Verdict MMA

It was a quick night in Las Vegas, as 4 out of the 5 fights on the main card ended by 1st round stoppage. Let’s talk about the grappling heavy card.

## Jessica Andrade makes history

![1393239319.0.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/6cd47917-f575-4cd4-e192-04fb39938e00/pub "Jessica Andrade locks Amanda Lemos in a standing arm triangle choke. (Jeff Bottari/Getty Images)")

Jessica Andrade made history in her main event against Amanda Lemos, as she became the first fighter in UFC history to win a fight with a standing arm-triangle choke. Andrade continues to prove that she’s one of the most powerful women’s fighters in the world. Her last 5 wins have all come by stoppage. Since moving to Las Vegas, Andrade has reinvigorated her career and wants to compete for the UFC Strawweight title again. Andrade is 1-1 against the current Strawweight Champion Rose Namajunas, so a trilogy is very possible if she continues to win.

## Marc-André Barriault submits Jordan Wright

![gettyimages-1393231596.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/903cfd5b-3a37-4b7d-021a-4eb70a5adf00/pub "Marc-André Barriault securing the first submission win of his career. (Jeff Bottari/Getty Images)")

This fight got bumped up to the main card after Chase Sherman was forced to withdraw from his fight against Alexander Romanov. Marc-André Barriault has been competing as a professional fighter for nearly 8 years and finally earned the first submission win of his career against Jordan Wright when he finishes him with a guillotine choke. Only 0.66% of the Verdict Community predicted Barriault to win by 1st round submission.

## Charles Jourdain submits Lando Vannata

![1393233396.0.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/de9c2d5f-b976-449e-6615-97914a81cc00/pub "Charles Jourdain gets his hand raised against Lando Vannata. (Jeff Bottari/Getty Images)")

In terms of predictions from the Verdict Community, this was the closest matchup of the card. The fight started fast with both Jourdain and Vannata trading strikes. The action hit the floor and that’s when Jourdain finished Vannata with a guillotine choke. This fight ended almost exactly like the previous fight. Whereas Marc-André Barriault took 2:36 to submit Jordan Wright with a guillotine choke, Jourdain took 2:32 to finish Vannata with his guillotine choke.

## Maycee Barber defeats Montana De La Rosa

![1330445007.0.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/6f3bb6ae-9579-4b91-ec8c-10ef1b569d00/pub "Maycee Barber lands a spinning back elbow on Montana De La Rosa. (Jeff Bottari/Getty Images)")

Maycee Barber’s fight against Montana De La Rosa was the only decision on the main card at UFC Vegas 52. Rounds 1 & 3 were dominant for Barber whereas the 2nd round was competitive and had De La Rosa edging it out on the Verdict Scorecard. Barber, who once wanted to become the youngest Champion in UFC history still has her eyes set on UFC gold. 

## Claudio Puelles submits Clay Guida

![clauio-puelles-kneebar-clay-guida-screenshot.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/bcce6bde-9554-4212-1c05-287ad5b3f900/pub "Claudio Puelles finishing Clay Guida with a kneebar. (Jeff Bottari/Getty Images)")

Out of all the submissions that took place on this card, Claudio Puelles’ submission of Clay Guida might have been the most impressive. As soon as the fight hit the ground, you could immediately see that Puelles was a far superior grappler than Guida. He transitioned from multiple positions and eventually secured Guida in kneebar that forced him to tap immediately. This was Puelles’ second consecutive win via kneebar and it earned him performance of the night honors. Puelles is now on a 5 fight winning streak in the UFC’s Lightweight division. 

 UFC Vegas 52 ends in a night of submissions

The PFL kicked off their 2022 season with a thriller of a card. There were close fights, quick finishes, and a war that closed off the event. Let’s take a look at what took place at PFL 1.

