After making its first appearance at the UFC APEX in two months, the UFC remained as its headquarters for a second straight week, hosting UFC Vegas 109 (aka UFC Fight Night: Roman Dolidze vs. Anthony Hernandez) on August 9.
Last week’s card at the UFC APEX was the first UFC Vegas event since May 31. Now, despite these back-to-back weeks, the UFC is not scheduled to return to the APEX at any point through October. The APEX, however, will be playing host to Dana White’s Contender Series events, with the new season beginning this coming Tuesday, August 12, and lasting through October 14.
The main event of UFC Vegas 109 saw a top-10 middleweight contenders’ battle between Roman Dolidze and Anthony Hernandez.
Dolidze entered this fight on a three-fight win streak, consisting of a decision over Anthony Smith, a finish of Kevin Holland, and a decision over Marvin Vettori. Hernandez, meanwhile, had won seven straight, most recently scoring a decision over Brendan Allen in February.
The co-main event featured former flyweight title challenger Steve Erceg competing on bantamweight against Ode Osbourne. Erceg was originally penned to face Alex Perez until Perez pulled out with injury last month. Hyun Sung Park was scheduled to replace him until being pulled to fill in last week’s UFC Vegas 108 main event on a week’s notice. Osbourne was then called upon to face Erceg, result in the 135-pound bout.
Erceg was looking to snap a three-fight losing skid that he’s been on since his unsuccessful title shot against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 301. Osbourne had recently snapped his own three-fight losing streak, finishing Luis Gurule in April.
Who performed well in Vegas? Who fell short? Let’s find out with the hits and misses of UFC Vegas 109.
I know the opening fight between Cody Brundage and Eric McConico wasn’t the most exciting and wasn’t the easiest to score. But those scorecards…what were those?
The fight itself was back-and-forth, with Brundage controlling the early portion of round before before McConico started to rally and landed a number of combinations and scored takedowns. Brundage had his best round in the second, scoring multiple takedowns and working McConico in the clinch, as well as a damaging head kick. McConico, however, rallied back in the third, busting Brundage open with an elbow and landing at will with his pressure.
Most of the fight wasn’t exactly one-sided, but Brundage certainly seemed to win the second and McConico the third. So, tell me dear reader, how did two judges give round two to McConico?
This is yet another moment when I wish judges had to give responses to controversial and/or questionable decisons.
Hit – We Need A Medic, But Not For Uros Medic
Uros Medic really brought that “Call an ambulance, but not for me” meme into the Octagon with his knockout of Gilbert Urbina.
Medic appeared to be in trouble just seconds into the fight, getting cracked and dropped by a right hand from Urbina. Medic made his way to his feet, and Urbina found some major confidence. Instead of trying to go to the ground with Medic, Urbina elected to follow him around the Octagon, like a predator stalking its prey.
Unfortunately for Urbina, the prey bit back. Medic landed a left hand and knee before dropping Urbina out cold with a left, ending the fight in just over a minute.
Medic has won four of six and is 5-3 since arriving to the UFC from DWCS. He didn’t get a performance bonus for this finish, which is a shame, so here’s his (obviously not as good) recognition. Now the test is going to be if Medic can string wins together.
Hit – Joselyne Edwards Ready For Another Test At Women’s 135?
One of the ones who did get a performance bonus? Joselyne Edwards, and for good reason following her knockout of Priscila Cachoeira during the prelims.
Edwards seemed to get the better of Cachoeira with jabs early on before the Brazilian forced her back a couple of times. Eventually, the two got into exchanges. One of those exchanges saw a one-two land to drop Cachoeira. Then, Edwards dove in with a right hand to put the finishing touches on Cachoeira, knocking her out.
Edwards has now won three straight and six of her last eight. Her two losses in that span were to two people ahead of her in the women’s bantamweight rankings — Allin Perez and Nora Cornolle.
Edwards did also call out former title challenger Mayra Bueno Silva, who was supposed to face Edwards before being replaced by Cachoeira. After this performance, that definitely should be what’s next if that’s what Edwards wants.
Hit – Elijah Smith Slams His Way To Viralness
On a day of spectacular finishes between UFC Vegas 109 and PFL Africa 2, Elijah Smith may have had the best finish of them all as he put away Toshiomi Kazama.
Smith was fast out of the gate, stopping a takedown attempt and landing heavy blows on his opponent. Kazama tried to battle back with submission attempts, and with his last, he locked up a triangle choke.
Then, Smith lifted him up.
MAKING A NAME FOR HIMSELF đ
Elijah Smith just SLAMMED his way into an all time finish at #UFCVegas109 đ„
A slam doesn’t always work and runs the risk of tightening the choke worse, causing the submission. But that’s not what happened. Instead, Smith brought him down powerbomb style, which knocked Kazama out cold and drew comparisons to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson doing such a knockout in PRIDE.
Smith is now 2-0 in the UFC, having made his Octagon debut earlier this year against Vince Morales. And after this highlight, a greater spotlight should be there for his next fight — and he’ll already have one of the most memorable moments in UFC history that will be played in video packages and spread over social media time and time again.
Hit – Have Your Eye On CLD
His alma matter, Cage Warriors, called him a human highlight reel. And Christian Leroy Duncan looked exactly like that as he put away Eryk Anders to open the main card.
In spite of some early foul trouble, CLD was able to utilize leg kicks to his advantage. At one point, he caught Anders dropping his hands and landed a major spinning back elbow. Anders was rocked and dropped, with some follow-up shots bringing the fight to a quick close.
Duncan, the former Cage Warriors middleweight champion, has now won four of five and is 5-2 in the UFC, with his only losses being against Gregory “Robocop” Rodrigues and Armen Petrosyan. As one person posted to X, let’s get Duncan out of the APEX. One of the next times the UFC is over in Europe and CLD is available, he should be on the card.
Hit/Miss – Steve Erceg Breaks Losing Skid (But It Could’ve Gone Better)
I said in last week’s Hits and Misses that I was debating doing something like this, and after another split feeling about something that happened on this week’s card, I’ll let this be both a hit and a miss.
Steve Erceg snapped this three-fight losing streak with a win over Ode Osbourne in the UFC Vegas 109 co-main event. That’s a positive; however, while I understand this was a fight out of his usual weight class, it wasn’t his cleanest performance.
Osbourne started strong, chopping at Erceg’s legs with kicks and landing crisp right hands that wobbled his opponent early in the first round. Erceg recovered, pinning Osbourne to the fence and nearly securing a choke. Osbourne’s speed and striking kept things competitive in the second, but Erceg controlled the distance and clinch, landing key strikes. Erceg took over in full during round three, securing a takedown and getting to mount, nearly scoring a couple of submissions and pressuring Osbourne to a decision win.
Erceg’s losses on the losing skid, against Pantoja, Kai Kara-France, and Brandon Moreno, are not bad losses by any stretch. But Erceg put a lot of pressure on himself to perform well in the fight and break his skid. He obviously got the win, but the performance probably was not what he was hoping for — even with a real short-notice opponent.
