It happened in Vegas. But its impact won't stay in Vegas. The UFC was back in the desert for its monthly pay-per-view show, moving a few miles from the Apex home base to the T-Mobile ...
UFC 266 Results: Alexander Volkanovski, Valentina Shevchenko Retain Titles
Alex Ballentine
Sep 26, 2021
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 25: (R-L) Alexander Volkanovski of Australia punches Brian Ortega in their UFC featherweight championship fight during the UFC 266 event on September 25, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
It took an incredible force of will to escape multiple submission attempts, but Alexander Volkanovski capped an action-packed UFC 266 card with a unanimous decision win over Brian Ortega.
The featherweight title fight that saw Volkanovski earn his second successful title defense had a little bit of everything. The two kept things standing in the first and second rounds, with the champ holding a slight advantage in the exchanges thanks to his quickness.
But when the two threw some grappling in the middle rounds, the chaos began. Multiple choke attempts from Ortega had the champ in trouble, but he didn't panic and eventually worked his way out of three attempts that were tight to varying degrees.
Although the cage-side doctor had to examine Ortega's eye multiple times, he was allowed to continue and kept showcasing his toughness by marching forward.
In the end, it was an excellent main event that brings even more legitimacy to Volkanovski's status as champion and sets up another meeting between these two guys down the line.
Nick Maximov def. Cody Brundage via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Matthew Semelsberger def. Martin Sano via KO (Round 1, 0:15)
Jonathan Pearce def. Omar Morales via submission (rear-naked choke) (Round 2, 3:31)
Valentina Shevchenko def. Lauren Murphy
It was six up, six down for Valentina Shevchenko. Six women have tried to take away her flyweight title, but Bullet once again overwhelmed a challenger to notch the sixth consecutive defense of her belt.
Murphy was a massive underdog in this fight, and Shevchenko showed why before finding the finish in the fourth round. No matter where the fight went she held the upper hand. She was too quick for Murphy on the outside, too strong on the inside, and when it went to the mat, she was in top control.
In short, Shevchenko is the most dominant woman in the sport outside of Amanda Nunes.
At this point, the biggest issue for Shevchenko is a lack of interesting competition. She has lost twice to Amanda Nunes, so moving up in weight to take on the reigning bantamweight champ isn't an attractive option, but she has dispatched of nearly every challenger in her division.
As one of the most well-rounded fighters in the sport, there just aren't many matchups on paper that seem worth making.
Robbie Lawler def. Nick Diaz
The rematch 17 years in the making saw Robbie Lawler get some redemption in the people's main event. Diaz's comeback after six years away from the Octagon was ruined by a motivated Lawler, who looked much sharper than he has in recent fights.
Lawler came out aggressive from the jump and overwhelmed Diaz in the early going.
However, Diaz did eventually settle in and put forth the kind of boxing-heavy high-volume approach we are used to seeing from the Stockton native.
But Lawler's early work to the body and willingness to absorb Diaz's combos to land his own power strikes eventually became too much for Diaz. Lawler floored him with a clean right hook and walked to the center of the Octagon to get his opponent to meet him for more striking.
Diaz refused to oblige, and the fight was called in the third round.
After this performance, it would be tough to see Diaz get back in the cage again. Of course, the same may be said for Lawler, who now has 20 years invested and could walk away with a win.
Curtis Blaydes def. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
Curtis Blaydes continues to be a serious problem for anyone who doesn't hit like a truck. He once again wrestled his way to a win with a unanimous decision over Jairzinho Rozenstruik.
Rozenstruik is a dangerous striker, but Blaydes is exceptional at negating that advantage for everyone except Francis Ngannou and Derrick Lewis. He landed a massive flying knee that swelled Blaydes' eye and gave him a chance:
However, it was quickly met with yet another takedown from Blaydes.
According to ESPN, Blaydes held control for a little over six minutes of the 15-minute fight, but it was enough to take the clean sweep of all three rounds from all three judges.
The 30-year-old continues to show that his takedowns and ground-and-pound are among the best in the division. It won't be long before he gets a crack at the title, and his skill set is going to make him a tough out for whoever has the belt when that day arrives.
Jessica Andrade def. Cynthia Calvillo
Jessica Andrade was all about getting the finish to kick off the main card, and she accomplished her mission with ease.
