UFC on ESPN 73 predictions: Royval or Kape to close 2025 in Vegas?

The UFC has its final event of the calendar year – and the last one in the ESPN broadcast era before the 2026 move to Paramount. Flyweights headline a Fight Night in the desert.

UFC on ESPN 73 (pay-per-view, ESPN2/FX/Disney+, ESPN+) takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

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

Lance Gibson Jr. vs. King Green

• Records: Gibson Jr. (9-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) vs. Green (32-17-1 MMA, 13-12-1 UFC)

• Division: 160-pound contract weight

• Odds (as of 12.13.25): Gibson Jr. +185, Green -245

• Junkie pick results: Green 6, Gibson Jr. 5

Marcus Buchecha vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu

• Records: Buchecha (5-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC), Nzechukwu (14-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC)

• Odds (as of 12.13.25): Buchecha +120, Nzechukwu -155

• Junkie pick results: Nzechukwu 6, Buchecha 5

Morgan Charriere vs. Melquizael Costa

• Records: Charriere (21-11-1 MMA, 3-2 UFC), Costa (24-7 MMA, 5-2 UFC)

• Odds (as of 12.13.25): Charriere +105, Costa -125

• Junkie pick results: Costa 6, Charriere 5

Cesar Almeida vs. Cezary Oleksiejczuk

• Records: Almeida (7-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC), Oleksiejczuk (16-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC)

• Odds (as of 12.13.25): Almeida +125, Oleksiejczuk -160

• Junkie pick results: Almeida 6, Oleksiejczuk 5

Giga Chikadze vs. Kevin Vallejos

• Records: Chikadze (15-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC), Vallejos (16-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC)

• Odds (as of 12.13.25): Chikadze +200, Vallejos -265

• Junkie pick results: Vallejos 9, Chikadze 2

Brandon Royval vs. Manel Kape

• Records: Royval (17-8 MMA, 7-4 UFC), Kape (21-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC)

• Rankings: Royval No. 4, Kape No. 5

• Odds (as of 12.13.25): Royval +220, Kape -295

• Junkie pick results: Kape 9, Royval 2

Individual staff member picks, main card

Readers 167-103: Royval (58%), Vallejos (63%), Almeida (52%), Costa (66%), Nzechukwu (79%), Green (52%)

• Ken Hathaway 172-98: Kape, Vallejos, Oleksiejczuk, Charriere, Buchecha, Gibson

• Nolan King 169-101: Kape, Vallejos, Oleksiejczuk, Costa, Buchecha, Gibson

• Mike Bohn 166-104: Royval, Vallejos, Oleksiejczuk, Costa, Buchecha, Gibson

• Farah Hannoun 164-106: Kape, Chikadze, Almeida, Charriere, Nzechukwu, Green

• Abbey Subhan 163-107: Kape, Vallejos, Oleksiejczuk, Costa, Buchecha, Green

• Simon Samano 162-108: Royval, Vallejos, Almeida, Charriere, Nzechukwu, Green

• Matt Erickson 162-108: Kape, Vallejos, Almeida, Charriere, Nzechukwu, Gibson

• Danny Segura 160-110: Kape, Vallejos, Oleksiejczuk, Costa, Nzechukwu, Green

• Matthew Wells 157-113: Kape, Vallejos, Almeida, Charriere, Nzechukwu, Gibson

• Brian Garcia 157-113: Kape, Vallejos, Almeida, Costa, Nzechukwu, Green

• George Garcia 145-125: Kape, Chikadze, Almeida, Costa, Buchecha, Green

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:

• Amanda Lemos vs. Gillian Robertson: Robertson 8, Lemos 3

• Joanderson Brito vs. Isaac Thomson: Brito 11, Thomson 0

• Yaroslav Amosov vs. Neil Magny: Amosov 10, Magny 1

• Steven Asplund vs. Sean Sharaf: Asplund 11, Sharaf 0

• Melissa Croden vs. Luana Santos: Santos 9, Croden 2

• AJ Frye vs. Guilherme Pat: Frye 6, Pat 5

• Tereza Bleda vs. Jamey-Lyn Horth: Bleda 8, HOrth 3

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This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC on ESPN 73 predictions: Royval or Kape to close 2025 in Vegas?