Erceg entered the fight ranked No. 10 at flyweight and should have someone around that range to fight next. Maybe they can still book the fight with Alex Perez at some point in the future, but with his fracture, not sure if that’s likely. And if that’s the case, perhaps the Tim Elliott vs. Kai Asakura winner?
Miss – Herb Dean’s (Lack Of) Officiating (And Referees, In General, vs. Fence Grabs)
I don’t want to take away from Anthony Hernandez’s performance in the main event of UFC Vegas 109, but I have to get this off my chest.
Herb Dean was once known as one of the best referees in this sport, and he’s still one of the most recognized referee names. But the way he’s refereed some fights of late has left a lot to be desired.
It took four fence grabs by Roman Dolidze for a point to be deducted in the main event. Four. There is no reason it should have taken that many. Fence grabs when both fighters are stalling against the cage one way or another is one thing. But more than one of those cage grabs were to prevent a takedown — and that’s something I and others in this community (be it fighters, fans, or media) feel should be an automatic point deduction.
On top of that, when he was deducting the one-point in the nature that he did, he obviously didn’t want to stop Hernandez’s momentum, but one of those knees Hernandez landed in the fight-ending sequence was a pretty close call. And I don’t think he was paying enough attention because it was that moment he called the deduction.
It’s also not a good look when Hernandez has to call his own glove grab violation on Dolidze. I know refereeing isn’t an easy job, but when a fighter is doing that to you, that’s kind of a bad look.
But where Dean gets a pass is that, sadly, this isn’t the first time that we’ve had to have a conversation about referees and inconsistency with fence grab violations. Rarely if ever it seems does a referee call for a point-deduction right away — even when a fence grab can greatly change a fight’s outcome because of how it can stop a takedown attempt. And as stated, this case was a bad one because of repeated offense that didn’t result in a penalty.
How we’re having this kind of conversation in 2025 is still baffling to me. But then again, we’re having conversations about proper judging still, too. Sad.
Hit – Fluffy By Name, Violent By Nature
Refereeing (or lack thereof) aside, “Fluffy” Hernandez is just a bad, bad man.
Anthony Hernandez put on a dominant display of control, completely working over Roman Dolidze en route to a fourth-round stoppage in the UFC Vegas 109 main event.
Hernandez imposed his will from the very opening of the fight, overwhelming Dolidze in the clinch and with takedown attempts that required little effort. “Fluffy” was relentless, wearing Dolidze own with his high strike volume and drowning him in grappling. After bullying Dolidze for over 15 minutes, Hernandez, despite a fence grab, just mauled and strangled Dolidze with a choke that wasn’t even sunk in completely, scoring a submission.
A style unlike any other! đźâđš
Who should 'Fluffy' face next in his quest for the title?
That makes eight in a row for Hernandez, and it includes Dolidze, Brendan Allen, Michel Pereira, and Roman Kopylov as some of his most recent victories. We’ll see where Hernandez is in the rankings come Tuesday, but there’s no question he’s ready for the notable contenders and former champions in the division. Is it time to put him in the Octagon against someone like Caio Borralho, Robert Whittaker, or Jared Cannonier?
Anthony Hernandez made a statement by tossing Roman Dolidze around like a ragdoll and overwhelming him with complete, all-around control en route to a fourth-round submission victory in the main event of UFC Vegas 109.
After a failed takedown attempt early by Dolidze, the two exchange strikes, with Hernandez landing inside shots, but Dolidze having more power. Hernandez seemed to land a strong right hand on Dolidze, but Dolidze temporarily had him pinned against the fence. Hernandez scored a body lock later in the round and took Dolidze down. Dolize, however, swept and returned to his feet while nearly locking up a leg lock.
Hernandez came forward with pressure almost right away in the second round, briefly getting Dolidze back down and avoiding another Dolidze leg lock attempt. Hernandez openly got into exchanges with Dolidze, making him throw more and getting the better of Dolidze. Despite no point deduction, a fence grab did nothing for Dolidze, as Hernandez pressured him back into the fence and got him down again. Hernandez ate a knee from Dolidze but scored another takedown. With less than a minute left in the round, a combination rocked Dolidze, forcing him to retreat before being taken down again. Hernandez was unsuccessful with a guillotine attempt but ended the round on top, landing strong ground-and-pound.
Hernandez scored another takedown in the first minute of the third round. Hernandez continued to press him toward the fence and down, despite a pair of fence grabs from Doildze. Hernandez completely bullied Dolize in the round, controlling him at will in grappling and getting the better of him the times they did exchange strikes.
A series of leg kicks and an elbow at the start of round for led to another takedown scored for “Fluffy.” Referee Herb Dean finally called a point deduction for a fence grab, but it wouldn’t be necessary following another choke (not locked in all the way) that scored “Fluffy” the submission win.
Anthony Hernandez Dominates Roman Dolidze In UFC Vegas 109 Main Event
That guy there beats everyone at 185. Statement made! #UFCVegas109
UFC Fight Night took place tonight from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights!Â
In the main event, middleweights Roman Dolidze and Anthony Hernandez clashed. While in the co-main event, Steve Erceg faced off with Ode Osbourne in a bantamweight matchup.Â
UFC Fight Night Results: Main Card
Middleweight: Anthony Hernandez def. Roman Dolidze via submission: R4, 2.45
Bantamweight: Steve Erceg def. Ode Osbourne via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
Womenâs Strawweight: Iasmin Lucindo def. Angela Hill via unanimous decision (30-27×2, 29-28)
Featherweight: Andre Fili def. Christian Rodriguez via split decision (29-28, 30-27, 28-29)
Bantamweight: Jean Matsumoto def. Miles Johns via split decision (29-28×2, 28-29)
Middleweight: Christian Leroy Duncan def. Eryk Anders via TKO: R1, 3.53
Preliminary Card
Light Heavyweight: Julius Walker def. Raffael Cerqueira via unanimous decision (30-27×2, 30-26)
Bantamweight: Elijah Smith def. Toshiomi Kazama via KO: R1, 0.50
Roman Dolidze will be looking to collect any appendage that is available to him when he enters the cage this weekend in a battle of ranked middleweight contenders. During an interview with Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie, Dolidze covered multiple topics leading into his clash with Anthony ‘Fluffy’ Hernandez at UFC on ESPN 72 in the headlining bout for this Saturday’s card.
Dolidze versus Hernandez will see a battle between the number nine ranked and number ten ranked middleweight contenders, respectively, in a clash that will meaningfully inform the divisional hierarchy for the coming months.
With this being Dolidze’s third main event outing in the promotion, it seems like he is becoming more and more accustomed to five round fights as he continues to build himself up toward receiving a middleweight title shot someday. When touching upon his opponent Hernandez’s second last outing against Michel Pereira last October that saw him notch some massive ground and pound numbers and after being asked if that effort impressed the Georgia native, Dolidze said,
“If you compare Michel’s grappling and my grappling, it’s different. I will not give him easy work on the ground and I will not just lay down there. I will attack submissions, I will attack legsâanything I want to take from him.”
Roman Dolidze is set to be cornered by a dominant UFC champion here
Roman Dolidze will have an elite level presence in his corner for UFC Vegas 109 with this individual carving out a path that has seen many refer to that fighter in question as the GOAT in his given weight category. That combatant being referenced is UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili who has maintained a long held friendship with his fellow Georgian mixed martial artist.
