UFC Fight Night 238 predictions: Jairzinho Rozenstruik or Shamil Gaziev in Las Vegas?

The UFC is back in its Las Vegas home base with heavyweight contenders at the top of the lineup.

UFC Fight Night 238 (ESPN+) takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

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

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

Stephen Erceg vs. Matt Schnell

Records: Erceg (11-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC), Schnell (16-7 MMA, 6-5 UFC)
Past five: Erceg 5-0, Schnell 2-3
Division: Flyweight
Rankings: Erceg No. 14
Odds (as of 03.01.24): Erceg -440, Schnell +340
Junkie pick results: Erceg 10, Schnell 1

Bekzat Almakhan vs. Umar Nurmagomedov

Records: Almakhan (17-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), Nurmagomedov (16-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC)
Past five: Almakhan 5-0, Nurmagomedov 5-0
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: No. 15
Odds (as of 03.01.24): Almakhan +750, Nurmagomedov -1200
Junkie pick results: Nurmagomedov 11, Almakhan 0

Muhammad Mokaev vs. Alex Perez

Records: Mokaev (11-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC), Perez (24-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC)
Past five: Mokaev 5-0, Perez 3-2
Division: Flyweight
Rankings: Mokaev No. 7, Perez No. 15
Odds (as of 03.01.24): Mokaev -375, Perez +295
Junkie pick results: Mokaev 11, Perez 0

Tyson Pedro vs. Vitor Petrino

Records: Pedro (10-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC), Petrino (10-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC)
Past five: Pedro 3-2, Petrino 5-0
Division: Light heavyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.01.24): Pedro +245, Petrino -305
Junkie pick results: Petrino 9, Pedro 2

Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Shamil Gaziev

Records: Rozenstruik (13-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC), Gaziev (12-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
Past five: Rozenstruik 3-2, Gaziev 5-0
Division: Heavyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 03.01.24): Rozenstruik +145, Gaziev -175
Junkie pick results: Gaziev 7, Rozenstruik 4

Check out all the main card picks below.

	Rozenstruik vs. Gaziev	Pedro vs. Petrino	Mokaev vs. Perez	Almakhan vs. Nurmagomedov	Erceg vs. Schnell
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 22-15	gaziev2024 Gaziev (62%)	petrino2024 Petrino (75%)	mokaev2024 Mokaev (89%)	nurmagomedov2024 Nurmagomedov (93%)	erceg2024 Erceg (73%)
Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 26-11 trophy copy 2014 Champion	gaziev2024 Gaziev	petrino2024 Petrino	mokaev2024 Mokaev	nurmagomedov2024 Nurmagomedov	erceg2024 Erceg
Ken Hathaway @1khathaway 23-14 trophy copy 2018, 2022 Champion	gaziev2024 Gaziev	petrino2024 Petrino	mokaev2024 Mokaev	nurmagomedov2024 Nurmagomedov	erceg2024 Erceg
Nolan King @mma_kings 23-14 trophy copy 2023 Champion	rozenstruik2024 Rozenstruik	pedro2024 Pedro	mokaev2024 Mokaev	nurmagomedov2024 Nurmagomedov	erceg2024 Erceg
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 23-14	gaziev2024 Gaziev	petrino2024 Petrino	mokaev2024 Mokaev	nurmagomedov2024 Nurmagomedov	schnell2024 Schnell
Simon Samano @SJSamano 23-14	gaziev2024 Gaziev	petrino2024 Petrino	mokaev2024 Mokaev	nurmagomedov2024 Nurmagomedov	erceg2024 Erceg
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 22-15	gaziev2024 Gaziev	petrino2024 Petrino	mokaev2024 Mokaev	nurmagomedov2024 Nurmagomedov	erceg2024 Erceg
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 22-15	rozenstruik2024 Rozenstruik	petrino2024 Petrino	mokaev2024 Mokaev	nurmagomedov2024 Nurmagomedov	erceg2024 Erceg
Matt Erickson @MattE 21-16	rozenstruik2024 Rozenstruik	petrino2024 Petrino	mokaev2024 Mokaev	nurmagomedov2024 Nurmagomedov	erceg2024 Erceg
Brian Garcia @thegoze 21-16 trophy copy 2017 Champion	rozenstruik2024 Rozenstruik	pedro2024 Pedro	mokaev2024 Mokaev	nurmagomedov2024 Nurmagomedov	erceg2024 Erceg
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 15-22	gaziev2024 Gaziev	petrino2024 Petrino	mokaev2024 Mokaev	nurmagomedov2024 Nurmagomedov	erceg2024 Erceg
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 15-22	gaziev2024 Gaziev	petrino2024 Petrino	mokaev2024 Mokaev	nurmagomedov2024 Nurmagomedov	erceg2024 Erceg