UFC 313 predictions: How are we picking the Pereira-Ankalaev title fight?

The UFC stays on its home turf this week, but in the big arena with the light heavyweight title on the line at the top of the bill.

UFC 313 (pay-per-view, ESPNews/Disney+, ESPN+) takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Get pick results from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below.

King Green vs. Mauricio Ruffy

Records: Green (32-16-1 MMA, 13-11-1 UFC), Ruffy (11-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC)
Past five: Green 3-2, Ruffy 5-0
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.08.25): Green +350, Ruffy -455
Junkie pick results: Ruffy 10, Green 1

Amanda Lemos vs. Iasmin Lucindo

Records: Lemos (14-4-1 MMA, 8-4 UFC), Lucindo (17-5 MMA, 4-1 UFC)
Past five: Lemos 3-2, Lucindo 4-1
Division: Women’s strawweight
Rankings: Lemos No. 6, Lucindo No. 9
Odds (as of 03.08.25): Lemos +120, Lucindo -140
Junkie pick results: Lemos 6, Lucindo 5

Ignacio Bahamondes vs. Jalin Turner

Records: Bahamondes (16-5 MMA, 5-2 UFC), Turner (14-8 MMA, 7-5 UFC)
Past five: Bahamondes 4-1, Turner 2-3
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.08.25): Bahamondes -125, Turner +105
Junkie pick results: Bahamondes 9, Turner 2

Rafael Fiziev vs. Justin Gaethje

Records: Fiziev (12-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC), Gaethje (25-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC)
Past five: Fiziev 3-2, Gaethje 3-2
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: Gaethje No. 4, Fiziev No. 11
Odds (as of 03.08.25): Fiziev -160, Gaethje +135
Junkie pick results: Gaethje 9, Fiziev 2

Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev

Records: Pereira (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC), Ankalaev (20-1-1 MMA, 11-1-1 UFC)
Past five: Pereira 5-0, Ankalaev 4-0-1
Division: Light heavyweight
Rankings: Pereira No. 1, No. 2 pound-for-pound; Ankalaev No. 2, No. 14 pound-for-pound
Odds (as of 03.08.25): Pereira -115, Ankalaev -105
Junkie pick results: Pereira 7, Ankalaev 4

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:

• Curtis Blaydes vs. Rizvan Kuniev: Blaydes 11, Kuniev 0
• Rei Tsuruya vs. Joshua Van: Van 10, Tsuruya 1
• Brunno Ferreira vs. Armen Petrosyan: Ferreira 9, Petrosyan 2
• Carlos Leal vs. Alex Morono: Leal 8, Morono 3
• Francis Marshall vs. Mairon Santos: Santos 11, Marshall 0
• John Castaneda vs. Chris Gutierrez: Gutierrez 11, Castaneda 0
• Ozzy Diaz vs. Djorden Santos: Santos 9, Diaz 2

Check out all the main card picks below.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

	Pereira vs. Ankalaev	Fiziev vs. Gaethje	Bahamonds vs. Turner	Lemos vs. Lucindo	Green vs. Ruffy
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 24-11 2024 Champion	Ankalaev	Gaethje	Bahamondes	Lemos	Ruffy
Brian Garcia @thegoze 21-14 2017 Champion	Ankalaev	Gaethje	Bahamondes	Lemos	Green
Matt Erickson @MattE 20-15	Pereira	Fiziev	Bahamondes	Lucindo	Ruffy
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 19-16	Pereira	Gaethje	Turner	Lemos	Ruffy
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 18-17	Pereira	Gaethje	Bahamondes	Lucindo	Ruffy
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 17-18	Ankalaev	Gaethje	Bahamondes	Lemos	Ruffy

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 313.