The 37-year-old revealed this information during an interview with Fighters Only and put it out there to the MMA world that Dvalishvili will be making the walk with him at the UFC Apex this weekend. ‘The Caucasian’ has also touted fellow Georgian MMA standout Ilia Topuria as a friend and perhaps the UFC lightweight champion could also end up cornering Dolidze for a future fight.
Dolidze has been seen numerous times on Dvalishvili’s YouTube channel and the two compatriots have been close to one another for years after both moved to the United States to level up their fighting careers.
In an exclusive interview with Fighters Only, Roman Dolidze revealed that UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili will be in his corner when he takes on Anthony "Fluffy" Hernandez in the main event at UFC Vegas 109 this weekend. pic.twitter.com/MIGhMKSkin
UFC Vegas 109 is almost here, and we here at MMA News are here to provide you the latest on betting odds for the card.
The card takes place from the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday, August 9. The main card portion of the event will start at 7PM ET/4PM PT, with preliminary action starting at 4PM ET/1PM PT.
The headline attraction for the event will feature Roman Dolidze facing Anthony Hernandez in a battle of middleweight contenders.
In the co-main event, former flyweight title challenger Steve Erceg moves up to bantamweight to face Ode’ Osbourne.
The main card will also feature Iasmin Lucindo vs. Angela Hill, Andre Fili vs. Christian Rodriguez, Miles Johns vs. Jean Matsumoto, and Eryk Anders vs. Christian Leroy Duncan.
UFC Vegas 109: Roman Dolidze vs. Anthony Hernandez Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC Vegas 109 as of August 8 at 8:30pm ET, courtesy of DraftKings.
Main Card:
Middleweight: Roman Dolidze (+275) vs. Anthony Hernandez (-345)
Bantamweight: Steve Erceg (-525) vs. Ode’ Osbourne (+425)
Women’s Strawweight: Iasmin Lucindo (-205) vs. Angela Hill (+170)
Featherweight: Andre Fili (+200) vs. Christian Rodriguez (-245)
Bantamweight: Miles Johns (+205) vs. Jean Matsumoto (-250)
Middleweight: Eryk Anders (+390) vs. Christian Leroy Duncan (-520)
Preliminary Card:
Light Heavyweight: Julius Walker (-700) vs. Raffael Cerqueira (+500)
Bantamweight: Elijah Smith (-800) vs. Toshiomi Kazama (+550)
Women’s Bantamweight: Joselyne Edwards (-395) vs. Priscila Cachoeira (+310)
Welterweight: Uros Medic (-340) vs. Gilbert Urbina (+270)
Women’s Flyweight: Gabriella Fernandes (-440) vs. Julija Stoliarenko (+340)
Light Heavyweight: Cody Brundage (-170) vs. Eric McConico (+142)
UFC Fight Night: Roman Dolidze vs. Anthony Hernandez takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results.
After returning to the UFC APEX for the first time in about two months last week, the UFC is at its Las Vegas headquarters for a second straight week of Fight Night action. Though there isn’t another UFC APEX Fight Night scheduled for a while, UFC Vegas 109 also marks the last bit of action before the new Dana White’s Contender Series season.
The main event of the evening will be a middleweight matchup featuring Roman Dolidze against Anthony Hernandez. Dolidze enters with a three-fight win streak that includes a decision over Anthony Smith, a finish of Kevin Holland, and a decision over Marvin Vettori. “Fluffy” has won seven straight and eight of his last nine, including a decision win over Brendan Allen in February.
Former flyweight title challenger Steve Erceg will be competing in the co-main event, moving up a weight class and looking to snap a three-fight losing skid against Ode’ Osbourne. While Erceg has failed to get a win since his UFC 301 title shot against Alexandre Pantoja, Osbourne snapped his own skid in April with a finish of Luis Gurule.
The rest of the card will also feature the likes of Angela Hill, Andre Fili, Miles Johns, and Eryk Anders.
UFC Fight Night: Dolidze vs. Hernandez Weigh-In Results
UFC Fight Night: Dolidze vs. Hernandez takes place on Saturday, August 9, at the Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.
Watch the official weigh-ins above via MMA Junkie, and check out the results below.
Main Card:
Middleweight: Roman Dolidze (185.5) vs. Anthony Hernandez (186)*
Bantamweight: Steve Erceg (135.5) vs. Ode’ Osbourne (135.5)
Women’s Strawweight: Iasmin Lucindo (115) vs. Angela Hill (116)
Featherweight: Andre Fili (146) vs. Christian Rodriguez (146)
Bantamweight: Miles Johns (136) vs. Jean Matsumoto (136)
Middleweight: Eryk Anders (186) vs. Christian Leroy Duncan (185)
Preliminary Card:
Light Heavyweight: Julius Walker (206) vs. Raffael Cerqueira (203)
Bantamweight: Elijah Smith (136) vs. Toshiomi Kazama (136)
Women’s Bantamweight: Joselyne Edwards (136)** vs. Priscila Cachoeira (134)
Welterweight: Uros Medic (171) vs. Gilbert Urbina (171)
Women’s Flyweight: Gabriella Fernandes (125.5) vs. Julija Stoliarenko (126)***
Light Heavyweight: Cody Brundage (202.5) vs. Eric McConico (204.5)
*Hernandez missed weight by .5 pounds on his first attempt
**Edwards missed weight by .25 pounds on her first attempt
**Stoliarenko missed weight .25 pounds on her first attempt
UFC middleweight Roman Dolidze has made it crystal clear that he wants to battle Khamat Chimaev for the world title at some point in the future.
Of course, a lot of things need to happen before then. Firstly, Roman Dolidze needs to defeat Anthony Hernandez, who he’ll battle in his next outing. If he does that, the 37-year-old would’ve extended his current win streak to four – and in a division like this one, that’s certainly a solid enough run to raise a few eyebrows in the conversation for championship opportunities.
In addition to that, though, Khamzat Chimaev also needs to defeat Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319 to become the new UFC middleweight champion. Roman Dolidze clearly seems to believe that’s going to happen but at this point on time, it’s safe to say that the mixed martial arts community is split when trying to determine who is going to come out on top in that electric main event.
Ahead of his upcoming fight, Roman Dolidze gave his thoughts on a possible matchup between himself and Chimaev.
Roman Dolidze wants UFC title shot
“I always wanted to fight Khamzat. He’s a great fighter. Whoever wins, it doesn’t change anything for me, but if you ask me who I want to fight, I want to fight Khamzat.”
Dolidze knows that right now, this is an unlikely showdown – but if the stars align, and he’s able to continue pushing himself to the limit at this point in his career, it could soon become very viable.
Since defeats to the Italian in 2023 and Jack Hermansson last February left him on a losing skid, the Georgian has won three on the bounce. And with that, Dolidze believes he’s earned a shot at one of the division’s top names.
“The Caucasian” pointed to former champions Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker as two “realistic” but high-ranked opponents for his next assignment. But during the latest episode of his MMArcade Podcast, the latter was quick to decline.
