Picking & Grinning: UFC Fight Night ‘Gustafsson vs. Teixeira’

Sherdog.com StaffMay 27, 2017
Alexander Gustafsson and Glover Teixeira have each taken their swings at the Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight title. They want more.

Gustafsson will meet Teixeira in the UFC Fight Night 109 main event on Sunday at the Ericsson Globe in Stockholm, as the two contenders look to provide some clarity to the top of the 205-pound weight class. The 30-year-old Gustafsson has not fought since he snapped a two-fight losing streak with a unanimous decision over Jan Blachowicz at UFC Fight Night 93 in September. The Swede owns a 10-4 mark in the UFC, losing only to Phil Davis, Jon Jones, Daniel Cormier and Anthony Johnson. Teixeira has won four of his past five bouts. Now 37, the longtime Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt last competed at UFC 208 on Feb. 11, when he took a unanimous verdict from Jared Cannonier at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Ahead of UFC Fight Night “Gustafsson vs. Teixeira,” Sherdog.com staff members and contributors swallowed their pride and put their reputations on the line with bold predictions:

THE LINEUP

205: Alexander Gustafsson vs. Glover Teixeira
205: Misha Cirkunov vs. Volkan Oezdemir
170: Ben Saunders vs. Peter Sobotta
170: Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Omari Akhmedov
170: Nordine Taleb vs. Oliver Enkamp
185: Jack Hermansson vs. Alex Nicholson
135: Pedro Munhoz vs. Damian Stasiak
185: Chris Camozzi vs. Trevor Smith
155: Reza Madadi vs. Joaquim Silva
170: Nicholas Musoke vs. Bojan Velickovic
170: Darren Till vs. Jessin Ayari
155: Marcin Held vs. Damir Hadzovic

THE STANDINGS

Jordan Breen: 97-43-1
Tristen Critchfield: 94-46-1
Brian Knapp: 91-49-1
Todd Martin: 89-51-1
Connor Ruebusch: 89-51-1
Mike Fridley: 88-52-1
Eric Stinton: 85-55-1
Mike Sloan: 80-60-1

THE PICKS

Jordan Breen: Gustafsson, Cirkunov, Saunders, Alhassan, Taleb, Hermansson, Munhoz, Camozzi, Silva, Musoke, Till, Held

Tristen Critchfield: Gustafsson, Cirkunov, Sobotta, Alhassan, Taleb, Hermansson, Munhoz, Camozzi, Silva, Velickovic, Till, Held

Brian Knapp: Gustafsson, Cirkunov, Saunders, Alhassan, Taleb, Hermansson, Munhoz, Smith, Silva, Velickovic, Till, Held

Todd Martin: Gustafsson, Cirkunov, Saunders, Alhassan, Taleb, Hermansson, Munhoz, Camozzi, Silva, Musoke, Till, Held

Connor Ruebusch: Gustafsson, Cirkunov, Sobotta, Alhassan, Taleb, Hermansson, Munhoz, Smith, Silva, Musoke, Till, Held

Mike Fridley: Gustafsson, Cirkunov, Saunders, Alhassan, Taleb, Hermansson, Munhoz, Smith, Silva, Musoke, Till, Held

Eric Stinton: Gustafsson, Cirkunov, Saunders, Alhassan, Taleb, Nicholson, Munhoz, Camozzi, Silva, Musoke, Till, Held

Mike Sloan: Gustafsson, Cirkunov, Sobotta, Alhassan, Enkamp, Hermansson, Munhoz, Smith, Silva, Musoke, Ayari, Held