Check out our staff members’ picks and analysis for UFC on ESPN 71 in Las Vegas
The UFC is back in Las Vegas with a pair of flyweight contenders in a hastily assembled headliner.
UFC on ESPN 71 (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.
Danny Silva vs. Kevin Vallejos
- Records: Silva (10-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC), Vallejos (15-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
- Past five: Silva 4-1, Vallejos 4-1
- Division: Featherweight
- Rankings: None
- Odds (as of 08.02.25): Silva +330, Vallejos -410
- Junkie pick results: Vallejos 9, Silva 2
Neil Magny vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos
- Records: Magny (29-14 MMA, 22-12 UFC), Zaleski dos Santos (25-9-1 MMA, 11-5-1 UFC)
- Past five: Magny 2-3, Zaleski dos Santos 2-2-1
- Division: Welterweight
- Rankings: None
- Odds (as of 08.02.25): Magny +145, Zaleski dos Santos -260
- Junkie pick results: Zaleski dos Santos 6, Magny 5
Nora Cornolle vs. Karol Rosa
- Records: Cornolle (9-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC), Rosa (18-7 MMA, 7-4 UFC)
- Past five: Cornolle 4-1, Rosa 2-3
- Division: Women’s strawweight
- Rankings: None
- Odds (as of 08.02.25): Cornolle +150, Rosa -180
- Junkie pick results: Rosa 7, Cornolle 4
Elves Brener vs. Esteban Ribovics
- Records: Brener (16-5 MMA, 3-2 UFC), Ribovics (14-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC)
- Past five: Brener 3-2, Ribovics 3-2
- Division: Lightweight
- Rankings: None
- Odds (as of 08.02.25): Brener +220, Ribovics -270
- Junkie pick results: Ribovics 11, Brener 0
Chris Duncan vs. Mateusz Rebecki
- Records: Duncan (13-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC), Rebecki (20-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC)
- Past five: Duncan 4-1, Rebecki 4-1
- Division: Lightweight
- Rankings: None
- Odds (as of 08.02.25): Duncan +180, Rebecki -220
- Junkie pick results: Rebecki 10, Duncan 1
Tatsuro Taira vs. HyunSung Park
- Records: Taira (16-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC), Park (10-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC)
- Past five: Taira 4-1, Park 5-0
- Division: Flyweight
- Rankings: Taira No. 8
- Odds (as of 08.02.25): Taira -325, Park +260
- Junkie pick results: Taira 10, Park 1
Individual staff member picks, main card
Readers 106–66: Taira (76%), Rebecki (76%), Ribovics (84%), Cornolle (65%), dos Santos (58%), Vallejos (79%)
- Mike Bohn 110-62: Taira, Duncan, Ribovics, Rosa, dos Santos, Vallejos
- Ken Hathaway 109-63: Taira, Rebecki, Ribovics, Cornolle, Magny, Vallejos
- Nolan King 109-63: Taira, Rebecki, Ribovics, Rosa, dos Santos, Vallejos
- Farah Hannoun 109-63: Taira, Rebecki, Ribovics, Cornolle, dos Santos, Silva
- Matt Erickson 106-66: Park, Rebecki, Ribovics, Cornolle, Magny, Vallejos
- Abbey Subhan 106-66: Taira, Rebecki, Ribovics, Rosa, dos Santos, Vallejos
- Brian Garcia 104-68: Taira, Rebecki, Ribovics, Rosa, dos Santos, Vallejos
- Simon Samano 102-70: Taira, Rebecki, Ribovics, Rosa, Magny, Vallejos
- Danny Segura 101-71: Taira, Rebecki, Ribovics, Rosa, dos Santos, Vallejos
- Matthew Wells 98-74: Taira, Rebecki, Ribovics, Cornolle, Magny, Vallejos
- George Garcia 94-78: Taira, Rebecki, Ribovics, Rosa, Magny, Silva
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:
- Nathan Fletcher vs. Rinya Nakamura: Nakamura 10, Fletcher 1
- Tresean Gore vs. Rodolfo Vieira: Vieira 11, Gore 0
- Nick Klein vs. Andrey Pulyaev: Pulyaev 8, Klein 3
- Felipe Bunes vs. Rafael Estevam: Estevam 11, Bunes 0
- Piera Rodriguez vs. Ketlen Souza: Rodriguez 8, Souza 3
- Austin Bashi vs. John Yannis: Bashi 10, Yannis 1