“Iâm trying to fight a top five guy, dude. Join the queue,” Robert Whittaker said.
Like many fans and pundits, “The Reaper” also didn’t appear too enthralled by Saturday’s main event in his division at the Apex â perhaps compounding his lack of interest in a showdown with Dolidze.
âI watched a round and a half and was like, âDude, I have nothing to gain from this,â and I went back to Monster Hunter Wilds,” Whittaker said. “Bro, it was just like the exact same as their first fight. Theyâre still at the same pub. Theyâre just like, âAh, itâs you,â and then they just started punching on again. Itâs the exact same thing. I reckon they should run it back to break the trilogy, to get some proper closure on whatever reason theyâre having a brawl.”
Vettori’s plan to ascend back into the championship conversation at 185 pounds took a hit this weekend at the Apex, where he suffered a third loss in the space of four fights.
In his first outing since a setback against Jared Cannonier in June 2023, “The Italian Dream” ran it back with the man he last defeated, Roman Dolidze.
Like their first contest, Saturday’s main event wasn’t among the most enthralling and entertaining of the year to date. With that in mind, it would seem that not many are pandering to see the 1-1 feud get settled in a trilogy.
The Italian former title challenger, however, sees it as essential.
I guess well need a trilogy The most nonsense trilogy i agree with you bastards lol But at this point it has to happen
“I guess we’ll need a trilogy,” Marvin Vettori wrote on X. “The most nonsense trilogy, I agree with you bastards lol. But at this point it has to happen.”
While Vettori returns to the drawing board and looks to bounce back next time out, Dolidze can expect to return to the middleweight top 10 come Tuesday’s rankings update.
After falling short in their original encounter at UFC 286, Roman Dolidze exacted revenge when he and Marvin Vettori were placed into a five-round rematch, scoring a unanimous decision win in the UFC Vegas 104 main event.
Both men put their striking on display in the opening frame. While Vettori landed more in terms of quantity, it seemed Dolidze was landing the powerful, more effective strikes. The Georgian managed to pull away in activity with a clear second round, though he appeared to get lucky when a pair of fouls did not result in a point deduction from referee Herb Dean.
The two were even in terms of strikes in round three, but the Italian former title challenger had the better activity around this time. Dolidze, however, seemed to turn things up in the main event/championship rounds. “The Caucasian” established control with his strikes and was the one bringing the pressure in the fight’s final 10 minutes.
This led to the judges giving Dolidze the nod 49-46 across the board.
Roman Dolidze Gets Revenge On Marvin Vettori With Clear Five-Round Decision Victory
Very even scrap but I have Dolidze up on the score cards. Finishing this round strong should seal the win for the Georgian powerhouse #UFCVegas104
UFC Fight Night took place tonight from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights!Â
In the main event, middleweights Marvin Vettori and Roman Dolidze clashed. While in the co-main event, Chidi Njokuani faced Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos in a welterweight matchup.Â
UFC Fight Night Results: Main Card
Middleweight: Roman Dolidze def. Marvin Vettori via unanimous decision (49-46×3)
Welterweight: Chidi Njokuani def. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos via TKO: R2, 2.19
Lightweight: Alexander Hernandez def. Kurt Holobaugh via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28×2)
Bantamweight: DaâMon Blackshear def. Cody Gibson via submission: R2, 4.09
Light Heavyweight: Brendson Ribeiro def. Diyar Nurgozhay via submission: R2, 1.28
Featherweight: Kevin Vallejos def. SeungWoo Choi via TKO: R1, 3.09
Preliminary Card
Heavyweight: Waldo Cortes-Acosta def. Ryan Spann via TKO: R2, 4.48
Bantamweight: SuYoung You def. AJ Cunningham via unanimous decision (30-27×3)
Bantamweight: Carlos Vera def. Josias Musasa via submission: R1, 3.16
Womenâs Strawweight: Sam Hughes def. Stephanie Luciano via split decision (29-28, 29-27, 28-29)
Flyweight: Andre Lima def. Daniel Barez via submission: R3, 3.05
Headlining will be former middleweight title challenger Marvin Vettori. The Italian will return from a near-two-year layoff to run it back with Roman Dolidze, whom he previously outpointed in a lackluster three-round clash in 2023.
Elsewhere, Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos, Alexander Hernandez, Cody Gibson, SeungWoo Choi, and Ryan Spann will be in action.
UFC Fight Night: Vettori vs. Dolidze 2 Weigh-In Results
UFC Fight Night: Vettori vs. Dolidze 2 takes place on Saturday, March 15, at the Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.
See above for a replay of the weigh-ins via MMA Junkie, and check out the results below.
Main Card:
Middleweight: Marvin Vettori (186lbs) vs. Roman Dolidze (186lbs)
Welterweight: Chidi Njokuani (172.25lbs)* vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (171lbs)
Lightweight: Alexander Hernandez (156lbs) vs. Kurt Holobaugh (155.5lbs)
Bantamweight: DaâMon Blackshear (136lbs) vs. Cody Gibson (136lbs)
Light Heavyweight: Diyar Nurgozhay (120.5lbs)** vs. Brendson Ribeiro (205.5lbs)
Featherweight: SeungWoo Choi (146lbs) vs. Kevin Vallejos (145.5lbs)
Preliminary Card:
Heavyweight: Waldo Cortes-Acosta (261.5lbs) vs. Ryan Spann (249lbs)
Bantamweight: SuYoung You (136lbs) vs. AJ Cunningham (136lbs)
Bantamweight: Carlos Vera (136lbs) vs. Josias Musasa (136.5lbs)*
Women’s Strawweight: Stephanie Luciano (116lbs) vs. Sam Hughes (116lbs)
Flyweight: Daniel Barez (126lbs) vs. Andre Lima (126lbs)
Women’s Bantamweight: Josiane Nunes (136lbs) vs. Priscila Cachoeira (135lbs)
Women’s Flyweight: Yuneisy Duben (125.5lbs) vs. Carli Judice (125lbs)
*Chidi Njokuani missed the welterweight limit by 1.25 pounds, fine TBA
**Diyar Nurgozhay missed the light heavyweight limit by 4.5 pounds, fine TBA
***Josias Musasa missed the bantamweight limit by 0.5 pounds, fine TBA
UFC Vegas 104 is almost upon us, and MMA News is here to keep you updated with the current odds for this weekendâs lineup.
The upcoming event takes place Saturday, March 15, at the UFC Apex in Enterprise, Nevada. The main card begins at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 4 PM ET/1 PM PT.
Marvin Vettori and Roman Dolidze are reportedly on track to run it back.
According to a recent report by @MagicM_MMABets on X, former UFC middleweight title challenger Vettori is set to make his Octagon return after nearly two years on the sidelines. He will face his former opponent, Dolidze, in a rematch headlining a UFC Fight Night event scheduled for March 15 at the Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The news was corroborated by Eurosport Nederland’s Marcel Dorff.
The two fighters first crossed paths at UFC 286 in March 2023, where “The Italian Dream” emerged victorious with a gritty unanimous decision.
Since then, Vettori has stepped into the Octagon just once, suffering a one-sided decision loss to Jared Cannonier in June 2023. The 31-year-old Italian was originally set to make his comeback against Brendan Allen at UFC Vegas 90 in April 2024, but had to withdraw from the bout just weeks before the event due to an unfortunate injury.
