Picking & Grinning: UFC 219 ‘Cyborg vs. Holm’

Can Holly Holm shake the women’s MMA world to its core for the second time in a little more than two years? Time will soon tell.

Holm -- who dethroned Ronda Rousey in a monumental upset in November 2015 -- will challenge pound-for-pound mainstay Cristiane Justino for the undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship women’s featherweight crown in the UFC 219 headliner on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena. In the co-main event, the unbeaten Khabib Nurmagomedov collides with former Ring of Combat champion Edson Barboza across three rounds at 155 pounds.

Ahead of UFC 219 “Cyborg vs. Holm,” Sherdog.com staff members and contributors swallowed their pride and put their reputations on the line with bold predictions:

THE STANDINGS

Jordan Breen: 291-140
Tristen Critchfield: 282-149
Brian Knapp: 282-149
Todd Martin: 274-157
Eric Stinton: 269-162
Mike Fridley: 264-167

THE LINEUP

145: Cristiane Justino vs. Holly Holm
155: Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Edson Barboza
155: Dan Hooker vs. Marc Diakiese
115: Cynthia Calvillo vs. Carla Esparza
170: Carlos Condit vs. Neil Magny
205: Khalil Rountree vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk
145: Myles Jury vs. Rick Glenn
185: Marvin Vettori vs. Omari Akhmedov
125: Louis Smolka vs. Matheus Nicolau Pereira
135: Tim Elliott vs. Mark Delarosa

THE PICKS

Jordan Breen: Justino, Nurmagomedov, Diakiese, Calvillo, Condit, Rountree, Jury, Vettori, Pereira, Elliott

Tristen Critchfield: Justino, Nurmagomedov, Diakiese, Calvillo, Condit, Rountree, Jury, Vettori, Pereira, Elliott

Brian Knapp: Justino, Nurmagomedov, Diakiese, Calvillo, Condit, Rountree, Jury, Vettori, Smolka, Delarosa

Todd Martin: Justino, Barboza, Diakiese, Calvillo, Condit, Rountree, Jury, Vettori, Pereira, Elliott

Eric Stinton: Justino, Nurmagomedov, Diakiese, Calvillo, Condit, Rountree, Jury, Vettori, Smolka, Elliott

Mike Fridley: Holm, Nurmagomedov, Diakiese, Calvillo, Condit, Oleksiejczuk, Jury, Akhmedov, Smolka, Elliott