UFC on ESPN 65 predictions: Who's picking Josh Emmett to hand Lerone Murphy first loss?

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

UFC on ESPN 65 (ESPN, ESPN+) takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

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

Torrez Finney vs. Rob Valentin

Records: Finney (10-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), Valentin (10-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Past five: Finney 5-0, Valentin 4-1
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 04.05.25): Finney -300, Valentin +240
Junkie pick results: Finney 11, Valentin 0

Luis Gurule vs. Ode Osbourne

Records: Gurule (10-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), Osbourne (12-8 MMA, 4-6 UFC)
Past five: Gurule 5-0, Osbourne 1-4
Division: Flyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 04.05.25): Gurule -245, Osbourne +200
Junkie pick results: Gurule 9, Osbourne 2

Gerald Meerschaert vs. Brad Tavares

Records: Meerschaert (37-18 MMA, 12-10 UFC), Tavares (20-10 MMA, 15-10 UFC)
Past five: Meerschaert 2-3, Tavares 1-4
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 04.05.25): Meerschaert +165, Tavares -200
Junkie pick results: Tavares 7, Meerschaert 4

ChangHo Lee vs. Cortavious Romious

Records: Lee (10-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), Romious (9-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Past five: Lee 4-1, Romious 3-2
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 04.05.25): Lee -130, Romious +110
Junkie pick results: Lee 11, Romious 0

Joanderson Brito vs. Pat Sabatini

Records: Brito (17-4-1 MMA, 5-2 UFC), Sabatini (19-5 MMA, 6-22 UFC)
Past five: Brito 4-1, Sabatini 3-2
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 04.05.25): Brito -230, Sabatini +190
Junkie pick results: Brito 9, Sabatini 2

Josh Emmett vs. Lerone Murphy

Records: Emmett (19-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC), Murphy (15-0-1 MMA, 7-0-1 UFC)
Past five: Emmett 3-2, Murphy 5-0
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: Emmett No. 6, Murphy No. 12
Odds (as of 04.05.25): Emmett +260, Murphy -325
Junkie pick results: Murphy 8, Emmett 3

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:

• Dione Barbosa vs. Diana Belbita: Barbosa 9, Belbita 2
• Daniel Frunza vs. Rhys McKee: Frunza 10, McKee 1
• Loma Lookboonmee vs. Istela Nunes: Lookboonmee 11, Nunes 0
• Pedro Falcao vs. Victor Henry: Henry 9, Falcao 2
• Martin Buday vs. Uran Satybaldiev: Satybaldiev 8, Buday 3
• Talita Alencar vs. Vanessa Demopoulos: Demopoulos 9, Alencar 2

Check out all the main card picks below.

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

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 65.