Picking & Grinning: ‘The Ultimate Fighter 24’ Finale

Demetrious Johnson has had the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s flyweight division under his boot for more than four years.

Johnson will put his 10-fight winning streak on the line when he defends his 125-pound title against Tim Elliott in “The Ultimate Fighter 24” Finale main event on Saturday at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas (current odds). In the three-round co-headliner, Joseph Benavidez collides with 2008 Olympic silver medalist Henry Cejudo. The rest of the six-fight main card features a welterweight battle pairing Jake Ellenberger with Jorge Masvidal, a light heavyweight affair pitting Ion Cutelaba against Jared Cannonier, a women’s bantamweight tilt matching Sara McMann with Alexis Davis and a flyweight clash slotting Brandon Moreno opposite Ryan Benoit.

Ahead of “The Ultimate Fighter 24” Finale, members of the Sherdog.com staff swallowed their pride and put their reputations on the line with bold predictions:

THE LINEUP

125: Demetrious Johnson (24-2-1) vs. Tim Elliott (13-6-1)
125: Joseph Benavidez (24-4) vs. Henry Cejudo (10-1)
170: Jake Ellenberger (31-11) vs. Jorge Masvidal (30-11)
205: Ion Cutelaba (12-2) vs. Jared Cannonier (8-1)
135: Sara McMann (9-3) vs. Alexis Davis (17-6)
125: Brandon Moreno (12-3) vs. Ryan Benoit (9-4)
145: Gray Maynard (12-5-1) vs. Ryan Hall (5-1)
135: Rob Font (12-2) vs. Matt Schell (9-2)
155: Dong Hyun Kim (13-8-3) vs. Brendan O’Reilly (6-2)
115: Kailin Curran (4-3) vs. Jamie Moyle (3-1)
185: Elvis Mutapcic (15-4-1) vs. Anthony Smith (25-12)
205: Josh Stansbury (8-2) vs. Devin Clark (6-1)

STANDINGS

Tristen Critchfield (131-76-4)
Jordan Breen (128-79-4)
Mike Fridley (124-83-4)
Brian Knapp (123-84-4)
Mike Sloan (123-84-4)

THE PICKS

Tristen Critchfield: Johnson, Benavidez, Masvidal, Cutelaba, Davis, Moreno, Maynard, Font, Kim, Curran, Smith, Clark

Jordan Breen: Johnson, Benavidez, Masvidal, Cutelaba, Davis, Moreno, Hall, Font, Kim, Curran, Smith, Clark

Mike Fridley: Johnson, Cejudo, Masvidal, Cutelaba, Davis, Moreno, Maynard, Font, O’Reilly, Moyle, Smith, Clark

Brian Knapp: Johnson, Benavidez, Masvidal, Cutelaba, Davis, Moreno, Hall, Font, Kim, Curran, Smith, Clark

Mike Sloan: Johnson, Benavidez, Ellenberger, Cutelaba, Davis, Benoit, Hall, Font, Kim, Moyle, Mutapcic, Stansbury