The UFC is back on its home turf this week with flyweight contenders at the top of the bill.
UFC Fight Night 253 (ESPN+) takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Get pick results from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below.
Danny Barlow vs. Sam Patterson
Records: Barlow (9-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC), Patterson (12-2-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC)
Past five: Barlow 5-0, Patterson 4-1
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.01.25): Barlow -305, Patterson +245
Junkie pick results: Barlow 11, Patterson 0
Danny Barlow vs. Sam Patterson
Hyder Amil vs. William Gomis
Records: Amil (10-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC), Gomis (14-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC)
Past five: Amil 5-0, Gomis 5-0
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.01.25): Amil +170, Gomis -205
Junkie pick results: Amil 8, Gomis 3
Hyder Amil vs. William Gomis
Nasrat Haqparast vs. Esteban Ribovics
Records: Haqparast (17-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC), Ribovics (14-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC)
Past five: Haqparast 4-1, Ribovics 4-1
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.01.25): Haqparast +210, Ribovics -260
Junkie pick results: Ribovics 9, Haqparast 2
Nasrat Haqparast vs. Esteban Ribovics
Cody Brundage vs. Julian Marquez
Records: Brundage (10-6 MMA, 4-5 UFC), Marquez (9-5 MMA, 3-4 UFC)
Past five: Brundage 2-3, Marquez 2-3
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.01.25): Brundage +100, Marquez -120
Junkie pick results: Brundage 8, Marquez 3
Cody Brundage vs. Julian Marquez
Manel Kape vs. Asu Almabayev
Records: Kape (20-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC), Almabayev (21-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC)
Past five: Kape 4-1, Almabayev 5-0
Division: Flyweight
Rankings: Kape No. 6, Almabayev No. 14
Odds (as of 03.01.25): Kape -220, Almabayev +180
Junkie pick results: Kape 10, Almabayev 1
Manel Kape vs. Asu Almabayev
Preliminary card picks
Although they don’t count toward the standings, MMA Junkie staff members still pick the fights on the prelims. Here are the results:
- Austen Lane vs. Mario Pinto: Pinto 11, Lane 0
- Chepe Mariscal vs. Ricardo Ramos: Mariscal 11, Ramos 0
- JJ Aldrich vs. Andrea Lee: Aldirch 11, Lee 0
- Lucas Almeida vs. Danny Silva: Silva 7, Almeida 4
- Charles Johnson vs. Ramazan Temirov: Johnson 8, Temirov 3
Andrea Lee vs. JJ Aldrich
Check out all the main card picks below.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
| Kape vs. Almabayev |
Brundage vs. Marquez |
Haqparast vs. Ribovics |
Amil vs. Gomis |
Barlow vs. Patterson |
|
| MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 19-11 |
 Kape (61%) |
 Brundage (64%) |
 Ribovics (76%) |
 Gomis (66%) |
 Barlow (83%) |
| Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 21-9  2024 Champion |
Kape |
Brundage |
Ribovics |
 Amil |
Barlow |
| Nolan King @mma_kings 20-10 2023 Champion |
Kape |
Brundage |
Ribovics |
Amil |
Barlow |
| Matt Erickson @MattE 19-11 |
 Almabayev |
Brundage |
Ribovics |
Gomis |
Barlow |
| Brian Garcia @thegoze 18-12 2017 Champion |
Kape |
 Marquez |
 Haqparast |
Amil |
Barlow |
| Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 17-13 |
Kape |
Marquez |
Ribovics |
Gomis |
Barlow |
| George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 17-13 |
Kape |
Marquez |
Ribovics |
Amil |
Barlow |
| Ken Hathaway @1khathaway 17-13 2017, 2022, 2024 Champion |
Kape |
Brundage |
Ribovics |
Amil |
Barlow |
| Simon Samano @SJSamano 16-14 |
Kape |
Brundage |
Ribovics |
Amil |
Barlow |
| Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 14-16 |
Kape |
Brundage |
Ribovics |
Amil |
Barlow |
| Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 14-16 2014 Champion |
Kape |
Brundage |
Haqparast |
Amil |
Barlow |
| Matthew Wells @MrMWells 14-16 |
Kape |
Brundage |
Ribovics |
Gomis |
Barlow |
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 253.
