Liam Lindsay

UFC Vegas 103 is set for Saturday at the UFC Apex, and fighters took to media day to discuss their matchups, preparations, and what’s at stake in their bouts.

## Manel Kape Ready to Make a Statement

Manel Kape exuded confidence in his interview and is eyeing a title shot following a victory over Asu Almabayev. 

> "This is still a number one contender fight. Brandon pulled out—if I had beaten him, I'd be fighting for a title." - Manel Kape

Kape is ranked #6 but has only one recent loss, a split decision against Muhammad Mokaev, which was a strange fight overall. Kape will likely move into the top five with a victory over Almabayev, so a title shot wouldn’t be out of the question.

## Asu Almabayev Talks Opponent Switch

With a perfect 4-0 UFC record, Almabayev jumped at the opportunity to face Kape in the main event. He was originally scheduled to face Steve Erceg; however, Erceg is now fighting Brandon Moreno at UFC Mexico City, so Almabayev stepped in for Brandon Royval. “I wrote to my managers right away and said I’m ready to fight." The Kazakh fighter sees this as his chance to prove he belongs in the title conversation, and with the volatile flyweight division, anything could happen.

## Cody Brundage Returns with Renewed Focus

Cody Brundage returns in the co-main event following his no-contest against Abdul Razak Alhassan. He spoke to the media about taking time off to reset. - 

> “I fought six times in 14 months… I needed to step back and decide if this is what I wanted to keep doing.” - Cody Brundage

Brundage admits that he struggled with retirement questions but now feels refreshed and is looking to make a statement against Julian Marquez.

## Julian Marquez Knows He Needs a Win

After three straight losses, Marquez has had time to reassess. Despite being a must-see fighter, he recognizes that he needs to bounce back this weekend. “Nothing’s more embarrassing than getting knocked out in front of millions, but each fight isn’t who I am.” Marquez also mentioned that he and Cody Brundage have trained together in the past but doesn’t hold any ill will toward Brundage for taking the matchup.

## Nasrat Haqparast Eyes the Top 15

Haqparast, now in his 14th UFC fight, believes a win over Ribovics puts him right on the doorstep of the rankings. He's riding a four-fight winning streak, including victories over Jared Gordon and Jamie Mullarkey. “I’ve been here eight years. It’s about consistency and longevity. I think it’s a big accomplishment to survive in the UFC when you're so young.” Haqparast believes he’s entering his prime despite his long UFC career and feels that a win over Ribovics will earn him a ranking in the division.

Which fight are you most excited about on Saturday night? As a member of the Verdict community, let us know with a comment below.

UFC Fight Night: Kape vs. Almabayev Recap

Douglas Vegas Bets

The main event has been set for UFC Kansas City as Light Heavyweights Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree Jr. are set to go head-to-head in a huge matchup for the division. This fight is scheduled for April 26th from the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. 

## Announcement: Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. Light Heavyweight

Hill will look to bounce back here after losing his last fight to Jiri Prochazka at UFC 311 earlier this year. Rountree Jr. comes into this off a loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 307 where many were impressed with his effort.

## UFC Kansas City Full Card

Jamahal Hill vs. Khaili Rountree Jr., Light Heavyweight

Michel Pereira vs. Abus Magomedov, Middleweight

Giga Chikadze vs. David Onama, Featherweight

Ikram Aliskerov vs. Andre Muniz, Middleweight

Anthony Smith vs. Mingyang Zhang, Light Heavyweight

Ahmad Hassanzada vs. Mitch Ramirez, Lightweight

Jaqueline Amorim vs. Polyana Viana, Strawweight

Cameron Saaiman vs. Malcolm Wellmaker, Bantamweight

Chelsea Chandler vs. Joselyne Edwards, Bantamweight

Matt Schnell vs. Jimmy Flick, Flyweight

Who are you picking in this fantastic Light Heavyweight clash? Let us know in the comments.

