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.