LAS VEGAS — UFC 244 on Saturday from Madison Square Garden will be one of the top productions the organization offers in 2019 if the criteria are based on a full slate of competitively matched MMA fights. From the opening fight in the prelims to the “BMF” belt up for grabs in the main event, which will be broadcast on ESPN+, this card is absolute fire.

Jorge Masvidal vs. Nate Diaz

The “BMF” belt is the mythical title Diaz requested when he said he was uninterested in the UFC titles but wanted the real title when he called out Masvidal some months ago. The “BMF” has taken on such a life of its own, an actual belt will be awarded to the winner.

Diaz, a 34-year-old from Stockton, Calif., is versed in Brazilian jiujitsu and comes from a boxing background. He has a combination of experience, grit and downright willingness to fight anyone, any time, but despite a 2-inch height advantage and 2-inch reach advantage, he’ll be overmatched in this welterweight main event.

Diaz spent most of his career at lightweight (155 pounds) but has returned to welterweight (170 pounds) in the last few years after struggling to make the lower weight limit. His 6-foot-1 frame fits the welterweight division well, but he lacks fluid footwork and quickness, and his willingness to press forward to engage exposes him to more well-developed mixed martial artists — especially ones who deliver violent leg attacks. See Diaz’s fights with Rafael dos Anjos and Benson Henderson, each of whom ended up dominating him after first brutally attacking that forward planted right leg.

It’s my judgment that Diaz’s stubbornness to adapt his fight game in any capacity, let alone react to these previous plans to attack his right leg, will cost him in this fight. I think Diaz, though pure in his fight philosophy, has not done enough to evolve or adapt in MMA.

Meanwhile, Masvidal, also 34, grew up on the streets of Miami. He wrestled in high school until he was tossed for grades, which is when his fighting career began. The self-taught Masvidal has competed in fights from the backyards of Little Haiti to Saturday’s lights, camera, action at the Garden, where these two fighting veterans will get a chance to take a bow for all they have done for this sport.

After the bows, however, we’ll have a fight. And I believe Masvidal’s intelligence, craft and more technically sound, explosive, well-rounded fighting arsenal will deliver him the BMF belt.

Masvidal may need a round to get his lather going, but as this five-rounder gets into the third round and later, Masvidal will begin to benefit from his employment of leg kicks to Diaz’s front leg. Once Masvidal can impede Diaz’s ability to move, this fight will become more one-sided. I would not be surprised to see Masvidal finish Diaz late in this bout.

This fight opened Masvidal -190, and light action has compressed the number to -155. While I don’t want to discount Diaz, I do think Masvidal has advantages that cannot be ignored.

The pick: Masvidal, -155.

Stevie “Wonderboy” Thompson vs. Vicente Luque

This is one of the many fights I have targeted for Saturday night. Luque is a straight-out power-punching destroyer, but he prefers all-out offense to any display of solid defense. Once dinged, he often stands flat-footed to return fire with more fire. Luque has gotten away with mental mistakes in many fights, and if he loses focus against Thompson, he’ll get clocked with a kick or a shin to the chin. Luque’s plan of attack seems clear — press forward, take this fight to Thompson and attack.

Thompson will want nothing to do with toe-to-toe in any fight, let alone this one, as he’s aware of Luque’s profuse power. Thompson must find a way to maintain spacing so he can deliver strikes off movement and batter the incoming brawler with volume striking from legs and arms and from every angle and plane.

Thompson’s awkward, straight-up karate-type stance, his height advantage and his fluidity of movement must be used to keep Luque from gaining the pocket. Outside the pocket is where Thompson will do damage, and I believe the more Luque is unable to gain inside position, the more frustrated he’ll become. That sets up the perfect storm for Thompson, a forward-charging raging bull pressing inward to engage.

The pick: Thompson, -125 (Patience requested. Late Luque action could press this price down closer to a pick ’em.)