The UFC stays put on its home turf this week with a pair of ranked middleweights at the top of the bill.
UFC Fight Night 245 (ESPN+) takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Get main card pick results from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below.
Darren Elkins vs. Daniel Pineda
Elkins vs Pineda
Records: Elkins (28-11 MMA, 18-10 UFC), Pineda (28-16 MMA, 5-7 UFC)
Past five: Elkins 3-2, Pineda 1-2-2
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 10.19.24): Elkins -120, Pineda +100
Junkie pick results: Pineda 6, Elkins 5
Jake Hadley vs. Cameron Smotherman
Hadley vs Smotherman
Records: Hadley (11-3 MMA, 3-3 UFC), Smotherman (11-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
Past five: Hadley 3-2, Smotherman 4-1
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 10.19.24): Hadley -500, Smotherman +380
Junkie pick results: Hadley 10, Smotherman 1
Charles Johnson vs. Su Mudaerji
Johnson vs Sumudaerji
Records: Johnson (16-6 MMA, 5-4 UFC), Mudaerji (16-6 MMA, 3-3 UFC)
Past five: Johnson 3-2, Mudaerji 3-2
Division: Flyweight
Rankings: Johnson honorable mention
Odds (as of 10.19.24): Johnson -245, Mudaerji +200
Junkie pick results: Johnson 10, Mudaerji 1
Rob Font vs. Kyler Phillips
Font vs. Phillips
Records: Font (20-8 MMA, 10-7 UFC), Kyler (12-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC)
Past five: Font 1-4, Phillips 4-1
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: Phillips honorable mention
Odds (as of 10.19.24): Font +400, Phillips -535
Junkie pick results: Phillips 7, Font 4
Anthony Hernandez vs. Michel Pereira
Hernandez vs. Pereira
Records: Hernandez (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC), Pereira (31-11 MMA, 9-2 UFC)
Past five: Hernandez 5-0, Pereira 5-0
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: Hernandez honorable mention
Odds (as of 10.19.24): Hernandez -140, Pereira +120
Junkie pick results: Hernandez 6, Pereira 5
Preliminary card picks
Martinez vs. Ardelean
Although they don’t count toward the standings, MMA Junkie staff members still pick the fights on the prelims. Here are the results:
- Asu Almabayev vs. Matheus Nicolau: Almabayev 7, Nicolau 4
- Brad Katona vs. Jean Matsumoto: Matsumoto 10, Katona 1
- Joselyne Edwards vs. Tamires Vidal: Edwards 8, VIdal 3
- Jessica Penne vs. Elise Reed: Reed 8, Penne 3
- Alice Ardelean vs. Melissa Martinez: Martinez 11, Ardelean 0
- Robelis Despaigne vs. Austen Lane: Despaigne 11, Lane 0
Check out all the main card picks below.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
| Hernandez vs. Pereira |
Font vs. Phillips |
Johnson vs. Mudaerji |
Hadley vs. Smotherman |
Elkins vs. Pineda |
|
| MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 168-94 |
 Pereira (69%) |
 Phillips (73%) |
 Johnson (83%) |
 Hadley (79%) |
 Elkins (66%) |
| Ken Hathaway @1khathaway 173-89  2017, 2022 Champion |
Pereira |
Phillips |
Johnson |
Hadley |
 Pineda |
| Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 171-91 |
 Hernandez |
Phillips |
Johnson |
Hadley |
Elkins |
| Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 166-96 2014 Champion |
Hernandez |
 Font |
Johnson |
Hadley |
Pineda |
| Nolan King @mma_kings 163-99 2023 Champion |
Hernandez |
Phillips |
Johnson |
Hadley |
Pineda |
| Matt Erickson @MattE 161-101 |
Pereira |
Phillips |
 Mudaerji |
 Smotherman |
Elkins |
| Matthew Wells @MrMWells 160-102 |
Pereira |
Phillips |
Johnson |
Hadley |
Elkins |
| Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 157-105 |
Hernandez |
Font |
Johnson |
Hadley |
Pineda |
| Simon Samano @SJSamano 157-105 |
Pereira |
Font |
Johnson |
Hadley |
Pineda |
| Brian Garcia @thegoze 156-106 2017 Champion |
Hernandez |
Font |
Johnson |
Hadley |
Elkins |
| Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 151-111 |
Pereira |
Phillips |
Johnson |
Hadley |
Pineda |
| George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 143-119 |
Hernandez |
Phillips |
Johnson |
Hadley |
Elkins |
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 245.
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