From the outset the Brazilian was the aggressor. She backed Calvillo against the cage with her forward movement and put the 34-year-old on the defensive. While Calvillo was able to score some counters, the cracks in the defense began to show early.
Calvillo is typically a strong wrestler, but the few times she attempted to clinch or take down Andrade, she was shrugged off.
This was a strong bounce-back performance for Andrade. After losing to Valentina Shevchenko by second-round TKO it would have been easy for her to have a letdown performance.
Making short work of her opponent is a strong statement that she'll be back in contention sooner rather than later.
Alexander Volkanovski Beats Brian Ortega, Retains Featherweight Title at UFC 266
Alex Ballentine
Sep 26, 2021
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 25: (L-R) Alexander Volkanovski of Australia punches Brian Ortega in their UFC featherweight championship fight during the UFC 266 event on September 25, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Alexander Volkanovski successfully defended his UFC featherweight championship with a unanimous-decision win over Brian Ortega in the main event of UFC 266 from Las Vegas.
Although the final scorecards looked like a convincing win for the champion his margin for error was razor-thin in this one. He survived multiple tight choke attempts from the challenger to earn the title defense in a wildly entertaining five-round fight.
The first round saw both men have their moments as the strike stats were nearly identical. Volkanovski was a little more efficient, moving in and out and establish his leg and body kicks as a threat. However, the challenger utilized his length by putting his jab to good work and disrupting the champ's rhythm.
Both fighters turned up the heat in Round 2. They transitioned from a felling out phase to actually throwing heavy strikes. Volkanovski played the role of aggressor more often than not. He backed Ortega to the fence on multiple occasions and landed some significant strikes.
After the second frame the two shared a little verbal exchange. After the two shared a season of The Ultimate Fightertogether as coaches it shouldn't come as a surprise there was some extra tension.
From that moment the fight hit an all-new level of wild. The champ opened the round with considerable momentum when Ortega did what he does best—jump on a choke. Ortega sunk in a deep guillotine choke that Volkanovski somehow got out of.
From there, the champion took top position and was once again in control but Ortega struck again with a triangle choke attempt that once again put the fight in jeopardy for Volkanovski. He escaped again from Ortega's go-to submission and finished the round strong.
The fireworks continued in the fourth as Ortega had another tense guillotine attempt and Volkanovski nearly finished the fight with ground strikes.
The fifth round saw a beaten and battered Ortega hanging on but still fighting. He landed a right hand that appeared to be heavy but it was more of a coronation round for the champion who showcased why he has that distinction.
Ultimately, it was the kind of fight that will raise both fighter's profiles.
Volkanovski's rise to championship status has been incredible to watch, but the win over Ortega adds even more legitimacy to his reign. After taking the belt from Max Holloway and narrowly defeating him via split decision in his first title defense, this is the first time he's fought someone other than the Hawaiian since May 2019.
That was when Volkanovski took out featherweight legend Jose Aldo five months after knocking out Chad Mendes.
The matchup with Ortega took a while to finally come together. The two were scheduled to fight in the spring, but a positive COVID-19 test for the champion postponed the bout and the two were selected to coach against one another in the return of TheUltimate Fighter TV series.
With Ortega now behind him, the division feels like it can move forward, but the next big name for Volkanovski might not even be in the organization.
Bellator champion A.J. McKee has made comments about testing himself against the best the UFC has to offer if the money is right.
The Australian has already addressed the buzz, explaining his doubt about McKee's resume, which includes a perfect 18-0 record.
"It's just totally different," he said, comparing his rise with McKee's, per Alexander K. Lee of MMA Fighting. "You've got a bunch of absolute killers. He could be a killer himself, but he hasn't had the competition that we've had. That's obvious, but again, is he a great fighter? Yeah, he probably is. Will he beat me? No."
Although the champ only has two title defenses to his name, he already holds wins over some of the top ranked names in the division. He has victories over three of the top five, including two over Holloway.
UFC 266 is just around the corner and anticipation couldn't be much higher. The card, which goes down this Saturday in Las Vegas, Nevada, will be topped by a long-awaited featherweight ...
