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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Matt Erickson

UFC Fight Night 238 predictions: Jairzinho Rozenstruik or Shamil Gaziev in Las Vegas?

The UFC is back in its Las Vegas home base with heavyweight contenders at the top of the lineup.

UFC Fight Night 238 (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.

Stephen Erceg vs. Matt Schnell

Records: Erceg (11-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC), Schnell (16-7 MMA, 6-5 UFC)
Past five: Erceg 5-0, Schnell 2-3
Division: Flyweight
Rankings: Erceg No. 14
Odds (as of 03.01.24): Erceg -440, Schnell +340
Junkie pick results: Erceg 10, Schnell 1

Bekzat Almakhan vs. Umar Nurmagomedov

Records: Almakhan (17-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), Nurmagomedov (16-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC)
Past five: Almakhan 5-0, Nurmagomedov 5-0
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: No. 15
Odds (as of 03.01.24): Almakhan +750, Nurmagomedov -1200
Junkie pick results: Nurmagomedov 11, Almakhan 0

Muhammad Mokaev vs. Alex Perez

Records: Mokaev (11-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC), Perez (24-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC)
Past five: Mokaev 5-0, Perez 3-2
Division: Flyweight
Rankings: Mokaev No. 7, Perez No. 15
Odds (as of 03.01.24): Mokaev -375, Perez +295
Junkie pick results: Mokaev 11, Perez 0

Tyson Pedro vs. Vitor Petrino

Records: Pedro (10-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC), Petrino (10-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC)
Past five: Pedro 3-2, Petrino 5-0
Division: Light heavyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.01.24): Pedro +245, Petrino -305
Junkie pick results: Petrino 9, Pedro 2

Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Shamil Gaziev

Records: Rozenstruik (13-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC), Gaziev (12-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
Past five: Rozenstruik 3-2, Gaziev 5-0
Division: Heavyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.01.24): Rozenstruik +145, Gaziev -175
Junkie pick results: Gaziev 7, Rozenstruik 4

Check out all the main card picks below.

Rozenstruik
vs.
Gaziev
Pedro
vs.
Petrino
Mokaev
vs.
Perez
Almakhan
vs.
Nurmagomedov
Erceg
vs.
Schnell
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
22-15

Gaziev
(62%)

Petrino
(75%)

Mokaev
(89%)

Nurmagomedov
(93%)

Erceg
(73%)
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohn
26-11
2014 Champion

Gaziev

Petrino

Mokaev

Nurmagomedov

Erceg
Ken Hathaway
@1khathaway
23-14
2018, 2022 Champion

Gaziev

Petrino

Mokaev

Nurmagomedov

Erceg
Nolan King
@mma_kings
23-14
2023 Champion

Rozenstruik

Pedro

Mokaev

Nurmagomedov

Erceg
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
23-14

Gaziev

Petrino

Mokaev

Nurmagomedov

Schnell
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
23-14

Gaziev

Petrino

Mokaev

Nurmagomedov

Erceg
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
22-15

Gaziev

Petrino

Mokaev

Nurmagomedov

Erceg
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
22-15

Rozenstruik

Petrino

Mokaev

Nurmagomedov

Erceg
Matt Erickson
@MattE
21-16

Rozenstruik

Petrino

Mokaev

Nurmagomedov

Erceg
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
21-16
2017 Champion

Rozenstruik

Pedro

Mokaev

Nurmagomedov

Erceg
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
15-22

Gaziev

Petrino

Mokaev

Nurmagomedov

Erceg
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
15-22

Gaziev

Petrino

Mokaev

Nurmagomedov

Erceg

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 238.

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