## Clay Collard and Jeremy Stephens put on a classic

![6c98fe7f646ac5d6f5753008b3a7e825.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/bfce1b0c-ad70-47d6-950e-f605a530c100/pub "Clay Collard landing a left hand agaisnt Jeremy Stephens. (Professional Fighters League)")

When the PFL announced that Clay Collard would take on Jeremy Stephens in the first main event of the 2022 regular season, you knew this fight was going to deliver and it did. Collard and Stephens put on arguably the greatest fight in PFL history. There was no feeling out process. They immediately met in the middle and slugged it out for 15 minutes. Collard went on to win a unanimous decision where all three judges scored the fight 30-27. The Verdict Scorecard had the fight closer than that, with Stephens edging out the 3rd round. Though he lost, Stephens was motivated by the fight and believes he’s going to finish every other fighter in his division. On the other hand, Collard is expected by many to make it to the Championship event. He was one fight away from doing that last year, but he lost a decision to Raush Manfio that many beleived was a robbery. A rematch between Collard and Stephens is possible in the PFL Championship event at the end of 2022 if Stephens is able to accumulate enough points in the regular season and win in the Playoffs. Imagine a 5 round rematch.

## Raush Manfio with a comeback win

![6be3c8cc801b5f190ae19b8df5689084.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/ffbe0329-8355-4c02-7b70-c682726e1c00/pub "Raush Manfio celebrating a comeback win. (Professional Fighters League)")

Returning PFL Lightweight Champion Raush Manfio took on Don Madge in the co-main event. Heading into the 3rd round, the judges and the Verdict Scorecard both had Raush Manfio losing a decision to Don Madge. It seemed like the reigning Champion was about to lose the first fight of the season, until midway through the 3rd round when Manfio cracked Madge with an overhand right then proceeded to finish him by TKO. With the stoppage, Manfio earned 4 points which put him in a great position to advance to the playoffs.

## Antônio Carlos Júnior makes it quick

![9155ba6ed52a171d01045d1d713f30d4.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/df30014c-d4af-489e-4931-a7cb09413f00/pub "An aerial view of Antônio Carlos Júnior submitting Delan Monte. (Professional Fighters League)")

In January of 2021, Antônio Carlos Júnior was cut from the UFC. It seemed like it could have been the end of the road for Júnior until he got a call from the PFL a couple of months later. Júnior joined the PFL and went on to win a Championship and $1 Million that same year. This was the biggest purse Júnior had earned throughout his entire career. This prize motivated Júnior even more and you could see that in his return to the PFL as he submitted Delan Monte with a brabo choke in just 29 seconds. This first-round stoppage earned him 6 points. It looks like Júnior will be going far in this year's league again.

## Olivier Aubin-Mercier and Natan Schulte compete to a split decision

![38e19d667afb5cb1ea4a329338a76954.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/d600f532-a6d8-44c2-19c4-89a69fd51f00/pub "Olivier Aubin-Mercier gets his hand raised against Natan Schulte. (Professional Fighters League)")

After withdrawing from his first fight in the PFL last year, Olivier Aubin-Mercier finally gets a fresh start and is able to compete in the league from the very beginning. Aubin-Mercier won 2 fights last year, but withdrawing from his first scheduled fight cost him points that led him to not qualifying for the playoffs. He got his chance to compete from the start in the PFL Season Opener and made the best of it as he was able to defeat former 2x PFL Champion Natan Schulte. It was a razor-close fight that could have gone either way but Aubin-Mercier secured the win via split decision. 

The PFL kicks off their 2022 season with a Thriller

The UFC returns to Las Vegas this weekend for a card headlined by Amanda Lemos and Jessica Andrade. There are some nice matchups on this card that are flying under the radar. Let's take a look at them.

## Amanda Lemos vs. Jessica Andrade

Amanda Lemos is coming into her first UFC main event on a 4 fight winning streak. Lemos last competed in a highly contested fight against Angela Hill this past December. The win against Hill earned Lemos the biggest fight of her career as she’ll now take on former UFC Strawweight Champion Jessica Andrade. You can expect action any time Andrade competes as 6 of her last 7 fights have ended by TKO. The majority of the Verdict Community are predicting another stoppage, with 56% picking Andrade to finish Lemos by TKO.