B/R Exclusive: Featherweight Champ Alex Volkanovski Talks TUF, Brian Ortega Beef
Sep 23, 2021
Alex Volkanovski
It wasn't his move down to 145 pounds. It wasn't his merciless seizure of the UFC featherweight title. It wasn't his second defeat of Max Holloway. And it wasn't his recent stint as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter.
None of these things made Alex Volkanovski (22-1) a household name, a fighter liked and admired as much by casual fans as the hardcore set. But this Saturday at UFC 266 in Las Vegas, Volkanovski's long-awaited title defense against rival TUF coach and top contender Brian Ortega (15-1 [1 NC]) could establish him as a tentpole star in the UFC and one of a select few fighters who can cross over into the mainstream sporting consciousness.
As he prepared for the first UFC pay-per-view main event of his career, the 32-year-old Aussie took time out for an exclusive interview with Bleacher Report, discussing his time on TUF, his beef with Ortega, and perhaps most importantly his favorite post-fight celebration.
The exchange has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Bleacher Report: This fight has been a long time coming for you. It was originally scheduled for March, but then you tested positive for COVID-19. Where are you in your process right now, and how are you feeling as the fight finally approaches?
Alex Volkanovski: Yeah, it's definitely been a long time, man. I'm excited, I really am. Just doing the whole fight-week thing in Nevada. I just want to get back in there, man. Go out there, perform, and put on a show. It's just around the corner now.
B/R: Your fighters absolutely steamrolled both brackets of The Ultimate Fighter, with all four finals slots—two each in middleweight and bantamweight—occupied by Team Volkanovski. What was the key to that success?
Volkanovski: We found guys we would get along with and all that type of stuff. No egos or anything like that from the fighters, and our coaching staff gave that back to them. It was a real team environment we wanted to give them. We never wanted anyone to feel like they were being singled out. I think that environment took a lot of pressure off of them.
Our team had a slow start on the show, but we knew that with the team we had, with so many team players who help each other prepare and all that, we'd turn it around. We did, and I feel our environment played a big part.
B/R:You've always struck me as a pretty happy-go-lucky sort. But things seem to have gotten chippy with Ortega. Why is that?
Volkanovski: There's definitely a little bit of beef there. You're right, I'm not usually in this position. I'm pretty easy-going and whatnot.
But when you're spending all this time with someone, you see different sides of people. Behind the scenes, he's a completely different person. I believe he puts on a front, and that's what I mean when I say that he's a little fake. He comes across as a very respectful, caring type of guy, but behind the scenes, he's more of a selfish type of guy. And that's what I've got to say. He's not really the way he acts.
Volkanovski (left) and Ortega (right)
It's not a crazy amount of beef, but I think there is some bad blood there. And I want to put an end to it.
B/R:You've got a very pressure-oriented style, always moving forward and getting inside to land shots or get a takedown. Ortega has recently moved away from a brawling style and does an excellent job of controlling range. How will you use your style to counteract Ortega's approach?
Volkanovski: Until recently, Ortega barely knew what range was. He'd just walk forward and eat the shots. He could finish and he had a good chin, but he never used range. And even then, his opponents would stand flat-footed in front of him and let him do whatever he wanted.
Volkanovski hits Max Holloway during their second fight in 2020
So, I can fight my fight. Obviously there's a game plan, but I should be able to do my thing. You're gonna see him crumble, 100 percent. You're gonna see him get pretty uncomfortable in there pretty quickly.
B/R:If someone wanted to get a sense of your career and how you fight, what's the fight you'd tell them to watch?
Volkanovski: I'd say the Chad Mendes (18-5) fight is definitely one of them. Mendes was a very explosive sort of athlete: short and stocky but a very high-level wrestler. Chad was one of the few people who could really put a lot of pressure on me. That's one I think the casual blokes would like.
B/R:Who were the fighters you admired as you were coming up?
Volkanovski: Chuck Liddell (21-8). Easy. I was a massive Chuck Liddell fan, and he was definitely one of my idols when I was young.
B/R:Why's that?
Volkanovski: When I first started really getting into the UFC, he was the champ. I don't know, he just seemed like a chill dude. He never had too much to say, but he was knocking everybody out. I loved the fights he had with Tito Ortiz (19-12-1) during that huge rivalry they had. Ortiz did all the trash talk, but Liddell let the hands do the talking.
