, Evans-Smith, Tucker, White, Bhullar, Johnson