Jamahal Hill Takes on Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC Kansas City

Dana White confirmed today that Jean Silva will take on Bryce Mitchell in a Featherweight matchup after Silva called out Mitchell last weekend. This fight is scheduled for UFC 314 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.

## Announcement: Bryce Mitchell vs. Jean Silva Featherweight

Mitchell returns here following his third-round knockout win over Kron Gracie last year at UFC 310. Silva makes a quick turnaround here after his first-round finish against Melsik Baghdasaryan at UFC Seattle.

## UFC 314 Full Card

Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes, Featherweight Title Fight

Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett, 5-Round Lightweight Fight

Bryce Mitchell vs. Jean Silva, Featherweight

Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes, Light Heavyweight

Yair Rodriguez vs. Patricio Pitbull, Featherweight

Geoff Neal vs. Carlos Prates, Welterweight

Virna Jandiroba vs. Yan Xiaonan, Strawweight

Dan Ige vs. Sean Woodson, Featherweight

Chase Hooper vs. Jim Miller, Lightweight

Alberto Montes vs. Roberto Romero, Lightweight

Sumudaerji vs. Mitch Raposo, Flyweight

Darren Elkins vs. Julian Erosa, Featherweight

Sedriques Dumas vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk, Middleweight

What are your thoughts on this fun Featherweight matchup? Let us know in the comments.

Jean Silva to Face Bryce Mitchell at UFC 314

Just days after Dan Hooker pulled out of his co-main event matchup against Justin Gaethje, a replacement has been found in the form of former Gaethje opponent and ranked Lightweight contender Rafael Fiziev. This matchup is scheduled for three rounds at UFC 313 from the T-Mobile Arena on March  8th.

## Announcement: Justin Gaethje vs. Rafael Fiziev Lightweight

This will be the first time we see Gaethje since he faced off with Max Holloway at UFC 300, where he suffered a knockout loss in the final seconds. For Fiziev, he returns here after a long layoff caused by a knee injury he suffered in his last fight against Mateusz Gamrot. 

## UFC 313 Full Card

Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev, Light Heavyweight Title Fight

Justin Gaethje vs. Rafael Fiziev, Lightweight

Amanda Lemos vs. Iasmin Lucindo, Strawweight

King Green vs. Mauricio Ruffy, Lightweight

Jalin Turner vs. Ignacio Bahamondes, Lightweight

Brunno Ferreira vs. Armen Petrosyan, Middleweight

Ozzy Diaz vs. Djorden Santos, Middleweight

Alex Morono vs. Carlos Leal, Welterweight

Mairon Santos vs. Francis Marshall, Featherweight

Curtis Blaydes vs. Rizvan Kuniev, Heavyweight

Rei Tsuruya vs. Josh Van, Flyweight

What do you think of the new matchup? Let us know in the comments.

Rafael Fiziev Steps in Against Justin Gaethje at UFC 313

It was a fantastic main event while it lasted between Yadong Song and Henry Cejudo at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington. Unfortunately, an eye poke caused Henry Cejudo to be unable to continue, and the fight went to the scorecards after just three of the scheduled five rounds.

## Result: Yadong Song def. Henry Cejudo via Technical Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

The early rounds of the fight saw the two stand and trade punches, with the counter punching of Song being the highlight and some solid leg kicks on both sides. The third round saw the back-and-forth action before Cejudo was on the wrong end of an eye poke that forced a long pause before a brief continuation during which Cejudo was clearly affected. The fight was stopped after the third round, and the fight was scored based on the first three rounds, which resulted in a unanimous decision win for Yadong Song.


>"The result is not what I want. We should run it back." - Yadong Song

What did you think of the fight? Let us know in the comments.

Yadong Song Beats Henry Cejudo by Technical Decision at UFC Seattle

The UFC returns to action tomorrow from the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington headlined by former Bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo taking on Yadong Song. The official weigh-ins took place today, here at the results.