B/R:How does Alex Volkanovski like to celebrate a win?
Volkanovski: Well, I can't go home straight away anyway [because of COVID-19 restrictions], so we'll definitely be celebrating in Vegas with a few drinks. It's the good, old Aussie way (laughs). It will be fun to have a little bit of a party before I get locked up in the hotel quarantine.
Yes, Dana White , this card is nothing if not deep. Two title bouts involving those ranked fourth and second on the men's and women's pound-for-pound lists, respectively...
Brian Ortega Says He Wants Rematch With Max Holloway After UFC 266
Sep 18, 2021
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MAY 20: (L-R) Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega face off during the filming of The Return of The Ultimate Fighter at UFC APEX on May 20, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Brian Ortega said he's aiming for a
rematch with Max Holloway if he beats Alexander Volkanovski to win
the UFC Featherweight Championship in the main event of UFC 266 next
Saturday.
Ortega, who suffered a TKO loss to
Holloway in December 2018, told TMZ Sports in an interview released
Saturday he's made significant strides since that defeat.
"I'm not trying to speak ahead, nor
am I trying to get past Volkanovski, right, cause he beat Max twice,"
Ortega said. "I'm not here to say I'm already celebrating. But,
that would be ideal. I'm a better person, better fighter than I was
when I fought him. And, watching his last fight, so is he."
The 30-year-old Los Angeles native has
only entered the Octagon once since the loss to Holloway.
He suffered a knee injury that
postponed his bout against Chan Sung Jung from December 2019 to
October 2020. He won that fight by unanimous decision.
Ortega was then slated to face off with
Volkanovski in March for the featherweight title, but it was delayed
until next weekend because of COVID-19 issues.
While he's focused on the marquee UFC
266 clash, he told TMZ exacting some measure of revenge on Holloway
is important since it represents his only career loss (15-1 with one
no contest).
"I'm competitive. I want to make
s--t even. It does bother me," Ortega said. "Even if he
f--ks me up again, or whatever. I'll fight you 100 times. I'm gonna
get one."
He'll have his hands full with
Volkanovski (22-1 record) before he can shift focus to a potential rematch with
Holloway, though.
The 32-year-old Australian is coming
off a highly impressive three-fight stretch that saw him score a
victory over the legendary Jose Aldo before earning back-to-back wins
over Holloway to capture and then defend the featherweight belt.
"I believe my confidence right now is
just on such a high," Volkanovski told MMA Junkie's Farah Hannoun
in August. "I've always been confident in the job I need to do, but
right now my confidence is on a whole other level to where winning is
just not enough."
The high-profile fight gives Ortega a chance to
showcase the progress he believes he's made since the loss to
Holloway, and a win would lead to his first stint as a UFC champion.
From the early vantage point, UFC 251 , the promotion’s first event on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, was touted as one of the best cards of 2020 thus far...
UFC 251 Results: Kamaru Usman, Petr Yan Headline Winners at 'Fight Island'
Jul 12, 2020
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JULY 12: In this handout image provided by UFC, (L-R) Kamaru Usman of Nigeria kicks Jorge Masvidal in their UFC welterweight championship fight during the UFC 251 event at Flash Forum on UFC Fight Island on July 12, 2020 on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Fight Island finally debuted with three title fights decided at UFC 251 and only one new champion.
Kamaru Usman (17-1, 7 KOs) retained his welterweight title in the main event against Jorge Masvidal, while Alexander Volkanovski defended the featherweight title against Max Holloway.
Petr Yan defeated Jose Aldo to claim the undisputed bantamweight championship.
Masvidal was fighting on short notice, filling in for Gilbert Burns after he tested positive for COVID-19 on July 3. The Miami native had to cut 20 pounds in six days to make weight but showed up ready to go Saturday.
Usman's game plan at UFC 251 might not have won him many new fans, but it was brutally effective. The Nigerian Nightmare continually pushed Masvidal up against the fence, working in the clinch to land a number of body blows and shoulder strikes while routinely stomping on the feet of his opponent.
If Masvidal was going to pull off the stunning upset, it appeared he wanted it to happen early on. In Round 1, Masvidal came out throwing everything in his arsenal, using a number of leg kicks to try to create space between him and the champ. He may have gotten a bit too predictable.
