The UFC is back on its home turf this week with women’s flyweights leading the way.
UFC on ESPN 53 (ESPN/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.
Fernando Padilla vs. Luis Pajuelo
Records: Padilla (15-5 MMA, 1-1 UFC), Pajuelo (8-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
Past five: Padilla 3-2, Pajuelo 5-0
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.22.24): Padilla -170, Pajuelo +140
Junkie pick results: Pajuelo 6, Padilla 5
Billy Quarantillo vs. Youssef Zalal
Records: Quarantillo (18-5 MMA, 6-3 UFC), Zalal (13-5-1 MMA, 3-3-1 UFC)
Past five: Quarantillo 3-2, Zalal 3-1-1
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.22.24): Quarantillo -110, Zalal -110
Junkie pick results: Quarantillo 9, Zalal 2
Cameron Saaiman vs. Payton Talbott
Records: Saaiman (9-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC), Talbott (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
Past five: Saaiman 4-1, Talbott 5-0
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.22.24): Saaiman +125, Talbott -150
Junkie pick results: Saaiman 7, Talbott 4
AJ Dobson vs. Edmen Shahbazyan
Records: Dobson (7-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC), Shahbazyan (12-4 MMA, 5-4 UFC)
Past five: Dobson 3-2, Shahbazyan 1-4
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.22.24): Dobson +170, Shahbazyan -205
Junkie pick results: Shahbazyan 10, Dobson 1
Justin Tafa vs. Karl Williams
Records: Tafa (7-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC), Williams (9-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC)
Past five: Tafa 3-2, Williams 5-0
Division: Heavyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.22.24): Tafa +160, Williams -190
Junkie pick results: Williams 6, Tafa 5
Amanda Ribas vs. Rose Namajunas
Records: Ribas (12-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC), Namajunas (11-6 MMA, 9-5 UFC)
Past five: Ribas 3-2, Namajunas 3-2
Division: Women’s flyweight
Rankings: Namajunas No. 4 women’s strawweight, No. 13 pound-for-pound; Ribas No. 13 women’s strawweight
Odds (as of 03.22.24): Ribas +170, Namajunas -205
Junkie pick results: Namajunas 9, Ribas 2
Check out all the main card picks below.
UFC on ESPN 53 main card picks
| Ribas vs. Namajunas |
Tafa vs. Williams |
Dobson vs. Shahbazyan |
Saaiman vs. Talbott |
Quarantillo vs. Zalal |
Padilla vs. Pajuelo |
|
|
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 33-19 |
 Namajunas (66%) |
 Williams (58%) |
 Shahbazyan (76%) |
 Talbott (60%) |
 Quarantillo (67%) |
 Pajuelo (52%) |
|
Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 38-14  |
Namajunas |
Williams |
Shahbazyan |
 Saaiman |
Quarantillo |
 Padilla |
|
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 32-20 |
Namajunas |
Williams |
 Dobson |
Saaiman |
 Zalal |
Pajuelo |
|
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 32-20 |
 Ribas |
Williams |
Shahbazyan |
Talbott |
Quarantillo |
Pajuelo |
|
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 32-20 |
Namajunas |
 Tafa |
Shahbazyan |
Talbott |
Zalal |
Padilla |
|
Ken Hathaway @1khathaway 32-20 |
Namajunas |
Williams |
Shahbazyan |
Talbott |
Quarantillo |
Pajuelo |
|
Brian Garcia @thegoze 31-21 |
Namajunas |
Tafa |
Shahbazyan |
Saaiman |
Quarantillo |
Padilla |
|
Matt Erickson @MattE 31-21 |
Ribas |
Williams |
Shahbazyan |
Saaiman |
Quarantillo |
Pajuelo |
|
Simon Samano @SJSamano 31-21 |
Namajunas |
Tafa |
Shahbazyan |
Talbott |
Quarantillo |
Pajuelo |
|
Nolan King @mma_kings 30-22 |
Namajunas |
Tafa |
Shahbazyan |
Saaiman |
Quarantillo |
Padilla |
|
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 22-30 |
Namajunas |
Williams |
Shahbazyan |
Saaiman |
Quarantillo |
Pajuelo |
|
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 22-30 |
Namajunas |
Tafa |
Shahbazyan |
Saaiman |
Quarantillo |
Padilla |
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s eventgholvlrlllg for Bellator Champions Series: Belfast.
