Check out our staff members' picks and analysis for UFC 318 in New Orleans
The UFC is back in the bayou for the first time in 10 years, and one of Louisiana’s own will hang up the gloves after the headliner.
UFC 318 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.
Get pick results from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below.
Michael Johnson vs. Daniel Zellhuber
- Records: Johnson (23-19 MMA, 15-15 UFC), Zellhuber (15-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC)
- Past five: Johnson 3-2, Zellhuber 3-2
- Division: Lightweight
- Rankings: None
- Odds (as of 07.19.25): Johnson +450, Zellhuber -625
- Junkie pick results: Zellhuber 11, Johnson 0
Patricio Freire vs. Dan Ige
- Records: Freire (36-8 MMA, 0-1 UFC), Ige (19-9 MMA, 11-8 UFC)
- Past five: Freire 2-3, Ige 3-2
- Division: Featherweight
- Rankings: None
- Odds (as of 07.19.25): Freire +190, Ige -230
- Junkie pick results: Ige 8, Freire 3
Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez
- Records: Holland (28-13 MMA, 15-10 UFC), Rodriguez (19-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC)
- Past five: Holland 3-2, Rodriguez 2-3
- Division: Welterweight
- Rankings: Holland honorable mention
- Odds (as of 07.19.25): Holland -625, Rodriguez +455
- Junkie pick results: Holland 9, Rodriguez 2
Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov
- Records: Costa (14-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC), Kopylov (14-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC)
- Past five: Costa 2-3, Kopylov 4-1
- Division: Middleweight
- Rankings: Kopylov honorable mention
- Odds (as of 07.19.25): Costa +190, Kopylov -230
- Junkie pick results: Costa 6, Kopylov 5
Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier
- Records: Holloway (26-8 MMA, 22-8 UFC), Poirier (30-9 MMA, 22-8 UFC)
- Past five: Holloway 3-2, Poirier 2-3
- Division: Lightweight
- Rankings: Holloway No. 2 (featherweight), honorable mention pound-for-pound; Poirier No. 6 (lightweight)
- Odds (as of 07.19.25): Holloway -140, Poirier +120
- Junkie pick results: Poirier 8, Holloway 3
Individual staff member picks, main card
Readers 96–59: Poirier (53%), Kopylov (60%), Holland (83%), Ige (59%), Zellhuber (68%)
- Farah Hannoun 100-55: Poirier, Costa, Holland, Ige, Zellhuber
- Ken Hathaway 99-56: Poirier, Kopylov, Holland, Ige, Zellhuber
- Mike Bohn 99-56: Poirier, Kopylov, Holland, Freire, Zellhuber
- Nolan King 99-56: Poirier, Costa, Holland, Freire, Zellhuber
- Abbey Subhan 98-57: Poirier, Costa, Holland, Ige, Zellhuber
- Matt Erickson 94-61: Holloway, Kopylov, Rodriguez, Freire, Zellhuber
- Brian Garcia 94-61: Holloway, Costa, Holland, Ige, Zellhuber
- Simon Samano 92-63: Holloway, Kopylov, Rodriguez, Ige, Zellhuber
- Danny Segura 91-64: Poirier, Costa, Holland, Ige, Zellhuber
- Matthew Wells 88-67: Poirier, Costa, Holland, Ige, Zellhuber
- George Garcia 86-69: Poirier, Kopylov, Holland, Ige, Zellhuber
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:
- Vinicius Oliveira vs. Kyler Phillips: Oliveira 10, Phillips 1
- Brendan Allen vs. Marvin Vettori: Allen 6, Vettori 5
- Francisco Prado vs. Nikolay Veretennikov: Prado 11, Veretennikov 0
- Ateba Gautier vs. Robert Valentin: Gautier 11, Valentin 0
- Islam Dulatov vs. Adam Fugitt: Dulatov 10, Fugitt 1
- Jimmy Crute vs. Marcin Prachnio: Crute 10, Prachnio 1
- Lukasz Brzeski vs. Ryan Spann: Spann 10, Brzeski 1
- Brunno Ferreira vs. Jackson McVey: Ferreira 10, McVey 1
- Nicolle Caliari vs. Carli Judice: Caliari 10, Carli Judice 1
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 318 predictions: Max Holloway vs Dustin Poirier
Category: General Sports
