The UFC is back in the Big Apple this week with the heavyweight title on the line in a highly anticipated bout.

UFC 309 (pay-per-view, ESPNews/Hulu/FX, ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Get the top card picks from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below.

James Llontop vs. Mauricio Ruffy

Mauricio Ruffy vs. James Llontop

Facts: Llontop (14-4 MMA, 0-2 UFC), Ruffy (10-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
Past five: Llontop 2-3, Ruffy 5-0
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: No
Odds (as of UFC 11.15.24): Llontop +600, Ruffy -900
Junkie pick results: Ruffy 11, Llontop 0

Viviane Araujo vs. Karine Silva

Viviane Araujo vs. Karine Silva

Facts: Araujo (12-6 MMA, 6-5 UFC), Silva (18-4 MMA, 4-0 UFC)
Past five: Araujo 2-3, Silva 5-0
Division: Women’s Flyweight
Rankings: Silva No. 14
Odds (as of UFC 11.15.24): Araujo +240, Silva -300
Junkie pick results: Silva 10, Araujo 1

Paul Craig vs. Bo Nickal

Bo Nickal vs. Paul Craig

Facts: Craig (17-8-1 MMA, 9-8-1 UFC), Nickal (6-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC)
Past five: Craig 2-3, Nickal 5-0
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: No
Odds (as of UFC 11.15.24): Craig +850, Nickel -1450
Junkie pick results: Nickel 10, Craig 1

Michael Chandler vs. Charles Oliveira

Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler

Facts: Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC), Oliveira (34-10 MMA, 22-10 UFC)
Past five: Chandler 2-3, Oliveira 3-2
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: Oliveira No. 3, Chandler No. 14
Odds (as of UFC 11.15.24): Chandler +210, Oliveira -260
Junkie pick results: Oliveira 8, Chandler 3

Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic

Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic

Facts: Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC), Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC)
Past five: Jones 5-0, Miocić 2-3
Division: Heavyweight
Rankings: Jones No. 1 heavyweight, No. 5 pound-for-pound
Odds (as of UFC 11.15.24): Jones -700, Miocic +500
Junkie pick results: Jones 11, Miocic 0

Preliminary card selection

Veronica Hardy vs. Eduarda Moura

Although they don’t count towards the rankings, MMA Junkie staff members still pick the fights during the preliminaries. Here are the results:

• Veronica Hardy vs. Eduarda Moura: Hardy 8, Moura 3
• Oban Elliott vs. Bassil Hafez: Elliott 8, Hafez 3
• Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Mickey Gall: Brahimaj 9, Gall 2
• Jhonata Diniz vs. Marcin Tybura: Diniz 9, Tybura 2
• David Onama vs. Roberto Romero: Onama 11, Romero 0
• Damon Jackson vs. Jim Miller: Molenaar 9, Jackson 2
• Eryk Anders vs. Chris Weidman: Anders 7, Weidman 4
• Jonathan Martinez vs. Marcus McGhee: Martinez 7, McGhee 4

See all the top card choices below.

(Click here to open a PDF of the personnel selection grid in a separate window.)

For more information on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s events hub for UFC 309.