“The Italian Dream” currently boasts a UFC record of 9-5-1 and hinted last month that he’s in the twilight of his career, with plans to hang up his gloves after just a few more fights.
So who wants to fight an easy top 10 guy on his way to retirement?? Iâm ok with anyone, just my last few so maybe i can call it
Meanwhile, Dolidze had a mixed yet notable year inside the cage in 2024, securing back-to-back victories over Anthony Smith and Kevin Holland at UFC 303 and UFC 307, respectively. Those wins followed a majority decision loss to Nassourdine Imavov back in February.
Kevin Holland’s second fight since returning to the middleweight division ended in unfortunate circumstances at UFC 307.
“Trailblazer” met Roman Dolidze, who was able to secure a takedown in the opening round after taking this fight as a replacement for Chris Curtis.
During a scramble on the ground, Holland injured his rib and was in clear pain but was able to make it to the horn following some heavy ground-and-pound from the Georgian fighter.
In-between rounds, “Big Mouth” spoke to his coach Bob Perez about the injury as his corner asked him whether he could continue.
Referee Jason Herzog gave them some time to make the call and before the second stanza got underway, the Holland corner confirmed that he couldn’t continue.
Conor McGregor Criticizes Kevin Holland For Mid-Fight Injury Stoppage
In a quickly deleted post on X, Conor McGregor reacted to Holland’s injury and criticized the fan favorite for not attempting to continue.
“The Notorious” is no stranger to having fights stopped due to an injury and, in his opinion, “Big Mouth” should have at least tried to resume the contest before withdrawing.
The call wasn’t made by Holland, who undoubtedly would have tried to continue if the decision was up to him.
“Didn’t even f*cking try? Nah that is ridiculous! Go out again and see how is. If folds up again then you end it with the towel. Nah that’s not it for me folks. Holland is a solid veteran he well should have went out and gave it shot to see how he was. Wrong move.”
After capturing the gold in November 2023 and withstanding challenges from Jamahal Hill and JiĆĂ ProchĂĄzka this year, âPoatanâ is next tasked with stalling the championship ambitions of Khalil Rountree to continue his reign atop the 205-pound mountain.
Title stakes will also be present for the co-main event, which will see Raquel Pennington make her first defense of the bantamweight belt opposite returning ex-divisional queen Julianna Peña.
Ahead of the event, all 24 fighters successfully made weight. With that, every fight has remained intact, and all that remains on Friday night is for the athletes to face off one final time at the UFC 307 ceremonial weigh-ins!
Check out a live stream via the official UFC YouTube channel below, commencing at 6 p.m. ET.
Two titles will be on the line at the top of the card, with Alex Pereira defending his light heavyweight belt against Khalil Rountree and Raquel Pennington staking the women’s bantamweight gold opposite Julianna Peña.
UFC 307 takes place Saturday, October 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6:30 PM ET/3:30 PM PT.
See above for a replay of the UFC 307Â Weigh-In Show, and check out the full results below!
Main Card:
Light Heavyweight Championship: Alex Pereira (205lbs) vs. Khalil Rountree (205lbs)
Womenâs Bantamweight Championship: Raquel Pennington (135lbs) vs. Julianna Peña (134.5lbs)
Topping the lineup will be reigning UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira, who is tasked with getting the better of surprise challenger Khalil Rountree if heâs to record a third successful title defense in 2024.
Weâre deep into UFC 307 fight week, meaning it was recently time for the fighters set to be in action on October 5 to take to the stage and answer some questions.
Setting the stage for the headliners will be another title fight, with reigning bantamweight queen Raquel Pennington looking to record a first successful defense at the expense of returning former champ Julianna Peña.
The main card will also see the always entertaining Kevin Holland making the walk, as he shoots for the middleweight top 10 against Roman Dolidze.
As is customary during major fight weeks, the athletes took to the stage on Thursday for the pre-fight press conference. The UFC 307 edition saw every fighter set to make the walk on the main card in two daysâ time with mic in hand.
Check out a full replay of the presser below via the UFCâs official YouTube channel, followed by all the highlights and faceoffs.
The main event will see Alex Pereira attempt to record his third successful title defense of 2024. Following on from knockout wins over Jamahal Hill at UFC 300 and JiĆĂ ProchĂĄzka at UFC 303, “Poatan” will headline another PPV, this time against a surprise challenger in #8-ranked light heavyweight Khalil Rountree.
Co-headlining will be another titleholder in Raquel Pennington, who returns nine months on from her crowning to defend the women’s bantamweight belt against fellow TUF 18 competitor Julianna Peña, who has been out of action for over two years.
Ahead of Saturdayâs UFC 307 event, Kyle Dimond, Ryan Jarrell, Thomas Albano, Pranav Pandey, and Aakrit Sharma have provided their picks for the five matchups set for the main card.
Below, you can check out the current leaderboard through six cards.
Thomas Albano (23-6)
Ryan Jarrell (17-12)
Kyle Dimond (15-14)
Andrew Starc (8-11)
Pranav Pandey (4-6)
Aakrit Sharma (2-3)
And with that, itâs time for the teamâs predictions for UFC 307.
Middleweight: Roman Dolidze vs. Kevin Holland
Images: UFC.com
Kyle Dimond: Holland up at middleweight against a grappler just seems like a recipe for disaster. Considering that Dolidze has fought up at light heavyweight, that only makes me more confident in him being able to take Holland down and hold him there. Enough said. (Prediction: Roman Dolidze)
Ryan Jarrell: This is a tricky fight to pick because I can see paths both men have to a victory here. I think Holland is the more polished striker and could be able to get the better of Dolidze on the feet. But the Georgian is a wild man and can mix things up and make it very dangerous for Holland. I expect Dolidze to have the bigger moments in this fight. I want to say he wins via TKO but Holland is tough, so the pick is Dolidze by decision. (Prediction: Roman Dolidze)
Thomas Albano: After his win over Anthony Smith, questions emerged about Roman Dolidze: will he try to go for another fight among the middleweight contender scene (after a loss to Nassourdine Imavov)? Or will he try his hand at 205 pounds again? Ultimately, he chooses the 185 route, replacing an injured Chris Curtis against Holland. “Big Mouth” has lost four of his last seven, though he enters off a win over MichaĆ Oleksiejczuk at UFC 302.
Nothing to say about this one other than striker vs. grappler â simple as that. If this fight gets to the ground, Holland is in trouble. Even if heâs improved his takedown defense game, Dolidze will be able to control the fight there. If Holland keeps the fight on the feet, then heâll be able to pick Dolidze apart. Admittedly, this is a coin flip, but I think Dolidze will have the chin and endurance to outlast Hollandâs strikes â and enough strength to take Holland to the ground. (Prediction: Roman Dolidze)
Pranav Pandey: From what I can gather, this matchup promises to be a true 50/50 affair, with both fighters showcasing their unique and dynamic styles that have consistently led them to success. Dolidze seemed a bit derailed after suffering the first back-to-back losses of his career, but “The Caucasian” rebounded spectacularly with a dominant performance against Smith at UFC 303. The Georgian packs some serious power in his hands and is equally adept in grappling.