On Masvidal's third attempt at a low kick, Usman grabbed his leg and forced him to the ground for the first of many battles in the clinch. Despite Masvidal landing twice as many strikes as Usman in Round 1, it didn't bode too well for his overall strategy.
Usman continued to drive Masvidal back into the corner each of the following four rounds and scored easy points by pinning his opponent back and taking his time finding open shots.
Overall, Usman had control in the clinch for 16:38, landing 263 total strikes to Masvidal's 88.
By the end of Round 5, the Floridian had little left to counter with and even less energy to throw it.
This wasn't the thrilling main even many were expecting, but given the short notice for Masvidal and all that went into making Fight Island happen, it's nothing short of a major success for Usman, who has now won 15 straight matches, including 12 UFC bouts.
For Masvidal (35-14, 16 KOs) it snaps a three-fight win streak with each victory coming by knockout.
As the two embraced in the Octagon at the conclusion of the bout, Masvidal told the champ he'd win a few more fights and be back for him, hopefully with more than a month's notice.
Karol Rosa def. Vanessa Melo via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)
Davey Grant def. Martin Day via knockout at 2:38 of Round 3
Alexander Volkanovski vs. Max Holloway
Arguably the closest fight of the night will have plenty wondering just who deserves the featherweight belt.
For now, thanks to a late flurry of strikes in the championship rounds, it still belongs to Alexander Volkanovski.
The rematch between the two produced the same result as the first bout.
Holloway (21-5, 10 KOs) came out early with a combo of right hooks and leg strikes, using his four-inch height advantage to keep Volkanovski (22-1, 11 KOs) on his heels and unable to go for the challenger's legs. With 10 seconds left in Round 1, Holloway found his opening and knocked down Volkanovski with a kick to the head.
The Hawaiian was able to pull off a similar move at the end of Round 2, using a strong uppercut to put Volkanovski on the mat just before the bell.
Round 3 may have been the determining factor with each fighter trading blows but neither able to fully establish himself. After Holloway took the first two rounds, this proved pivotal, as Volkanovski would grab the judges' attention in Rounds 4 and 5 with multiple takedowns.
Though Holloway was able to respond quickly and get back to his feet, three takedowns from Volkanovski had Holloway visibly exhausted and unable to keep pace with the champ.
Volkanovski landed 139 strikes to Holloway's 111 and had control over his opponent for 1:26. That was all the advantage he needed to retain the belt in his first title defense after grabbing the championship from Holloway at UFC 245 last December.
Whether the two will meet for a third fight remains to be seen, but the second bout proved a trilogy is more than justified.
Petr Yan vs. Jose Aldo
Petr Yan (15-1, 7 KOs) is UFC's newest undisputed bantamweight champion.
The Russian boxer defeated Jose Aldo (28-7, 17 KOs) by technical knockout after getting on top of the 33-year-old immediately at the start of Round 5. It was Yan's third attempt at a ground-and-pound, and there was little Aldo could do to stop it.
As Yan continued throwing headshots and elbows, Aldo lay curled on the mat bleeding profusely until the referee was forced to call the match. Aldo could no longer defend himself. The 27-year-old Yan began sprinting around the Octagon in celebration as his opponent continued to try to regain himself.
The match started off fairly even with both fighters appearing to split the first two rounds. Yan mixed up his style, switching from an orthodox stance to a southpaw stance in Round 3, and struggled to regain his rhythm until the final minute when he landed an elbow and leg kick to create some separation on the scorecard.
These guys are putting on a great show #UFC#UFC251
Once the championship rounds began, Aldo appeared to grow tired, constantly retreating and looking for openings rather than attacking as he had early on. Yan pounced on his opponent's exhaustion, landing a quick combo to open up Round 4 and continuing to push the pace.
The round ended with Yan on top of Aldo for the second time, looking to put the finishing touches on a knockout before time expired, but Aldo was able to make it to the bell. After getting stung during Yan's first ground attack in Round 1, the sum of Aldo's injuries finally caught up to him at the start of Round 5.
