The UFC is back in its Las Vegas home base with heavyweight contenders at the top of the lineup.
UFC Fight Night 238 (ESPN+) takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
Get pick results from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below.
Stephen Erceg vs. Matt Schnell
Records: Erceg (11-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC), Schnell (16-7 MMA, 6-5 UFC)
Past five: Erceg 5-0, Schnell 2-3
Division: Flyweight
Rankings: Erceg No. 14
Odds (as of 03.01.24): Erceg -440, Schnell +340
Junkie pick results: Erceg 10, Schnell 1
Bekzat Almakhan vs. Umar Nurmagomedov
Records: Almakhan (17-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), Nurmagomedov (16-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC)
Past five: Almakhan 5-0, Nurmagomedov 5-0
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: No. 15
Odds (as of 03.01.24): Almakhan +750, Nurmagomedov -1200
Junkie pick results: Nurmagomedov 11, Almakhan 0
Muhammad Mokaev vs. Alex Perez
Records: Mokaev (11-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC), Perez (24-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC)
Past five: Mokaev 5-0, Perez 3-2
Division: Flyweight
Rankings: Mokaev No. 7, Perez No. 15
Odds (as of 03.01.24): Mokaev -375, Perez +295
Junkie pick results: Mokaev 11, Perez 0
Tyson Pedro vs. Vitor Petrino
Records: Pedro (10-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC), Petrino (10-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC)
Past five: Pedro 3-2, Petrino 5-0
Division: Light heavyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.01.24): Pedro +245, Petrino -305
Junkie pick results: Petrino 9, Pedro 2
Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Shamil Gaziev
Records: Rozenstruik (13-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC), Gaziev (12-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
Past five: Rozenstruik 3-2, Gaziev 5-0
Division: Heavyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.01.24): Rozenstruik +145, Gaziev -175
Junkie pick results: Gaziev 7, Rozenstruik 4
Check out all the main card picks below.
| Rozenstruik vs. Gaziev |
Pedro vs. Petrino |
Mokaev vs. Perez |
Almakhan vs. Nurmagomedov |
Erceg vs. Schnell |
|
| MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 22-15 |
 Gaziev (62%) |
 Petrino (75%) |
 Mokaev (89%) |
 Nurmagomedov (93%) |
 Erceg (73%) |
| Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 26-11  2014 Champion |
Gaziev |
Petrino |
Mokaev |
Nurmagomedov |
Erceg |
| Ken Hathaway @1khathaway 23-14 2018, 2022 Champion |
Gaziev |
Petrino |
Mokaev |
Nurmagomedov |
Erceg |
| Nolan King @mma_kings 23-14 2023 Champion |
 Rozenstruik |
 Pedro |
Mokaev |
Nurmagomedov |
Erceg |
| Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 23-14 |
Gaziev |
Petrino |
Mokaev |
Nurmagomedov |
 Schnell |
| Simon Samano @SJSamano 23-14 |
Gaziev |
Petrino |
Mokaev |
Nurmagomedov |
Erceg |
| Matthew Wells @MrMWells 22-15 |
Gaziev |
Petrino |
Mokaev |
Nurmagomedov |
Erceg |
| Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 22-15 |
Rozenstruik |
Petrino |
Mokaev |
Nurmagomedov |
Erceg |
| Matt Erickson @MattE 21-16 |
Rozenstruik |
Petrino |
Mokaev |
Nurmagomedov |
Erceg |
| Brian Garcia @thegoze 21-16 2017 Champion |
Rozenstruik |
Pedro |
Mokaev |
Nurmagomedov |
Erceg |
| George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 15-22 |
Gaziev |
Petrino |
Mokaev |
Nurmagomedov |
Erceg |
| Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 15-22 |
Gaziev |
Petrino |
Mokaev |
Nurmagomedov |
Erceg |
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 238.
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