As for Holland, he enjoys a notable reach advantage and displays impressive fluidity in his footwork, complemented by solid takedown defense. However, my only concern with “Trailblazer” is that, in his recent fights, he hasnât appeared fully invested in competing and hasn’t looked as sharp as he once did. Despite this, you can never count Holland out. That said, I believe Dolidze will take this matchup, successfully keeping Holland at bay while leveraging his strengths. (Prediction: Roman Dolidze)
Aakrit Sharma: There are ways for both Holland and Dolidze to emerge victorious here. Dolidze can utilize his size and wrestling to shut down his opponentâs offense, while Holland can rely on his speed and movement to overwhelm the Georgian on the feet. Holland has only suffered one TKO loss in his career, while Dolidze has never been finished via strikes or submission. Iâm predicting the fight goes the distance and Holland wins via decision. Even if he gets taken down, âTrailblazerâ has the potential to pull out a submission. (Prediction: Kevin Holland)
Consensus: 4-1 Roman Dolidze
Women’s Bantamweight: Ketlen Vieira vs. Kayla Harrison
Images: UFC.com
Kyle Dimond: I struggle to see how Vieira is able to make this fight competitive once Harrison gets hold of her. The big question ahead of her debut at UFC 300 was making bantamweight and, sure, it likely wasnât an easy cut, but she made the weight and looked good inside the Octagon. The bantamweight division needs a big performance from her and a just as important post-fight interview. I donât see anyone causing her too many problems in this division right now. I predict she’ll find a second-round TKO in Utah. (Prediction: Kayla Harrison)
Ryan Jarrell: The odds in this fight make it pretty hard to go against the American. We all know the insane skillset that Harrison possesses. I do think Vieira is a live underdog here, and I can see her surprising the masses and pulling off the upset. But that doesnât mean I feel confident enough to pick her to beat the two-time Olympic gold medalist. Give me Harrison to win via second-round submission. (Prediction: Kayla Harrison)
Thomas Albano: There are plenty of people who feel Harrison should have been the one challenging for the womenâs bantamweight title this weekend. But Peña played her cards right and it paid off. So Harrison, just in her second UFC fight, has to go against another dangerous name in the womenâs 135-pound division in Vieira. The Brazilian, meanwhile, has won three of her last four, though she hasnât fought since the summer of 2023. Vieraâs most recent win came against Pannie Kianzad, and her other victories were decisions over Holm and Miesha Tate. Her only loss in this span? Raquel Pennington â the current champ.
Stylistically, this could be a really good fight considering Vieira, with her own skillset in judo and jiu-jitsu, could try to have a grappling battle with the two-time Olympic gold medalist â or try to use striking to counter Harrisonâs game. That said, Harrison is just so good all around, putting that on display against Holm after building herself up with a pair of title wins in the PFL (and coming just short of a third). Harrison should be able to win this one and lock up a guaranteed shot against the Pennington vs. Peña winner. (Prediction: Kayla Harrison)
Pranav Pandey: I think this could be one of the most lopsided matchups weâll witness on Saturday night. Vieira is undeniably tough and has a solid grappling foundation, but the real question is whether she can keep someone like Harrison grounded â and if so, for how long? In my opinion, Harrisonâs sheer dominance is likely too overwhelming for the Brazilian to manage, making it an uphill battle for Vieira from the start. The two-time Olympic gold medalist will bring a fierce intensity no matter where the fight unfolds. Whether it’s on the feet, on the mat, or anywhere in between, her dynamic style is set to take control at every turn. (Prediction: Kayla Harrison)
Aakrit Sharma: Now that we know Harrison can make weight for the UFC womenâs bantamweight division, I do not doubt sheâll be champion by the end of 2025, especially in Nunes’ absence. Harrison should rely on the same game plan that helped her win her UFC debut against Holly Holm, the wrestling. However, fighting at altitude following a brutal weight cut could be a problem for the Olympian and she should avoid trading shots with Vieira as the Brazilian possesses decent power and accuracy on the feet for the division.
Although Vieira boasts 93 percent takedown defense in the UFC, sheâs yet to face someone as powerful and experienced as Harrison. Thanks to the constant takedown threat, Vieira might not be as comfortable and fluid on the feet as well, helping Harrison get an unexpected KO victory. (Prediction: Kayla Harrison)
Ryan Jarrell: Father Time has a pretty good track record unless your Tom Brady. But this is not football, and Bautista is a hungry, young Lion looking to make his mark against the legend in Aldo. This fight will be very competitive and Aldo will have his moments, but I believe Bautista is diverse enough to win a decision in what could be Fight of the Night. (Prediction: Mario Bautista)
Thomas Albano: Just when we thought Aldoâs time in the Octagon was done, he comes back earlier this year to put on a solid performance against Martinez. Now, Aldo gets a lower-ranked contender in Bautista. Despite the Brazilianâs age and brief retirement, he has won four of five fights heâs had since December 2020. The only loss in that span came against current bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili. Bautista, meanwhile, is sporting a six-fight win streak that includes submissions of Brian Kelleher and Benito Lopez, as well as a decision over Ricky SimĂłn in his most recent outing.
Pranav Pandey: Thereâs no slowing down the âKing of Rio.â After his return at UFC 301 following a hiatus, Aldo reminded everyone exactly why heâs held in such legendary esteem. The Brazilian icon masterfully dismantled Martinez, showcasing his trademark distance control and fluid in-and-out striking, leaving his opponent with little room to counter. Despite entering the sunset years of his illustrious career, the former 145-pound kingpin remains fully engaged, showing no signs of losing his edge. But while itâs tough for me to go against Aldo, Bautista presents a serious challenge.
The American brings a well-rounded grappling game, seamlessly blending feints with takedowns, and has been on an impressive run lately. The real question, though, is whether Bautista can apply enough pressure to disrupt Aldo’s rhythm. I believe he can. Bautistaâs youth, freshness, and relentless pace, coupled with the potential impact of Utahâs altitude, could very well wear Aldo down and make it difficult for him to keep up with such a high-octane style. (Prediction: Mario Bautista)
Aakrit Sharma: This is my FOTN contender for UFC 307. The Bautista that showed up in the third round against SimĂłn was truly special. The pace, the volume, the accuracy, and the timing would trouble anyone in the UFC menâs bantamweight division. Bautista is dangerous because he has several tools in his arsenal. He can kick, strike, and most importantly, hurt you with knees and elbows. For the rising American prospect, the path to victory should be to keep Aldo in the clinch and land in the pocket as much as possible. He has a great ground game and takedown defense, but itâs unlikely to work against Aldo, who also boasts one of the highest takedown defense rates in UFC history.
