One of the biggest fight cards of 2019 has finally arrived. UFC 241 from Anaheim, California, is set to commence from the Honda Center on Saturday night (10 p.m. ET, ESPN PPV), with a trio of the most anticipated bouts this year. Heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier will put his strap on the line against the man he took it off of in Stipe Miocic in one of the most intriguing title rematches in recent memory.
Miocic set a UFC record with three consecutive heavyweight title defenses before running into the powerful punches of Cormier at UFC 226 in July 2018. Cormier has made one successful defense of the belt -- over Derrick Lewis in November 2018 -- while Miocic has been patiently waiting on the sidelines, biding his time for an opportunity to try and reclaim the title from the former Olympian's grasp.
Not to be outdone, the co-main event might have just as much buzz around it. It's the return of folk hero Nate Diaz as he takes on former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis in a welterweight showdown. Diaz has been inactive since losing a majority decision to Conor McGregor in August 2016 and believes a win on Saturday could vault him into the title picture in either the 155-pound or 170-pound divisions.
Plus, a crucial showdown in the middleweight division gets prime positioning on this card as former title contender Yoel Romero battles fast-rising prospect Paulo Costa of Brazil. The two have been working to make this fight happen for over a year and will finally meet inside the Honda Center.
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With such a loaded event on tap, the crew at CBS Sports went ahead with predictions and picks for the main card with latest odds from Westgate. Here are your pick makers: Brent Brookhouse (Combat sports writer), Brian Campbell (Combat sports writer), Matthew Coca (producer), Jack Crosby (editor), Michael Mormile (producer) and Brandon Wise (editor).
| Fight | Brookhouse | Campbell | Coca | Crosby | Mormile | Wise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Daniel Cormier (c) -130 vs. Stipe Miocic +110 | Cormier | Cormier | Cormier | Miocic | Cormier | Miocic |
Anthony Pettis -145 vs. Nate Diaz +125 | Pettis | Diaz | Diaz | Diaz | Pettis | Pettis |
Yoel Romero -135 vs. Paulo Costa +115 | Romero | Romero | Romero | Romero | Romero | Costa |
| Sodiq Yusuff -270 vs. Gabriel Benitez +220 | Benitez | Yusuff | Yusuff | Yusuff | Yusuff | Yusuff |
| Ian Heinisch -145 vs. Derek Brunson +125 | Heinisch | Heinisch | Brunson | Heinisch | Heinisch | Heinisch |
Campbell on why Cormier will win: Cormier should certainly expect a very different fight against Miocic one year later now that the former champion has a chance to correct his technical mistakes that led to the early knockout loss at UFC 226. What will be most interesting is whether Cormier will look to take the fight to the ground on a consistent basis considering Miocic's power and the fact he was able to connect often against DC before the stoppage. Either way, look for this fight to go longer in terms of rounds yet end up with the same man winning.
Crosby on why Miocic will win: It does amaze me a little bit just how little fanfare Miocic has received since securing the rematch, but as I wrote in his keys to victory, that's not really a bad thing. He's had his eyes and his mind deadlocked on getting another crack at Cormier for over a year, with little distraction to take his eyes off the prize. That should show on Saturday. I expect Miocic to do a much better job this time around of not getting tangled up with Cormier and utilize a more proficient boxing strategy. He may not knock the savvy veteran Cormier out, but I could see Miocic regaining the UFC heavyweight title on points after five rounds with strikes.
Brookhouse on why Pettis will win: Diaz looks physically ready, and I have no doubt his conditioning will be there, but three years is a long time between fights. Pettis also fights much more like the guys who Diaz has lost to than the guys he beats (McGregor aside). I'm expecting Pettis to get in and out too quickly and mix things up too much for a rusty Diaz to adjust to in a three-round fight. A Diaz win wouldn't shock me, but I figure speed kills in this one.
Campbell on why Diaz will win: For as many questions as Diaz must face coming back to the Octagon following a three-year layoff in this welterweight duel, one must be careful not looking past the ones Pettis must also face. The former lightweight champion has alternated wins and losses over his last eight bouts, and was losing almost every second of his dramatic knockout of Stephen Thompson which sparked talks of a resurgence. There will certainly be action, but if Diaz can control distance and take advantage when the fight goes to the ground, this is a decision he can win.
Crosby on why Romero will win: I've doubted the "Soldier of God" a few too many times in the past, and I've learned my lesson. I've enjoyed the 4-0 UFC run of Costa to this point as much as the next person, and I believe that, at just 28 years old, he does have a future as a champion in the middleweight division. In a way, I guess you could compare my prediction here to Brian Ortega in the featherweight division. We can visualize the bright future for the rising star, but that momentum is about to be pushed back a bit as he's brought back down to earth by the seasoned veteran for a moment. Much like most of us said when Ortega was knocked down a peg by champion Max Holloway, a loss to Romero here -- no matter how brutal -- is nothing the Brazilian can't learn and bounce back from while continuing to climb the ladder.
Wise on why Costa will win: At some point, age will begin to be a factor for Romero. The 42-year-old veteran has also had notable difficulties in making the 185-pound limit in recent years. And in a division that isn't exactly friendly to older fighter trying to cut down, especially with the amount of muscle that Romero carries, Costa should have a clear advantage. Obviously, Costa carries a ton of muscle on his own, but the young Brazilian shouldn't have the same difficulty. Plus, if Costa is able to keep Romero on his feet and a boxing/kickboxing fest, this favors "Borrachinha" taking home a win. While we haven't seen what Costa looks like past a second round, I think he won't need it here to get it done against one of the toughest 185-pounders UFC has to offer.
Who wins Cormier vs. Miocic, and how exactly does each fight end? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks on all 12 fights at UFC 241, all from the incomparable expert who's up more than $22,000 on MMA in the past year, and find out.
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