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
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Records: Gibson Jr. (9-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) vs. Green (32-17-1 MMA, 13-12-1 UFC)
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Division: 160-pound contract weight
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Odds (as of 12.13.25): Gibson Jr. +185, Green -245
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Junkie pick results: Green 6, Gibson Jr. 5
King Green vs. Lance Gibson Jr., UFC on ESPN 73 faceoff
Marcus Buchecha vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu
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Records: Buchecha (5-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC), Nzechukwu (14-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC)
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Odds (as of 12.13.25): Buchecha +120, Nzechukwu -155
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Junkie pick results: Nzechukwu 6, Buchecha 5
Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Marcus Buchecha, UFC on ESPN 73 faceoff
Morgan Charriere vs. Melquizael Costa
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Records: Charriere (21-11-1 MMA, 3-2 UFC), Costa (24-7 MMA, 5-2 UFC)
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Odds (as of 12.13.25): Charriere +105, Costa -125
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Junkie pick results: Costa 6, Charriere 5
Melquizael Costa vs. Morgan Charriere, UFC on ESPN 73 faceoff
Cesar Almeida vs. Cezary Oleksiejczuk
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Records: Almeida (7-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC), Oleksiejczuk (16-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
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Odds (as of 12.13.25): Almeida +125, Oleksiejczuk -160
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Junkie pick results: Almeida 6, Oleksiejczuk 5
Cesar Almeida vs. Cezary Oleksiejczuk, UFC on ESPN 73 faceoff
Giga Chikadze vs. Kevin Vallejos
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Records: Chikadze (15-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC), Vallejos (16-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC)
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Odds (as of 12.13.25): Chikadze +200, Vallejos -265
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Junkie pick results: Vallejos 9, Chikadze 2
Giga Chikadze vs. Kevin Vallejos, UFC on ESPN 73 faceoff
Brandon Royval vs. Manel Kape
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Records: Royval (17-8 MMA, 7-4 UFC), Kape (21-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC)
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Rankings: Royval No. 4, Kape No. 5
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Odds (as of 12.13.25): Royval +220, Kape -295
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Junkie pick results: Kape 9, Royval 2
Brandon Royval vs. Manel Kape, UFC on ESPN 73 faceoff
Individual staff member picks, main card
Readers 167-103: Royval (58%), Vallejos (63%), Almeida (52%), Costa (66%), Nzechukwu (79%), Green (52%)
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Ken Hathaway 172-98: Kape, Vallejos, Oleksiejczuk, Charriere, Buchecha, Gibson
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Nolan King 169-101: Kape, Vallejos, Oleksiejczuk, Costa, Buchecha, Gibson
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Mike Bohn 166-104: Royval, Vallejos, Oleksiejczuk, Costa, Buchecha, Gibson
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Farah Hannoun 164-106: Kape, Chikadze, Almeida, Charriere, Nzechukwu, Green
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Abbey Subhan 163-107: Kape, Vallejos, Oleksiejczuk, Costa, Buchecha, Green
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Simon Samano 162-108: Royval, Vallejos, Almeida, Charriere, Nzechukwu, Green
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Matt Erickson 162-108: Kape, Vallejos, Almeida, Charriere, Nzechukwu, Gibson
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Danny Segura 160-110: Kape, Vallejos, Oleksiejczuk, Costa, Nzechukwu, Green
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Matthew Wells 157-113: Kape, Vallejos, Almeida, Charriere, Nzechukwu, Gibson
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Brian Garcia 157-113: Kape, Vallejos, Almeida, Costa, Nzechukwu, Green
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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, UFC on ESPN 73 faceoff
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Amanda Lemos vs. Gillian Robertson: Robertson 8, Lemos 3
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Joanderson Brito vs. Isaac Thomson: Brito 11, Thomson 0
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Yaroslav Amosov vs. Neil Magny: Amosov 10, Magny 1
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Steven Asplund vs. Sean Sharaf: Asplund 11, Sharaf 0
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Melissa Croden vs. Luana Santos: Santos 9, Croden 2
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AJ Frye vs. Guilherme Pat: Frye 6, Pat 5
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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?