UFC Women’s Bantamweight Title: Raquel Pennington vs. Julianna Peña
Images: UFC/Zuffa LLC
Kyle Dimond: This one is a really tough one to call. I think Peña at her best is probably better than Pennington, and I think Iâd lean that way if it was over three rounds. This is one Iâve gone back and forth on and I can totally see another grinding performance from Pennington to retain the title. But, Iâm gonna back Peña. My major concern is that she doesnât have a win over anyone in the UFC righ tnow. However, many of Penningtonâs wins havenât been massively impressive either, so maybe that will level things out. (Prediction: Julianna Peña)
Ryan Jarrell: The dislike these two ladies have for one another will add to the build-up of this fight. However, I think the bout itself will be somewhat of a snooze fest. Mostly, because I believe Peña will dominate the wrestling and grappling exchanges and spend a lot of time in top control. I expect “The Venezuelan Vixen” to win a decision here. (Prediction: Julianna Peña)
Thomas Albano: Itâs not the most popular choice of fight, but thereâs credit that has to be given out. The unpopular manner Pennington won the womenâs bantamweight championship at the start of the year does not fall all on her. And though Peña has not fought since UFC 277, and has complained about not receiving a trilogy fight with Amanda Nunes, sheâs got another opportunity at the title now. In fairness, Peña did score one of MMAâs greatest upsets when she finished Nunes at UFC 269. There is certainly merit to her game. Pennington, meanwhile, was pretty dominant when she won the then-vacant title at UFC 297 in a fight with Mayra Bueno Silva that went the distance â a fight that honestly showed Bueno Silva did not belong there.
These two ladies are two of the best that the UFCâs 135-pound division has to offer. Both these two also have history with one another as members of Team Tate during season 18 of The Ultimate Fighter – which Peña won, with Pennington falling in the semifinals. Pennington is the defending champion and is on a six-fight win streak, but I feel that Peña just has more power, a better well-rounded skillset, and better wins and experience in terms of competition. That may probably play out on Saturday night with âThe Venezuelan Vixenâ getting the gold back. (Prediction: Julianna Peña)
Pranav Pandey: This matchup between Pennington and Peña is one that, in my view, could swing in either direction at any moment. Pennington, the reigning champion, comes in riding the wave of a five-fight win streak. Known for her relentless pace, “Rocky” brings a high-volume striking game that methodically wears down her opponents over the course of a fight. However, Penningtonâs lack of knockout power often pushes her bouts to go the distance, which could be a disadvantage against someone as tough and relentless as Peña.
“The Venezuelan Vixen” is a durable powerhouse with an unwavering pace, constantly pressuring her adversaries with ceaseless activity. Sheâs not the type to let her opponents settle into their rhythm easily, and against someone like Pennington, sheâll be looking to turn this into a gritty war. The way I see it, Pennington will undoubtedly have her moments of success, but Peña possesses the full arsenal needed to prevail and reclaim the championship. (Prediction: Julianna Peña)
Aakrit Sharma: As a womenâs UFC fighter, itâs hard to have a bigger flex than beating Nunes. However, the rematch being a complete shutout definitely hurt Peñaâs brand, with many questioning this title shot against Pennington. I do believe Peña to be tough and skilled enough to grab the belt from “Rocky,” though.
“The Venezuelan Vixen” should benefit greatly from setting the pace of the fight early on and mixing things up, as taking down the UFC womenâs bantamweight champion wonât be an easy task. Sheâll have to give the champ several things to worry about for winning on the scorecards as I donât think either of them will be finished. My pick for this one is Peña winning by decision. (Prediction: Julianna Peña)
Consensus: 5-0 Julianna Peña
UFC Light Heavyweight Title: Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree
Images: UFC.com
Kyle Dimond: I like watching Rountree a lot. His striking style is tons of fun to watch. He also certainly has the power and skill to knock anyone in this division out. I would have liked to have seen the Jamahal Hill fight first, though, because frankly, Iâm not sure I could back anyone to beat Pereira when their best win is Anthony Smith.
Rountree is dangerous, but when youâre talking about Pereira, youâre talking about an all-time great in kickboxing. âPoatanâ could get caught if heâs overly aggressive, but I think heâll pick Rountree apart before ending it in the second. (Prediction: Alex Pereira)
Ryan Jarrell: Iâm excited for this fight. We all know the power that both of these guys possess. It should make for an exciting finish one way or another. As much as I like Rountree, I just donât see him as a champion. I think the four-inch reach advantage that Pereira has will be the difference in this fight. Give me “Poatan” via second-round TKO. (Prediction: Alex Pereira)
Thomas Albano: I donât want to come off like a Rountree hater â he has seemed like a cool dude in the interviews that he does. And stylistically, this fight can be fun considering how these two can be creative and powerful as strikers. Having said that (and yes, I know the UFCâs ranking system is skewed, but neverthelessâŠ) why is the #8 contender getting a title shot? I truly feel that the UFC probably wanted Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway for this card. But with that fight moved to UFC 308, and the UFC probably wanting a better headliner than Pennington vs. Peña, they called up Pereira to save their butts (again).
Pereira has retained the light heavyweight title against JiĆĂ ProchĂĄzka and Jamahal Hill. Rountreeâs win streak, meanwhile, has seen him go through the likes of Smith, Chris Daukaus, and Karl Roberson. This will be a calculated kickboxing-style matchup as both men look for the key opportunity to land a devastating shot on the other. Unfortunately for Rountree, Pereiraâs strikes are just too powerful, and heâs dominated against much stronger competition. Youâll see a frenzy if Rountree gets the win (lest anything else in the second half of 2024 UFC be crazier), but Pereira should probably take this in the first six minutes or so. (Prediction: Alex Pereira)
Pranav Pandey: From where I stand, this clash is one of the most direct and explosive matchups on the UFC 307 card. With both Pereira and Rountree being strikers, I don’t foresee any room for grappling or takedowns coming into play. Rountree has proven time and again that he can weather the storm against elite-tier kickboxers, and respond with even greater force. “The War Horse” boasts a lethal kicking arsenal, complemented by knockout power in his fists. However, ‘Poatan’ is far from an ordinary kickboxer, having carved a path through several former champions during his brief yet immensely successful tenure in the Octagon.
“Poatan’s” exceptional fight IQ and thunderous striking ability allow him to methodically dismantle his opponents. Rountree will need to close the distance early to nullify Pereira’s reach, but doing so may leave him dangerously exposed to Pereira’s counters, particularly his devastating left hook. I believe Pereiraâs significant reach advantage, along with the unrelenting ferocity in his attacks, will overwhelm Rountree and make it incredibly difficult for him to land his best shots. The Brazilianâs calculated pressure and ability to dictate the fightâs tempo will likely cause Rountree to unravel under the onslaught. (Prediction: Alex Pereira)
Aakrit Sharma: Yes, Rountree can pull off a huge upset against Pereira if he lands a good shot. Will he, though? âPoatanâ just looks unstoppable at the moment, and it seems to be a matter of time before he finds his opponent’s chin one way or another. Considering Glover Teixeira corners and trains Pereira, I actually wonât be surprised if the UFC light heavyweight champ shoots for a takedown and showcases some of his wrestling. Considering heâs already mastered striking and kickboxing, Iâm sure Pereira focuses a lot on filling the holes in his game to prepare for opponents like Magomed Ankalaev.