![Group 5.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/4fbe4e3e-5258-4208-5a82-6e6d580ad500/pub)

## Lando Vannata vs. Charles Jourdain

Stylistically, Lando Vannata vs. Charles Jourdain might just be the most exciting fight of this card. Both are entertaining fighters that force the action. There’s one thing that they both have in common: In all their years of fighting in the UFC, neither Lando Vannata nor Charles Jourdain has been able to win back to back fights inside the Octagon. They’ll both get that opportunity this weekend as each fighter is coming off of a win. When Lando Vannata made his UFC debut against Tony Ferguson in 2016, many expected him to become a title contender. Now that Vannata has made his Featherweight debut, he’s hoping to spark those conversations again. It’s a fairly close fight on Verdict, with 60% predicting Jourdain to defeat Vannata.

![Group.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/05c04abe-5c90-4648-b53c-7d417fc1c000/pub)

## Manel Kape vs. Su Mudaerji

Manel Kape has found his groove in the Flyweight division as he’s coming off back to back knockout wins in the 1st round. Kape is always looking to finish his opponent, as 16 out of his 17 wins have come by stoppage. He’ll take on Su Mudaerji who’s coming off 3 consecutive wins in the UFC. The Verdict Community is very confident in Kape, with 84% predicting him to defeat Mudaerji with 56% predicting the win to come by knockout. Given the current state of the Flyweight division, Kape can secure a Flyweight title shot soon if he continues to perform like he’s been performing.

![kape.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/3a3b9bf8-f2e1-48d5-9d77-e8af1efe9500/pub)


## Maycee Barber vs. Montana De La Rosa

Maycee Barber’s never been short on confidence, as she nicknamed herself “The Future”. When she entered the UFC in 2018, her goal was to become the youngest Champion in UFC history. Though that’s no longer possible, Barber still has the chance to go far in her career as she’s only 23 years old. After competing on Dana White’s Contender Series, Barber won 3 consecutive fights by TKO. This finishing streak earned her an opportunity to compete in the prelims of UFC 246 which was headlined by Conor McGregor vs. Donald Cerrone. Barber competed against Roxanne Modafferi and was a big favorite. She lost the fight to Modafferi and blew out her knee in the fight which led her to being sidelined for 13 months. She lost her return fight to Alexa Grasso but finished the fight strong. Barber then went on to defeat fellow prospect Miranda Maverick in a highly competitive fight. Barber now looks to get back to winning in the same fashion that she did prior to her injury when she takes on Montana De La Rosa who’s coming off of a TKO win against the self-proclaimed “Queen of Violence” Ariane Lipski. The majority of the Verdict Community is expecting Barber to be victorious, with 63% predicting she’ll defeat De La Rosa.

![Group 2.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/0fe4adbb-d35e-452e-2097-965ab83e5b00/pub)

## Clay Guida vs. Claudio Puelles

It’s been 16 years since Clay Guida has been fighting in the UFC and fans still get excited to watch him compete. Guida has looked good in his last 3 fights, defeating Michael Johnson, losing a close split decision against Mark Madsen, and finishing Leonardo Santos with a rear-naked choke. He’ll be taking on Claudio Puelles who was 9 years old when Clay Guida made his UFC debut. Since losing his UFC debut in 2016, Puelles has gone on a 4 fight winning streak. Though Puelles is on a winning streak, only 34% of the Veridct Community are predicting him to defeat Guida.

![guida.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/21fff87e-86b5-412b-1db3-b215231c2600/pub)

UFC Vegas 52 Verdict Pre-Fight Preview

On April 20th, the Professional Fighters League will kick off their 2022 Season live from the Esports Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Fighters will compete to accumulate points so they can advance to the Playoffs and eventually the PFL Championship. In addition to winning a Championship title, each Champion will win $1 Million. Let’s take a look at all of the fights on the main card.

