UFC Fight Night 252 predictions: Is Cejudo or Song the better man in Seattle?

Yesterday at 10:00 AM

The UFC is back in the Pacific Northwest this week for the first time in a decade with a former two-division champion at the top of the card.

UFC Fight Night 252 (ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.

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

Alonzo Menifield vs. Julius Walker

Records: Menifield (15-5-1 MMA, 8-5-1 UFC), Walker (6-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
Past five: Menifield 2-2-1, Walker 5-0
Division: Light heavyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 02.21.25): Menifield -245, Walker +200
Junkie pick results: Menifield 6, Walker 5

Melsik Baghdasaryan vs. Jean Silva

Records: Baghdasaryan (8-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC), Silva (16-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC)
Past five: Baghdasaryan 4-1, Silva 5-0
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 02.21.25): Baghdasaryan +370, Silva -485
Junkie pick results: Silva 11, Baghdasaryan 0

Rob Font vs. Jean Matsumoto

Records: Font (21-8 MMA, 11-7 UFC), Matsumoto (16-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC)
Past five: Font 2-3, Matsumoto 5-0
Division: 140-pound contract weight
Rankings: Font No. 15
Odds (as of 02.21.25): Font +130, Matsumoto -155
Junkie pick results: Font 7, Matsumoto 4

Brendan Allen vs. Anthony Hernandez

Records: Allen (24-6 MMA, 12-3 UFC), Hernandez (13-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC)
Past five: Allen 4-1, Hernandez 5-0
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: Allen No. 11, Hernandez No. 13
Odds (as of 02.21.25): Allen +270, Hernandez -340
Junkie pick results: Hernandez 7, Allen 4

Henry Cejudo vs. Song Yadong

Records: Cejudo (16-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC), Yadong (21-8-1 MMA, 10-3-1 UFC)
Past five: Cejudo 3-2, Yadong 3-2
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: Cejudo No. 9, Song No. 10
Odds (as of 02.21.25): Cejudo +215, Song -265
Junkie pick results: Cejudo 6, Song 5

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:

• Ibo Aslan vs. Ion Cutelaba: Aslan 11, Cutelaba 0
• Melquizael Costa vs. Andre Fili: Fili 7, Costa 4
• Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Nick Klein: Abdul-Malik 10, Klein 1
• Javid Basharat vs. Ricky Simon: Basharat 9, Simon 2
• Austin Vanderford vs. Nikolay Veretennikov: Vanderford 11, Veretennikov 0
• Eric McConico vs. Nursulton Ruziboev: Ruziboev 10, McConico 1
• Modestas Bukauskas vs. Rafael Cerqueira: Bukauskas 9, Cerqueira 2

Check out all the main card picks below.

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

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 252.