Jessica Andrade's strategy in a strawweight rematch with Rose Namajunas (9-4, 1 KO) was clear from the start: move her head and upper body as much as possible and make sure Namajunas doesn't use her height and reach advantage against her.
For three rounds, that strategy served Andrade (20-8, 7 KOs) well, but it wasn't enough to make it two straight victories against Namajunas. A split decision went to Namajunas thanks to a sizable difference in strikes landed. Thug Rose began landing blows to Andrade's head midway through Round 1 after struggling to get her timing down at the start of the fight. Namajunas reverted to a number of leg kicks until she caught on to Andrade's movements. From there, the Wisconsin native started racking up significant strikes.
By the middle of Round 2, Namajunas had landed 13 more significant strikes than her opponent, and that gap only grew. By the end of the frame, Namajunas recorded 58 head strikes to just 17 from Andrade.
Even still, Round 3 proved closer than Namajunas likely was comfortable with. After missing multiple flying knees, Namajunas was taken to the ground with Andrade landing a number of blows to the head, cutting Namajunas and leading to swelling in her left eye.
If there was a moment where Namajunas was in danger of getting knocked out, this was it. Unfortunately for Andrade, Namajunas used a quick leg kick to create separate and pop back up on her feet. Thug Rose countered with her own takedown with 30 seconds left, sealing the victory.
This matchup served as one of the best fights of the evening and will surely have fans calling for one more rematch.
Amanda Ribas vs. Paige VanZant
Amanda Ribas' stock continues to rise after she made quick work of Paige VanZant to start off the main card Saturday.
It took only one minute for the Brazilian to get VanZant on the ground. Ribas worked on maneuvering into a chokehold while landing a number of blows to VanZant's head, opening up a wound less than 90 seconds into the bout. VanZant was able to reverse her position and get back on top of Ribas, but that didn't solve the American's problems.
Instead of finding a way to use her leverage to take control of the fight, VanZant got twisted up with Ribas, who quickly pulled off an armbar that forced VanZant to tap out.
Ribas moves to 4-0 in UFC and 10-1 overall in her pro career. VanZant (8-5, 2 KOs) has now dropped four of her last six matches.
UFC 251: Full Fight Card and Predictions for Performance of the Night Bonuses
Alex Ballentine
Jul 6, 2020
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 14: Alexander Volkanovski (R) battles with UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway in their title fight during UFC 245 at T-Mobile Arena on December 14, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Volkanovski took the title by unanimous decision. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)
Even less than a week away from the event, the UFC 251 fight card is still taking shape.
Rarely does a card become a bigger attraction with a short-notice replacement fight, but it appears that could be exactly what happens with the debut of Fight Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
That's because Jorge Masvidal is reportedly set to replace Gilbert Burns, pending a COVID-19 test for both fighters, per Ariel Helwani of ESPN. The Brazilian was forced to withdraw from the event before traveling due to a positive test, so Gamebred is set to fight for the title instead.
The return of the UFC's BMF titleholder makes an already big card even more high profile. The competition for Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonuses should be fierce as there is plenty of star power and knockout power on the card.
Here's a look at what the card looks like now and some predictions for who will take home some extra cash.
Main Card (ESPN+ PPV at 10 p.m. ET)
KamaruUsman vs. Jorge Masvidal (welterweight title*)
Alexander Volkanovski vs. Max Holloway (featherweight title)
Petr Yan vs. Jose Aldo (vacant bantamweight title)
Jessica Andrade vs. Rose Namajunas
Amanda Ribas vs. Paige VanZant
Prelims (ESPN at 8 p.m. ET)
VolkanOezdemir vs. JiriProchazka
Muslim Salikhov vs. ElizeuZaleski dos Santos
MakwanAmirkhani vs. Danny Henry
Roman Bogatov vs. Leonardo Santos
Early Prelims (UFC Fight Pass at 6 p.m. ET)
Maxim Grishin vs. MarcinTybura
RaulianPaiva vs. ZhalgasZhumagulov
Vanessa Melo vs. Karol Rosa
Martin Day vs. Davey Grant
*Pending COVID-19 Tests
Performance of the Night: Petr Yan
With all respect to Jose Aldo, who is one of the greatest fighters of all time and a featherweight legend, the first of the three title fights seems more like a coronation than a prize fight.
