Written by The UFC is back in the “Big Apple” this week with the heavyweight title on the line in a long-awaited matchup.
UFC 309 (pay-per-view, ESPNews/Hulu/FX, ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Get main card pick results from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below.
James Llontop vs. Mauricio Ruffy
Mauricio Ruffy vs. James Llontop
Records: Llontop (14-4 MMA, 0-2 UFC), Ruffy (10-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
Past five: Llontop 2-3, Ruffy 5-0
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of UFC 11.15.24): Llontop +600, Ruffy -900
Junkie pick results: Ruffy 11, Llontop 0
Viviane Araujo vs. Karine Silva
Viviane Araujo vs. Karine Silva
Records: Araujo (12-6 MMA, 6-5 UFC), Silva (18-4 MMA, 4-0 UFC)
Past five: Araujo 2-3, Silva 5-0
Division: Women’s flyweight
Rankings: Silva No. 14
Odds (as of UFC 11.15.24): Araujo +240, Silva -300
Junkie pick results: Silva 10, Araujo 1
Paul Craig vs. Bo Nickal
Bo Nickal vs. Paul Craig
Records: Craig (17-8-1 MMA, 9-8-1 UFC), Nickal (6-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC)
Past five: Craig 2-3, Nickal 5-0
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of UFC 11.15.24): Craig +850, Nickal -1450
Junkie pick results: Nickal 10, Craig 1
Michael Chandler vs. Charles Oliveira
Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler
Records: Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC), Oliveira (34-10 MMA, 22-10 UFC)
Past five: Chandler 2-3, Oliveira 3-2
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: Oliveira No. 3, Chandler No. 14
Odds (as of UFC 11.15.24): Chandler +210, Oliveira -260
Junkie pick results: Oliveira 8, Chandler 3
Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic
Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic
Records: Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC), Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC)
Past five: Jones 5-0, Miocic 2-3
Division: Heavyweight
Rankings: Jones No. 1 heavyweight, No. 5 pound-for-pound
Odds (as of UFC 11.15.24): Jones -700, Miocic +500
Junkie pick results: Jones 11, Miocic 0
Preliminary card picks
Veronica Hardy vs. Eduarda Moura
Although they don’t count toward the standings, MMA Junkie staff members still pick the fights on the prelims. Here are the results:
Veronica Hardy vs. Eduarda Moura: Hardy 8, Moura 3
Oban Elliott vs. Bassil Hafez: Elliott 8, Hafez 3
Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Mickey Gall: Brahimaj 9, Gall 2
Jhonata Diniz vs. Marcin Tybura: Diniz 9, Tybura 2
David Onama vs. Roberto Romero: Onama 11, Romero 0
Damon Jackson vs. Jim Miller: Miller 9, Jackson 2
Eryk Anders vs. Chris Weidman: Anders 7, Weidman 4
Jonathan Martinez vs. Marcus McGhee: Martinez 7, McGhee 4
Check out all the main card picks below.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
Jones
vs.
Miocic
Chandler
vs.
Oliveira
Craig
vs.
Nickal
Araujo
vs.
Silva
Llontop
vs.
Ruffy
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
186-102
Jones
(70%)
Oliveira
(70%)
Nickal
(83%)
Silva
(78%)
Ruffy
(85%)
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
189-99
Jones
Oliveira
Nickal
Silva
Ruffy
Ken Hathaway
@1khathaway
188-100
2017, 2022 Champion
Jones
Oliveira
Nickal
Silva
Ruffy
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohn
182-106
2014 Champion
Jones
Oliveira
Nickal
Silva
Ruffy
Nolan King
@mma_kings
181-107
2023 Champion
Jones
Oliveira
Nickal
Silva
Ruffy
Matt Erickson
@MattE
177-111
Jones
Oliveira
Craig
Araujo
Ruffy
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
177-111
Jones
Oliveira
Nickal
Silva
Ruffy
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
175-113
Jones
Chandler
Nickal
Silva
Ruffy
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
173-115
2017 Champion
Jones
Chandler
Nickal
Silva
Ruffy
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
172-116
Jones
Oliveira
Nickal
Silva
Ruffy
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
166-122
Jones
Oliveira
Nickal
Silva
Ruffy
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
159-129
Jones
Chandler
Nickal
Silva
Ruffy
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 309.