## Main Card 9 PM EST

**Bantamweight:** Henry Cejudo (135) vs. Yadong Song (136)

**Middleweight:** Brendan Allen (186) vs. Anthony Hernandez (186)

**Catchweight:** Rob Font (138) vs. Jean Matsumoto (139)

**Featherweight:** Jean Silva (145.5) vs. Melsik Baghdasaryan (145)

**Light Heavyweight:** Alonzo Menifield (205) vs. Julius Walker (205)

## Prelims 6 PM EST

**Light Heavyweight:** Ion Cutelaba (205) vs. Ibo Aslan (205)

**Featherweight:** Andre Fili (145) vs. Melquiael Costa (145)

**Middleweight:** Nick Klein (186) vs. Mansur Abdul-Malik (186)

**Bantamweight:** Ricky Simon (135) vs. Javid Basharat (136)

**Catchweight:** Austin Vanderford (174) vs. Nikolay Veretennikov (175)

**Middleweight:** Nursulton Ruziboev (184) vs. Eric McConico (184)

**Light Heavyweight:** Modestas Bukauskas (203) vs. Raffael Cerqueira (204)

UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Song Weigh-In Results

A report came out today from reporter Leonardo Guimaraes that top-ranked Bantamweight contenders Deiveson Figueiredo and Cory Sandhagen are set to face off in a main event matchup later this year. This matchup is scheduled for five rounds on May 3rd in Des Moines, Iowa.

## Announcement: Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Cory Sandhagen Bantamweight Main Event

The former Flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo will look to bounce back from his decision loss to Petr Yan late last year in Macau. Cory Sandhagen was last in action late summer in Abu Dhabi against Umar Nurmagomedov, where he lost a decision.

Who are you picking in this amazing Bantamweight main event? Let us know in the comments.

Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Cory Sandhagen Set For Main Event in Iowa

The UFC heads to the Emerald City this weekend as former Flyweight and Bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo headlines against Yadong Song in the main event of a stacked card from the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington. I went over that fight and every other matchup on the card to give my picks and best bets so let's get into it.

**Odds provided by Duelbits accurate as of 2/20/2025**

## Henry Cejudo +220 vs. Yadong Song -278

A pivotal matchup in the Bantamweight division goes down here in our main event. Henry Cejudo is a former Olympic wrestler who developed a unique striking style out of a karate stance, which he used to earn championships in both the Flyweight and Bantamweight divisions, although he hasn't been consistently active since his retirement back in 2020. Yadong Song is a young boxer entering his prime, who has shown serious potential, with his last fight being a close decision loss to former champion Petr Yan, where he kept the boxing close and showed good defensive grappling skills.

I like this matchup for Song as I believe he has the grappling defense to keep this standing, where he will be landing more frequently with more power.

Prediction: Song by 3rd Round TKO

## Brendan Allen +250 vs. Anthony Hernandez -323

Two top-tier Middleweight grapplers go head to head for the second time in their careers in this fun matchup. Brendan Allen is a highly skilled fighter with great submission skills and solid striking, what concerns me is his cardio looked bad against Nassourdine Imavov, and he has durability questions. Anthony Hernandez is a constant pressure grappler with insane cardio that he uses to drown opponents as he does damage and makes opponents work the entire fight.

I'll pick Hernandez to get another win over Allen, as I believe after the first round, he will be the one controlling the grappling and doing the damage. 

Prediction: Hernandez by 3rd Round TKO

## Rob Font +129 vs. Jean Matsumoto -159

A young prospect steps in to save a fight between these two Bantamweights, although it will take place at a Catchweight. Rob Font has hung around the top of the division with his tremendous high-volume boxing, although his durability is questionable, with him having been rocked badly when fighting hard hitters. Jean Matsumoto is an undefeated prospect with a few UFC wins under his belt, having shown his submission skills against Dan Argueta and then had a stand-up war with Brad Katona, showing his chin and pace, although he took a lot of damage.