Rountreeâs a great striker and his momentum through a five-fight win streak is undeniable. âThe War Horseâ can trouble the champ with leg kicks and powerful shots, but I simply donât see anyone taking out Pereira on the feet. (Prediction: Alex Pereira)
Consensus: 5-0 Alex Pereira
Thatâll do it for our UFC 307 staff picks! What do you think? Do your picks look similar? Let us know in the comments section! Also, you can check out the full UFC 307 card below.
Main Card:
Light Heavyweight Championship: Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree
Women’s Bantamweight Championship: Raquel Pennington vs. Julianna Peña
The UFC has grown exponentially in the years since its inception way back in 1993. While the sport of MMA has come a long way since the days of groin strikes, headbutts and Tank Abbott, the demands placed on the global leader to satisfy an ever-growing audience in this social media-driven world has led to a swollen roster of contracted fighters.
The need to provide content to fulfil contractual obligations with TV networks has meant an increase in the overall number of events the UFC are pumping out these days. There are 53 shows scheduled to take place in 2024 alone, between pay-per-view events and âFight Nightâ cards, spread out over international locations such as Brazil, France, the United Kingdom, Abu Dhabi, Australia and of course, the United States.
With many of these events taking place in the relatively low-key surroundings of the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, some of these cards have become less about putting fans in seats and more about ticking off fights on some fightersâ contracts. The biggest names are being kept for the pay-per-views and the rest are being wheeled out with the sole purpose of filling in the gaps.
This Saturdayâs Fight Night event (set to be headlined by a strawweight rematch between Amanda Lemos and Virna Jandiroba) is another card loaded with fights lacking in jeopardy and unlikely to have any telling effect on the title picture in any of the UFC weight divisions.
With that in mind, letâs look at five of the more underwhelming main events the UFC have offered up so far in 2024.
Roman Dolidze vs. Nassourdine Imavov, UFC Fight Night, February 3 (UFC Apex)
The UFCâ had a somewhat slow start to 2024. January brought us an underwhelming Fight Night card followed by a PPV event in Canada that lacked star names outside of the main event between Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis. Coming into February, UFC fans were desperately in need of some high-stakes entertainment.
The Apex middleweight showdown between Dolidze and Imavov was not it. A main card entirely devoid of ranked fighters (outside of the main event) offered up one draw and four decisions, with only Randy Brownâs first-round knockout of Muslim Salikhov managing to give viewers something to get them out of their seats.
https://youtu.be/Z6OLxve-G2Q?si=qRqf4ZqaM6mSHNkG
Both main event fighters came into this event in stuttering form. Dolidze hadnât been seen in competitive action since losing to Marvin Vettori eleven months earlier, while Imavov was coming off the back of a difficult 2023. A decision loss to Sean Strickland early in the year was followed by his summer bout with Chris Curtis being declared a âno contestâ after an accidental clash of heads.
A majority decision victory for Nassourdine Imavov after twenty-five less-than-inspiring minutes followed. Both fighters picked up victories last month and seem to be rising through the ranks at 185lbs, but their clash at the Apex last February is not one that will live long in the memory of many UFC fans.
Jack Hermansson vs. Joe Pyfer, UFC Fight Night, February 10 (UFC Apex)
A week later, with UFC 298 on the horizon and the MMA news cycle being dominated by the build-up to Alexander Volkanovski vs Ilia Topuria, fans were treated to another Apex event with a middleweight headliner. This time, admittedly, there was a little more intrigue surrounding the headline match-up as Joe Pyfer was coming off the back of an unbeaten start to his UFC career. âBodybagzâ had won all three of his fights inside the Octagon to that point, and finishes over Alen Amedovski, Gerald Meerschaert and Abdul Razak Alhassan had earmarked the 26-year-old as a fighter worth keeping an eye on.
Jack Hermansson looked like he was being positioned as the man to give up his place in the rankings to Pyfer. The Swede was returning from a year-long absence due to injury and had lost three of his previous five bouts at 185lbs. Against the odds, however, Hermansson derailed the Pyfer hype train and, after a strong opening two rounds from Pyfer, âThe Jokerâ picked off his opponent from range over the remainder of the fight and walked away with a 48-47 scorecard from each of the three judges.
Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Shamil Gaziev, UFC Fight Night, March 2 (UFC Apex)
UFC 298 and the Fight Night that was held in Mexico City a week later gave fans a reminder of how good the atmosphere can be when big crowds and exciting fights are paired together. Ilia Topuriaâs title victory in Anaheim, California followed by Brandon Royvalâs win over Brandon Moreno the following week meant February had itsâ fair share of entertainment inside the Octagon.
Fans were brought back down to earth with a bang on March 2nd however, as perennial heavyweight gatekeeper Jairzinho Rozenstruik was paired with Shamil Gaziev. Although Gaziev came into this event unbeaten at 12-0, the Bahraini fighter had only made one appearance inside the Octagon so far and many fans seemed perplexed at his positioning in the headline slot of a UFC event so soon.
Image: Jairzinho Rozenstruik IG
The gulf in class was evident as Gaziev was utterly dominated by âBigi Boyâ from the off. After four one-sided rounds, a bruised and battered Gaziev was deemed unfit to continue following an inspection by referee Marc Goddard. Not only did Gaziev pick up the first loss of his professional career, his positioning in the main event slot so soon after signing with the UFC drew plenty of criticism from fans and fighters alike.
Tai Tuivasa vs. Marcin Tybura, UFC Fight Night, March 16 (UFC Apex)
Just two weeks later, in the wake of UFC 299, the ânew normalâ resumed in the UFC Apex as heavyweights Marcin Tybura and Tai Tuivasa collided in the main event of an event that featured such names as Ange Loosa, Isaac Dulgarian and Brian Battle on the main card.
https://youtu.be/AAzOlhvQaNs?si=t5np0uJB0GkpTjjY
Tyburaâs first-round submission victory would be his eighth win in ten fights helping the Polish fighter break into the top ten of the UFCâs heavyweight rankings. His opponent however was riding a three-fight losing streak coming into this bout and with the Australian taking significant damage in his defeats to Cyril Gane, Alexander Volkov and Sergei Pavlovich, the discussion among the MMA community in the wake of this defeat centred around whether or not âBam Bamâ should retire.
As it would turn out, Tybura made quick work of Tuivasa and the fight didn’t even see two minutes of action. Another underwhelming main event into the books, then.
Derrick Lewis vs. Rodrigo Nascimento, UFC Fight Night, May 11 (St. Louis)
April brought fight fans one of the most memorable fight cards in the history of the sport. UFC 300 was packed from top to bottom with current or former champions, and the knockouts delivered by Alex Pereira and Max Holloway during the main card will go down in history as two of the most exciting finishes inside the Octagon.
Lewis knocked out Nascimento in the main event but the fight failed to cause a ripple in the heavyweight rankings. âThe Black Beastâ had lost four of his previous six fights and is unlikely to enter the heavyweight title discussion anytime soon, while Nascimento had won three consecutive split-decision victories over unranked opponents prior to facing Lewis.
https://youtu.be/v5V07FuNqMw?si=CRsNMTozbW_T7h2r
It seems in the modern world of the UFC, for every title fight or number-one contender match-up fans are granted, they are doomed to sit through multiple filler events behind closed doors at the UFC Apex.