It's pretty clear to anyone watching that the 33-year-old has lost his fastball. The once-feared striker is now 2-4 in his last six fights, with the two wins coming against Renato Moicano and Jeremy Stephens. Petr Yan is already more accomplished than both of those and possibly the fighter with the brightest future in a stacked division.
Aldo's lone foray into the bantamweight division didn't go as planned. He lost a split-decision in a three-round bout against Marlon Moraes on the heels of a fight in which Yan knocked out Urijah Faber with a head kick.
If Aldo still resembled the man who wrecked the WEC and the early UFC featherweight roster, this would be a Fight of the Night candidate. Instead, it has the potential to be Yan's coming-out party.
The 27-year-old has done nothing but impress since making his UFC debut in June 2018. He's racked up a 6-0 record in the Octagon, with three of those wins coming by way of knockout. What's impressive is his ability to pair a precise boxing game with power wrestling.
Yan averages 1.73 takedowns per 15 minutes while striking at a 5.65 significant strikes per minute clip.
Aldo was once an elite defensive fighter. His ability to control bouts with his leg kicks and move in and out of range with ease marked his dominant run as champion, but recent fights against Moraes, Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway have all shown he's become hittable.
Expect Yan to hit him early and often before switching to his wrestling game to finish off the fight. Finishing a legend like Aldo will be a spectacular way to kick off a title reign and garner Fight of the Night honors.
Performance of the Night: Jiri Prochazka
The light heavyweight fight between Jiri Prochazka and Volkan Oezdemir set to close out the night is a sleeper for Fight of the Night honors on a card that's stacked with intriguing clashes.
Prochazka is making his UFC debut off a dominant run in Japan's biggest MMA promotion, Rizin. He has proved to be a prolific striker throughout his career, racking up 23 of his 26 wins by way of knockout.
Lately, he's made a habit of finishing fights in the first round. Seven of his last eight wins have come in the first frame, with the last three coming against former UFC or Bellator fighters in Fabio Maldonado, C.B. Dollaway and Muhammed Lawal.
Oezdemir has some knockout power of his own, though. He's earned 12 of his 17 wins by way of knockout and scored a second-round finish of Ilir Latifi in 2019.
The Swiss fighter has done some impressive things in the UFC. His title shot against Daniel Cormier in 2018 was well deserved after earning first-round finishes of his own against Misha Cirkunov and Jimi Manuwa, but his power has had diminishing returns since.
The fight against Cormier precipitated a three-fight losing streak and exposed some cracks in his armor. Latifi wasn't able to expose those weaknesses due to his physical limitations, Oezdemir's most recent fight against Aleksandar Rakic was far from decisive, and Prochazka looks to have more power even if it's against inferior competition.
Prochazka's striking is both powerful and diverse. He's adept at countering as well as throwing in combinations. Oezdemir's defense is not elite by any stretch and he, too, will be looking for the knockout.
If this lasts beyond the first round, it will be a contender for Fight of the Night. It just doesn't feel like it's destined to last that long.
Fight of the Night: Max Holloway vs. Alexander Volkanovski 2
The last time Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski met in December, they landed a combined 291 significant strikes in a five-round battle. It was a tale of momentum swings and adjustments from Blessed after a strong start from the then-challenger.
The only reason it didn't win Fight of the Night honors was because right after it Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington put on a nearly five-round bout in which the two welterweights landed a combined 318 strikes before Usman got the finish.
This time, Usman will fight Masvidal in the final fight of the night in a clash that figures to either be an early Masvidal knockout or a wrestling clinic from the champion. It's hard to envision the same five-round war that Usman had with his first title challenger.
That should open the door for a Holloway-Volkanovski rematch to truly steal the show.
The dynamics of the encounter should be fascinating. Volkanovski dominated the early rounds with his leg kicks in the first fight. The usually voluminous striking game of Holloway was reduced to little output as his rhythm was completely disrupted.
However, he was turning the tide in the championship rounds. He held a narrow striking advantage over the final two rounds and took them on two of the scorecards. Now they get to re-engage in another fight that should be the same cat-and-mouse game we saw the first time.
Of the weekend's three title fights, these two match up as the best to put on another great fight. There could be a nice bonus waiting for both of them at the end of the night for their efforts.
