UFC Atlanta fight picks & predictions for Kamaru Usman vs. Joaquin Buckley

Check out predictions for every fight at UFC Atlanta.

Jeffrey Swinger-Imagn Images

The UFC is in Atlanta this weekend for another UFC Fight Night event, and MMA KO’s Drew Beaupré is here to provide predictions for all 13 fights on the card.

The event is headlined by a huge welterweight clash between former titleholder Kamaru Usman and Joaquin Buckley, and in the co-main event two-time UFC Strawweight Champion Rose Namajunas will try to halt Miranda Maverick’s four-fight win streak.

The main card also features former UFC Bantamweight Champion Cody Garbrandt vs. Raoni Barcelos, Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Andre Petroski, and undefeated prospects Mansur Abdul-Malik and Oumar Sy taking on Cody Brundage and Alonzo Menifield.

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Colby Covington (red gloves) fights Joaquin Buckley (blue gloves) at Amalie Arena. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

UFC Atlanta Main Card Predictions

Kamaru Usman vs. Joaquin Buckley

Leon Edwards (red gloves) fights Kamaru Usman (blue gloves) during UFC 286 at O2 Arena. | Per Haljestam-Imagn Images

It may turn out that the 38-year-old Usman just physically can’t compete with top welterweights anymore, but even with Buckley’s current momentum I’m still going to side with the former champion to snap his three-fight losing skid.

(Pick: Usman)

Rose Namajunas vs. Miranda Maverick

Erin Blanchfield (red gloves) defeats Rose Namajunas (blue gloves) in a women's flyweight bout during UFC Fight Night at Rogers Place. | Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

Maverick has put together a solid four-fight win streak, but she’s getting an even more significant step up in competition than Buckley when she enters the cage to face Namajunas in Atlanta.

(Pick: Namajunas)

Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Andre Petroski

Josh Fremd (red gloves) fights Andre Petroski (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Ball Arena. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The outcome of this fight likely depends on whether or not Petroski is able to bring things to the ground. Provided he doesn’t get clipped by something big while closing the distance, I think the 34-year-old can secure his fourth win in a row against Shahbazyan.

(Pick: Petroski)

Cody Garbrandt vs. Raoni Barcelos

Payton Talbott (red gloves) fights Raoni Barcelos (blue gloves) during UFC 311 at Intuit Dome. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

This is a solid matchup for both men at this stage of their respective careers, and with Garbrandt coming into the night after more than a year on the sidelines I’m going to slightly lean with Barcelos to add a major name to his record.

(Pick: Barcelos)

Cody Brundage vs. Mansur Abdul-Malik

Mansur Abdul-Malik (red gloves) celebrates defeating Nick Klein (blue gloves) in the middleweight bout during UFC Fight Night at Climate Pledge Arena. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Brundage may be the more experienced fighter in this matchup, but Abdul-Malik has all of the confidence of an undefeated talent and boasts a 100% finishing rate that he’ll look to preserve at the expense of the UFC veteran.

(Pick: Abdul-Malik)

Alonzo Menifield vs. Oumar Sy

Alonzo Menifield (red gloves) fights Julius Walker (blue gloves) in the light heavyweight bout during UFC Fight Night at Climate Pledge Arena. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Sy lost a bit of his hype when the Frenchman went the distance against Da Woon Jung in his last outing, and while he could potentially break into the light heavyweight rankings here I’m siding with Menifield to pull off an upset.

(Pick: Menifield)

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UFC Atlanta Preliminary Card Predictions

Paul Craig vs. Rodolfo Bellato

Bo Nickal (red gloves) fights Paul Craig (blue gloves) in the middleweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The path to victory is quite clear for each of these men, and while I do worry that Craig will get cracked on the feet I'm still siding with the Scotsman to bring things to the ground and score an upset victory.

(Pick: Craig)

Michael Chiesa vs. Court McGee

Michael Chiesa (red gloves) reacts after defeating Max Griffin (blue gloves) at T-Mobile Arena. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

We’ve seen Chiesa compete against a higher level of welterweight competition far more recently than McGee, and this looks like a good spot for “Maverick” to score what would be his third win in a row.

(Pick: Chiesa)

Malcolm Wellmaker vs. Kris Moutinho

Malcolm Wellmaker (red gloves) fights Cameron Saaiman (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at T-Mobile Center. | William Purnell-Imagn Images

It’s nice to see Moutinho get a second opportunity after a very successful and entertaining post-UFC run, but Wellmaker only needs to land one clean shot to spoil his return to the Octagon.

(Pick: Wellmaker)

Cody Durden vs. Jose Ochoa

Cody Durden (red gloves) fights Joshua Van (blue gloves) at T-Mobile Arena. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Ochoa has the kind of power where he could end this early if Durden gets careless, but I think the Atlanta crowd will help "Custom Made" get the job done.

(Pick: Durden)

Ricky Simón vs. Cameron Smotherman

Ricky Simon (red gloves) fights Javid Basharat (blue gloves) in the bantamweight bout during UFC Fight Night at Climate Pledge Arena. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Credit to Smotherman for stepping in here on short notice, but while a win over Simón would be a major addition to his record I have to side with the bantamweight veteran after he returned to the win column in his last outing.

(Pick: Simón)

Phil Rowe vs. Ange Loosa

Phil Rowe (red gloves) fights Jake Matthews (blue gloves) during UFC 302 at Prudential Center. | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Rowe needs a win here after dropping his last two bouts, and while this is a well-matched fight I do think that his significant height and reach advantage should allow him to best Loosa.

(Pick: Rowe)

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Vanessa Demopoulos vs. Jamey-Lyn Horth

Miranda Maverick (red gloves) fights Jamey-Lyn Horth (blue gloves) at Amalie Arena. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

There’s quite a bit riding on this fight for Demopoulos as she steps in on short notice, but moving up a weight class unfortunately doesn’t bode well for her chances to snap a two-fight skid against Horth.

(Pick: Horth)

MMA KO will be providing comprehensive coverage for UFC Atlanta all throughout fight week, and be sure to check back on our homepage tomorrow for live results and highlights on fight night.

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