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UFC on ESPN 45: Make your predictions for Kai Kara-France vs. Amir Albazi (Updated)

Matt Erickson
·5 min read

(Editor’s note: Updated May 30, 2023, at 7:45 a.m. ET to reflect new opponent for Jamie Mullarkey.)

We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 45 event in Las Vegas.

Our staff picks feature includes the consensus picks from MMA Junkie readers. Simply cast your vote for each bout below, and we’ll use the official tallies that are registered by Thursday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT).

Those MMA Junkie reader consensus picks will be part of the UFC on ESPN 45 main card staff predictions we release Friday ahead of the event. UFC on ESPN 45 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.

Make your picks for the fights below.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 45.

Maxim Grishin vs. Philipe Lins

Records: Maxim Grishin (32-9-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC), Philipe Lins (16-5 MMA, 2-2 UFC)
Past five: Grishin 2-2-1, Lins 3-2
Division: Light heavyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 05.29.23): Grishin (-145), Lins (+120)

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-maxim-grishin-vs-phi-ni27″ customer=”mmajunkie”>

Da'Mon Blackshear vs. Luan Lacerda

Records: Da’Mon Blackshear (12-5-1 MMA, 0-1-1 UFC), Luan Lacerda (12-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Past five: Blackshear 3-1-1, Lacerda 4-1
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 05.29.23): Blackshear (+125), Lacerda (-145)

[opinary poll=”pick-for-damon-blackshear-vs-luan-lacerd” customer=”mmajunkie”>

Jinh Yu Frey vs. Elise Reed

Records: Jinh Yu Frey (11-8 MMA, 2-4 UFC), Elise Reed (6-3 MMA, 2-3 UFC)
Past five: Frey 2-3, Reed 2-3
Division: Women’s strawweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 05.29.23): Frey (+100), Reed (-120)

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-jinh-yu-frey-vs-elis” customer=”mmajunkie”>

Johnny Munoz vs. Daniel Santos

Records: Johnny Munoz (12-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC), Daniel Santos (10-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC)
Past five: Munoz 3-2, Santos 3-2
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 05.29.23): Munoz (+165), Santos (-195)

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-johnny-munoz-vs-dani-rf5u” customer=”mmajunkie”>

Andrei Arlovski vs. Don'Tale Mayes

Records: Andrei Arlovski (34-21 MMA, 23-15 UFC), Don’Tale Mayes (9-5 MMA, 2-3 UFC)
Past five: Arlovski 4-1, Mayes 2-3
Division: Heavyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 05.29.23): Arlovski (-110), Mayes (-110)

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-andrei-arlovski-vs-d” customer=”mmajunkie”>

John Castaneda vs. Muin Gafurov

Records: John Castaneda (19-6 MMA, 2-2 UFC), Muin Gafurov (18-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
Past five: Castaneda 3-2, Gafurov 3-2
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 05.29.23): Castaneda (N/A), Gafurov (N/A)

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-john-castaneda-vs-mu” customer=”mmajunkie”>

Abubakar Nurmagomedov vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos

Records: Abubakar Nurmagomedov (17-3-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC), Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (23-7 MMA, 9-3 UFC)
Past five: Nurmagomedov 3-1-1, dos Santos 3-2
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 05.29.23): Nurmagomedov (-105), Zaleski dos Santos (-115)

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-abubakar-nurmagomedo-TBYd” customer=”mmajunkie”>

Jamie Mullarkey vs. Muhammad Naimov

Records: Jamie Mullarkey (16-5 MMA, 4-3 UFC), Muhammad Naimov (8-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
Past five: Mullarkey 4-1, Naimov 3-2
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 05.30.23): N/A

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-jamie-mullarkey-vs-m” customer=”mmajunkie”>

Karine Silva vs. Ketlen Souza

Records: Karine Silva (15-4 MMA, 1-0 UFC), Ketlen Souza (13-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
Past five: Silva 5-0, Souza 5-0
Division: Women’s flyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 05.29.23): Silva (-200), Souza (+165)

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-karine-silva-vs-ketl” customer=”mmajunkie”>

Victor Altamirano vs. Tim Elliott

Records: Victor Altamirano (12-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC), Tim Elliott (18-12-1 MMA, 7-10 UFC)
Past five: Altamirano 4-1, Elliott 3-2
Division: Flyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 05.29.23): Altamirano (+135), Elliott (-155)

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-victor-altamirano-vs-ScgK” customer=”mmajunkie”>

Jared Gordon vs. Jim Miller

Records: Jared Gordon (19-6 MMA, 7-5 UFC), Jim Miller (35-17 MMA, 24-16 UFC)
Past five: Gordon 3-2, Miller 3-2
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 05.29.23): Gordon (-180), Miller (+155)

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-jared-gordon-vs-jim-” customer=”mmajunkie”>

Alex Caceres vs. Daniel Pineda

Records: Alex Caceres (20-13 MMA, 15-11 UFC), Daniel Pineda (28-14 MMA, 5-5 UFC)
Past five: Caceres 4-1, Pineda 4-1
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 05.29.23): Caceres (-170), Pineda (+145)

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-alex-caceres-vs-dani” customer=”mmajunkie”>

Kai Kara-France vs. Amir Albazi

Records: Kai Kara-France (24-10 MMA, 7-3 UFC), Amir Albazi (16-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC)
Past five: Kara-France 3-2, Albazi 5-0
Division: Flyweight
Rankings: Kara-France No. 4, Albazi No. 10
Odds (as of 05.29.23): Kara-France (+105), Albazi (-125)

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-kai-karafrance-vs-am” customer=”mmajunkie”>

UFC on ESPN 45 fight card (as of May 30, 7:45 a.m. ET)

MAIN CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 9 p.m. ET)

  • Kai Kara-France vs. Amir Albazi

  • Alex Caceres vs. Daniel Pineda

  • Jared Gordon vs. Jim Miller

  • Victor Altamirano vs. Tim Elliott

  • Karine Silva vs. Ketlen Souza

  • Jamie Mullarkey vs. Muhammad Naimov

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)

  • Abubakar Nurmagomedov vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos

  • John Castaneda vs. Muin Gafurov

  • Andrei Arlovski vs. Don’Tale Mayes

  • Johnny Munoz vs. Daniel Santos

  • Jinh Yu Frey vs. Elise Reed

  • Da’Mon Blackshear vs. Luan Lacerda

  • Maxim Grishin vs. Philipe Lins

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie