
UFC Fight Night 254 predictions: Who has edge in Marvin Vettori-Roman Dolidze rematch?
03/15/2025 09:00 AM
The UFC wraps up a three-week homestand this week with a former middleweight title challenger in the headlining spot.
UFC Fight Night 254 (pay-per-view, ESPNews/Disney+, ESPN+) takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Get pick results from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below.
Seungwoo Choi vs. Kevin Vallejos
Records: Choi (11-7 MMA, 4-6 UFC), Vallejos (14-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
Past five: Choi 1-4, Vallejos 4-1
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.14.25): Choi +320, Vallejos -410
Junkie pick results: Vallejos 11, Choi 0
Seungwoo Choi vs. Kevin Vallejos
Diyar Nurgozhay vs. Brendson Ribeiro
Records: Nurgozhay (10-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), Ribeiro (16-7 MMA, 1-2 UFC)
Past five: Nurgozhay 5-0, Ribeiro 3-2
Division: Light heavyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.14.25): Nurgozhay -290, Ribeiro +235
Junkie pick results: Nurgozhay 11, Ribeiro 0
Diyar Nurgozhay vs. Brendson Ribeiro
Da’Mon Blackshear vs. Cody Gibson
Records: Blackshear (15-7-1 MMA, 3-3-1 UFC), Gibson (22-10 MMA, 3-5 UFC)
Past five: Blackshear 3-2, Gibson 3-2
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.14.25): Blackshear -360, Gibson +285
Junkie pick results: Blackshear 9, Gibson 2
Da’Mon Blackshear vs. Cody Gibson
Alexander Hernandez vs. Kurt Holobaugh
Records: Hernandez (15-8 MMA, 7-7 UFC), Holobaugh (22-8 MMA, 2-5 UFC)
Past five: Hernandez 2-3, Holobaugh 4-1
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.14.25): Hernandez -205, Holobaugh +170
Junkie pick results: Hernandez 10, Holobaugh 1
Alexander Hernandez vs. Kurt Holobaugh
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos vs. Chidi Njokuani
Records: Zaleski dos Santos (25-8-1 MMA, 11-4-1 UFC), Njokuani (24-10 MMA, 4-3 UFC)
Past five: Zaleski dos Santos 3-1-1, Njokuani 2-3
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.14.25): Zaleski dos Santos -175, Njokuani +145
Junkie pick results: Zaleski dos Santos 9, Njokuani 2
Chidi Njokuani vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos
Marvin Vettori vs. Roman Dolidze
Records: Vettori (19-7-1 MMA, 9-5-1 UFC), Dolidze (14-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC)
Past five: Vettori 2-3, Dolidze 3-2
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.14.25): Vettori -140, Dolidze +120
Junkie pick results: Dolidze 8, Vettori 3
Marvin Vettori vs. Roman Dolidze
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:
- Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Ryan Spann: Cortes-Acosta 8, Spann 3
- A.J. Cunningham vs. Su Young You: You 11, Cunningham 0
- Josias Musasa vs. Carlos Vera: Musasa 11, Vera 0
- Sam Hughes vs. Stephanie Luciano: Luciano 10, Hughes 1
- Daniel Barez vs. Andre Lima: Lima 10, Barez 1
- Priscila Cachoeira vs. Josiane Nunes: Nunes 7, Cachoeira 4
- Yuneisy Duben vs. Carli Judice: Duben 9, Judice 2
Yuneisy Duben vs. Carli Judice
Check out all the main card picks below.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
Vettori vs. Dolidze | Njokuani vs. Zaleski dos Santos | Hernandez vs. Holobaugh | Blackshear vs. Gibson | Nurgozhay vs. Ribeiro | Choi vs. Vallejos | |
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 24-16 | Vettori (52%) | Zaleski dos Santos (65%) | Hernandez (54%) | Blackshear (80%) | Nurgozhay (77%) | Vallejos (80%) |
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 29-11 2024 Champion | Dolidze | Zaleski dos Santos | Hernandez | Blackshear | Nurgozhay | Vallejos |
Nolan King @mma_kings 27-13 2023 Champion | Vettori | Zaleski dos Santos | Holobaugh | Blackshear | Nurgozhay | Vallejos |
Brian Garcia @thegoze 25-15 2017 Champion | Vettori | Zaleski dos Santos | Hernandez | Blackshear | Nurgozhay | Vallejos |
Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 23-17 2014 Champion | Dolidze | Zaleski dos Santos | Hernandez | Gibson | Nurgozhay | Vallejos |
Ken Hathaway @1khathaway 23-17 2017, 2022, 2024 Champion | Dolidze | Zaleski dos Santos | Hernandez | Blackshear | Nurgozhay | Vallejos |
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 22-18 | Dolidze | Zaleski dos Santos | Hernandez | Blackshear | Nurgozhay | Vallejos |
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 22-18 | Dolidze | Njokuani | Hernandez | Gibson | Nurgozhay | Vallejos |
Matt Erickson @MattE 22-18 | Dolidze | Njokuani | Hernandez | Blackshear | Nurgozhay | Vallejos |
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 21-19 | Vettori | Zaleski dos Santos | Hernandez | Blackshear | Nurgozhay | Vallejos |
Simon Samano @SJSamano 21-19 | Dolidze | Zaleski dos Santos | Hernandez | Blackshear | Nurgozhay | Vallejos |
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 18-22 | Dolidze | Zaleski dos Santos | Hernandez | Blackshear | Nurgozhay | Vallejos |
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 254.