UFC 298 predictions: Who’s picking Ilia Topuria to take the title from Alexander Volkanovski?
The UFC is back in Southern California, and the featherweight title is on the line at the top of the bill.
UFC 298 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Honda Center in Anaheim for what is expected to be the first of three shows at the venue this year in a newly announced five-year deal with the arena.
(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.
Anthony Hernandez vs. Roman Kopylov
Records: Hernandez (11-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC), Kopylov (12-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC)
Past five: Hernandez 4-1, Kopylov 4-1
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 02.16.24): Hernandez -245, Kopylov +200
Junkie pick results: Hernandez 7, Kopylov 4
Henry Cejudo vs. Merab Dvalishvili
Records: Cejudo (16-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC), Dvalishvili (16-4 MMA, 9-2 UFC)
Past five: Cejudo 4-1, Dvalishvili 5-0
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: Dvalishvili No. 2, Cejudo No. 9
Odds (as of 02.16.24): Dvalishvili -240, Cejudo +195
Junkie pick results: Dvalishvili 7, Cejudo 4
Ian Machado Garry vs. Geoff Neal
Records: Garry (13-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC), Neal (15-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC)
Past five: Garry 5-0, Neal 2-3
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: Neal No. 11, Garry No. 13
Odds (as of 02.16.24): Garry -230, Neal +190
Junkie pick results: Garry 7, Neal 4
Paulo Costa vs. Robert Whittaker
Records: Costa (14-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC), Whittaker (24-7 MMA, 15-5 UFC)
Past five: Costa 3-2, Whittaker 3-2
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: Whittaker No. 5, Costa No. 11
Odds (as of 02.16.24): Whittaker -240, Costa +195
Junkie pick results: Whittaker 9, Costa 2
Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria
Records: Volkanovski (26-3 MMA, 13-2 UFC), Topuria (14-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC)
Past five: Volkanovski 3-2, Topuria 5-0
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: Volkanovski No. 1, No. 3 pound-for-pound; Topuria No. 4
Odds (as of 02.16.24): Volkanovski -125, Topuria +105
Junkie pick results: Volkanovski 7, Topuria 4
Preliminary card picks
Although fights on the prelims don’t count toward the standings in the MMA Junkie staff picks, we still pick each fight. Here are some key results:
The featured prelim between Mackenzie Dern (13-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) and Amanda Lemos (13-3-1 MMA, 7-3 UFC) is a close one at women’s strawweight. Lemos is just a -135 favorite, and she’s got the smallest possible picks lead at 6-5.
There are two unanimous picks on the prelims. The biggest favorite on the card, and one of the biggest UFC favorites in history at this number, is Rinya Nakamura (8-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC), who is around -1400 at the betting window against Carlos Vera (11-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC). Not surprisingly, Nakamura is an 11-0 pick from our staff members. And so is Miranda Maverick (12-5 MMA, 5-3 UFC) in her event-opening women’s flyweight bout against Andrea Lee (13-8 MMA, 5-6 UFC).
Check out all the main card picks below.
UFC 298 main card picks
Volkanovski | Costa | Garry | Cejudo | Hernandez | |
MMA Junkie readers’ | 
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Abbey Subhan |
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Mike Bohn  2014 Champion |
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Farah Hannoun |
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Nolan King 2023 Champion |
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Danny Segura | 
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Brian Garcia 2017 Champion |
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Matthew Wells |
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Ken Hathaway 2018, 2022 Champion |
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Simon Samano |
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Matt Erickson |
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George Garcia |
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 298.
