The UFC wraps up a three-week homestand this week with a former middleweight title challenger in the headlining spot.
UFC Fight Night 254 (pay-per-view, ESPNews/Disney+, 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.
Seungwoo Choi vs. Kevin Vallejos
Records: Choi (11-7 MMA, 4-6 UFC), Vallejos (14-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
Past five: Choi 1-4, Vallejos 4-1
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.14.25): Choi +320, Vallejos -410
Junkie pick results: Vallejos 11, Choi 0
Diyar Nurgozhay vs. Brendson Ribeiro
Records: Nurgozhay (10-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), Ribeiro (16-7 MMA, 1-2 UFC)
Past five: Nurgozhay 5-0, Ribeiro 3-2
Division: Light heavyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.14.25): Nurgozhay -290, Ribeiro +235
Junkie pick results: Nurgozhay 11, Ribeiro 0
Diyar Nurgozhay vs. Brendson Ribeiro
Da’Mon Blackshear vs. Cody Gibson
Records: Blackshear (15-7-1 MMA, 3-3-1 UFC), Gibson (22-10 MMA, 3-5 UFC)
Past five: Blackshear 3-2, Gibson 3-2
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.14.25): Blackshear -360, Gibson +285
Junkie pick results: Blackshear 9, Gibson 2
Alexander Hernandez vs. Kurt Holobaugh
Records: Hernandez (15-8 MMA, 7-7 UFC), Holobaugh (22-8 MMA, 2-5 UFC)
Past five: Hernandez 2-3, Holobaugh 4-1
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.14.25): Hernandez -205, Holobaugh +170
Junkie pick results: Hernandez 10, Holobaugh 1
Alexander Hernandez vs. Kurt Holobaugh
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos vs. Chidi Njokuani
Records: Zaleski dos Santos (25-8-1 MMA, 11-4-1 UFC), Njokuani (24-10 MMA, 4-3 UFC)
Past five: Zaleski dos Santos 3-1-1, Njokuani 2-3
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.14.25): Zaleski dos Santos -175, Njokuani +145
Junkie pick results: Zaleski dos Santos 9, Njokuani 2
Marvin Vettori vs. Roman Dolidze
Records: Vettori (19-7-1 MMA, 9-5-1 UFC), Dolidze (14-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC)
Past five: Vettori 2-3, Dolidze 3-2
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.14.25): Vettori -140, Dolidze +120
Junkie pick results: Dolidze 8, Vettori 3
Marvin Vettori vs. Roman Dolidze
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:
- Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Ryan Spann: Cortes-Acosta 8, Spann 3
- A.J. Cunningham vs. Su Young You: You 11, Cunningham 0
- Josias Musasa vs. Carlos Vera: Musasa 11, Vera 0
- Sam Hughes vs. Stephanie Luciano: Luciano 10, Hughes 1
- Daniel Barez vs. Andre Lima: Lima 10, Barez 1
- Priscila Cachoeira vs. Josiane Nunes: Nunes 7, Cachoeira 4
- Yuneisy Duben vs. Carli Judice: Duben 9, Judice 2
Check out all the main card picks below.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
Vettori vs.
Dolidze
Njokuani vs.
Zaleski dos Santos
Hernandez vs.
Holobaugh
Blackshear vs.
Gibson
Nurgozhay vs.
Ribeiro
Choi vs.
Vallejos
MMA Junkie readers’
24-16 
Vettori
(52%)
(65%)
Hernandez
(54%)
(80%)
Nurgozhay
(77%)
(80%)
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
29-11
2024 Champion 
Dolidze
Zaleski dos Santos
Hernandez
Blackshear
Nurgozhay
Vallejos Nolan King
27-13
2023 Champion
Vettori
Zaleski dos Santos 
Holobaugh
Blackshear
Nurgozhay
Vallejos Brian Garcia
25-15
2017 Champion
Vettori
Zaleski dos Santos
Hernandez
Blackshear
Nurgozhay
Vallejos Mike Bohn
23-17
2014 Champion
Dolidze
Zaleski dos Santos
Hernandez 
Gibson
Nurgozhay
Vallejos Ken Hathaway
23-17
2017, 2022, 2024 Champion
Dolidze
Zaleski dos Santos
Hernandez
Blackshear
Nurgozhay
Vallejos Abbey Subhan
22-18
Dolidze
Zaleski dos Santos
Hernandez
Blackshear
Nurgozhay
Vallejos George Garcia
22-18
Dolidze 
Njokuani
Hernandez
Gibson
Nurgozhay
Vallejos Matt Erickson
22-18
Dolidze
Njokuani
Hernandez
Blackshear
Nurgozhay
Vallejos Danny Segura
21-19
Vettori
Zaleski dos Santos
Hernandez
Blackshear
Nurgozhay
Vallejos Simon Samano
21-19
Dolidze
Zaleski dos Santos
Hernandez
Blackshear
Nurgozhay
Vallejos Matthew Wells
18-22
Dolidze
Zaleski dos Santos
Hernandez
Blackshear
Nurgozhay
Vallejos For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 254.
