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

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

USA Today08-03-2025

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
Blaydes 11, Kuniev 0 Rei Tsuruya vs. Joshua Van: Van 10, Tsuruya 1
Van 10, Tsuruya 1 Brunno Ferreira vs. Armen Petrosyan: Ferreira 9, Petrosyan 2
Ferreira 9, Petrosyan 2 Carlos Leal vs. Alex Morono: Leal 8, Morono 3
Leal 8, Morono 3 Francis Marshall vs. Mairon Santos: Santos 11, Marshall 0
Santos 11, Marshall 0 John Castaneda vs. Chris Gutierrez: Gutierrez 11, Castaneda 0
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 MMA Junkie readers'
consensus picks
21-14
Pereira
(77%)
Gaethje
(75%)
Turner
(57%)
Lemos
(52%)
Ruffy
(79%) Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
24-11
2024 Champion
Ankalaev
Gaethje
Bahamondes
Lemos
Ruffy Nolan King
@mma_kings
23-12
2023 Champion
Pereira
Gaethje
Bahamondes
Lemos
Ruffy Brian Garcia
@thegoze
21-14
2017 Champion
Ankalaev
Gaethje
Bahamondes
Lemos
Green Ken Hathaway
@1khathaway
20-15
2017, 2022, 2024 Champion
Pereira
Gaethje
Bahamondes
Lucindo
Ruffy Matt Erickson
@MattE
20-15
Pereira
Fiziev
Bahamondes
Lucindo
Ruffy Simon Samano
@SJSamano
19-16
Pereira
Fiziev
Bahamondes
Lucindo
Ruffy George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
19-16
Pereira
Gaethje
Turner
Lemos
Ruffy Mike Bohn
@MikeBohn
18-17
2014 Champion
Ankalaev
Gaethje
Bahamondes
Lemos
Ruffy Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
18-17
Pereira
Gaethje
Bahamondes
Lucindo
Ruffy Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
17-18
Ankalaev
Gaethje
Bahamondes
Lemos
Ruffy Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
16-19
Pereira
Gaethje
Turner
Lucindo
Ruffy
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC 313.

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