I took Font as the underdog here despite his age concerns, as he will have a big advantage in the striking, and I don't see Matsumoto consistently wrestling enough to win.

Prediction: Font by Decision

## Jean Silva -556 vs. Melsik Baghdasaryan +390

Featherweight strikers clash here in this must-see matchup. Jean Silva is a powerhouse striker who is coming off an impressive pair of wins over Charles Jourdain and Drew Dober, where he showed the dangerous power in his hands and much-improved cardio from earlier performances. Melsik Baghdasaryan is a very fast kickboxer with a good kicking game, although he hasn't shown much finishing or grappling ability in the UFC.

I'll pick Silva, but at this price, I can't even think about betting on him as this is going to be a striking match where Baghdasaryan has a real chance, but the power of Silva is going to cause more damage and lead to a decision win in my mind.

Prediction: Silva by Decision

## Alonzo Menifield -238 vs. Julius Walker +190

Powerful Light Heavyweights collide in this one to open the main card. Alonzo Menifield is a strong and aggressive fighter with a well-rounded offensive attack, although his defense is a concern, with Carlos Ulberg and Azamat Murzakanov taking advantage of his aggression quickly. Julius Walker makes his UFC debut here, he is very inexperienced but is a solid athlete who has finished all six of his pro wins, having shown a decent ground game.

I'm going with Menifield here as he is the much more dangerous and experienced fighter who should have the advantage everywhere this fight goes.

Prediction: Menifield by 1st Round KO

## Ion Cutelaba +147 vs. Ibo Aslan -182

Light Heavyweight finishers will square off in this very interesting matchup. Ion Cutelaba is a wildman with big swinging striking and a solid wrestling attack, but the defense has never been his strong suit. Ibo Aslan is a powerful knockout puncher who has yet to be tested against much real competition and has a questionable ground game.

I've got Cutelaba as the underdog here, as he has a few big advantages in this fight, mainly his experience and his grappling, which I believe will lead him to a victory. With that, Ion Cutelaba is my best bet of the week. 

Prediction: Cutelaba by 2nd Round TKO (Best Bet)

## Andre Fili -109 vs. Melquizael Costa -112

All action Featherweights square off here in the featured prelim. Andre Fili is a slick and battle-tested veteran with good boxing, but his consistency has been an issue. Melquizael Costa is a solid finisher both on the feet and on the mat, although his cardio is questionable, and he hasn't had much success against solid competition.

I lean toward Fili, as I think he is the better striker and wrestler with better cardio but his durability and lack of consistent ability to string wins together makes me hesitate.

Prediction: Fili by 3rd Round TKO

## Nick Klein +700 vs. Mansur Abdul-Malik -1250

The highly anticipated debut of an exciting Middleweight prospect goes down here. Nick Klein is a solid grappler with a good submission game that he has used to finish his last three opponents, although he has yet to face any tough competition. Mansur Abdul-Malik is a very highly touted prospect who has shown thunderous power that he showed in his first-round debut knockout against Dusko Todorovic along with a strong ground game that he showed in his win on Dana White's Contender Series.

I see this being another quick finish for Abdul-Malik as he is just on another level to his opponent, as is reflected in the odds.

Prediction: Abdul-Malik by 1st Round KO

## Ricky Simon +205 vs. Javid Basharat -256

Two high-level Bantamweight grapplers will test their skills against each other here. Ricky Simon is a gritty veteran wrestler who has competed with a lot of tough competition although he has struggled recently suffering three losses in a row. Javid Basharat is a skilled prospect with slick striking and solid grappling who looks to get back in the win column after a few rough results in his last few including a decision loss where he got off to a good start but failed to separate himself against Aiemann Zahabi.

I expect a very close fight here, but I lean slightly towards Basharat with him being the younger fighter who I see having the more effective striking at range.

Prediction: Basharat by Decision

## Austin Vanderford +105 vs. Nikolay Veretennikov -128

A late addition to the card here features a new face at Welterweight. Austin Vanderford is a decently well-rounded fighter who makes his debut here on short notice coming from a long career in Bellator where he had fights with guys like Fabian Edwards and Gegard Mousasi. Nikolay Veretennikov is a tough striker with solid power coming off a loss where he showed heart against highly touted prospect Danny Barlow.

I'll pick Vanderford here as I give him the grappling edge here and I like that he has faced very tough competition outside of the UFC.

Prediction: Vanderford by Decision

## Nursulton Ruziboev -286 vs. Eric McConico +220

Middleweight finishers square off here early on the card. Nursulton Ruziboev is a dangerous striker early in fights with solid wrestling although against Joaquin Buckley his cardio was a clear issue as he was getting beat up late. Eric McConico is a solid fighter with good experience on the regional scene, although he is now in his mid-thirties making his debut and we have seen him hurt and finished several times before.

Ruziboev likely gets another early finish here as McConico is making his debut later in his career and we have seen him hurt and finished by lower-level fighters.

Prediction: Ruziboev by 1st Round KO

## Modestas Bukauskas -278 vs. Raffael Cerqueira +220

Light Heavyweight strikers kick things off in this fun matchup. Modestas Bukauskas is a solid kickboxer coming off a wild fight with Marcin Prachnio where he had to fight through some adversity to get a late submission win. Raffael Cerqueira was a dangerous and fast finisher on the regional scene but he is coming in off a disastrous debut where Ibo Aslan was able to unload on him without consequence.

I'm taking Bukauskas here as there is just no way I can pick Cerqueira after what we saw from him in his first UFC fight and Bukauskas is not an easy fight by any stretch.

Prediction: Bukauskas by 2nd Round TKO

UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Song Odds Breakdown

Dana White has announced on Instagram live tonight that Flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko will be taking on Manon Fiorot in the co-main event of UFC 315. This fight is scheduled for May 10th from the Bell Center in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

## Announcement: Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorot, Flyweight Title Fight

This will be the first defense of Shevchenko's second title reign after she reclaimed the belt with a decision win over Alexa Grasso at UFC 306. Fiorot has waited a long time for this fight with her last appearance being a unanimous decision win over Erin Blanchfield last March.

## UFC 315 Full Card

Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena, Welterweight Title Fight

Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorot, Flyweight Title Fight

Alexa Grasso vs. Natalia Silva, Flyweight

Gilbert Burns vs. Michael Morales, Welterweight

Brad Katona vs. Bekzat Almakhan, Bantamweight

Hailey Cowan vs. Nora Cornolle, Bantamweight

Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Bruno Silva, Middleweight

Who do you like in this big Flyweight matchup? Let us know in the comments.

Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorot Booked For Co-Main Event at UFC 315

In a shocking twist, Dana White has announced that Belal Muhammad will be making the next defense of his Welterweight title against Jack Della Maddalena rather than Shavkat Rakhmonov, who is out with injury. This fight is scheduled for May 10th from the Bell Center in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

## Announcement: Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena, Welterweight Title Fight

This will be the first time Muhammad defends his title after winning the belt at UFC 304 last year with a decision over Leon Edwards. Jack Della Maddalena returns here for the first time in over a year after defeating Gilbert Burns with a dramatic third-round knockout at UFC 299.

## UFC 315 Full Card

Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena, Welterweight Title Fight

Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorot, Flyweight Title Fight

Alexa Grasso vs. Natalia Silva, Flyweight

Gilbert Burns vs. Michael Morales, Welterweight

Brad Katona vs. Bekzat Almakhan, Bantamweight

Hailey Cowan vs. Nora Cornolle, Bantamweight

Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Bruno Silva, Middleweight

Who are you picking in this interesting Welterweight matchup? Let us know in the comments.

Terrence Mitchell