## Clay Collard vs. Jeremy Stephens

The PFL matchmakers must be commended as they’re putting on the perfect stylistic matchup for the first main event of their regular season. You know who Jeremy Stephens is and what he brings to the table, but you might not be familiar with Clay Collard. Collard has competed in the UFC and has experience as a professional boxer. In April of last year, he spoiled the PFL debut of Anthony Pettis by defeating him by unanimous decision and came close to finishing him in the 2nd round. Afer defeating Anthony Pettis and Joilton Lutterbach, Collard fought Raush Manfio in the PFL Playoffs. If Collard had won, he would have advanced to the PFL Championship to compete for $1 Million. Collard lost a unanimous decision in a fight that many considered a robbery. Collard defeated Manfio on the Verdict Scorecard by a significant margin. He’ll now return to the PFL to finish what he started last year: Win a Championship and win $1 Million. As it stands, this fight is at a 50/50 dead split on Verdict. Expect to see a standup war between these two.

![Group 2.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/737ee645-5b2f-4d1f-0572-53d124a66200/pub)

## Raush Manfio vs. Don Madge

Raush Manfio had a successful 2021 with the PFL as he defeated Anthony Pettis, won the PFL Championship, and won $1 Million. He’s back in the PFL this year and will try to do the same thing. He’ll take on Don Madge who’s on a 7 fight winning streak. Madge made his PFL debut at the PFL Championship event last October when he submitted Nathan Williams. Prior to that, Madge won back to back fights in the UFC. Unlike last year, Madge will be a contestant in the PFL Season. Though Manfio is the reigning Champion, he’s expected to lose with 63% of the Verdict Community predicting Madge to defeat him. 

![Group.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/ac9f971c-2159-48c2-5d5d-19d9a0f8fe00/public)

## Antônio Carlos Júnior vs. Delan Monte

After Antônio Carlos Júnior suffered 3 consecutive losses in the UFC, he was cut from the promotion. His final fight in the Octagon took place in January of 2021 at UFC 257 against Brad Tavares. It seemed like this was the end of the road for Júnior as he was cut from the world’s biggest promotion. However, opportunity knocked on his door when he got a call from the PFL to compete in their 2021 Season. Júnior made the most of that opportunity as he went onto win a PFL Championship and $1 Million just 9 months after being cut from the UFC. Júnior returns to the PFL this year to do it again, starting with fighting Delan Monte. Júnior is the biggest favorite on the card, with 86% of the Verdict Community predicting him to defeat Monte.

![Group 3.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/0844ea13-08c4-4ff1-8879-83619fada600/pub)

## Natan Schulte vs. Olivier Aubin-Mercier

The main card of PFL 1 will kick off with a Lightweight bout between former 2x PFL Champion Natan Schulte and 5-year UFC veteran Olivier Aubin-Mercier. Aubin-Mercier had 2 fights in the PFL in 2021 and won both of them by unanimous decision. Unfortunately, it was a late start for Aubin-Mercier, who was forced to withdraw from his first fight in the PFL which ultimately lead 
him to not accumulating enough points to advance to the PFL Playoffs. Aubin-Mercier will get an opportunity at a fresh start this year when he comptes against Natan Schulte. Though Schulte is  former 2x PFL Champion, only 28% predict he’ll be able to defeat Aubin-Mercier.

![Group 4.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/0bee1489-e533-4fda-3f4b-795e56211f00/pub)

The official PFL 1 Verdict Preview

At UFC Vegas 51, Belal Muhammad avenged his 2016 loss to Vicente Luque by defeating him in their rematch by unanimous decision. 

Muhammad and Luque first competed at UFC 205 in November of 2016, where we saw Luque finish Muhammad by knockout in 79 seconds. This was the first and only time in Muhammad’s career that he has been finished. 6 years later, both Luque and Muhammad ascended and became two of the best Welterweights in the world.

Though Muhammad was on a 7 fight unbeaten streak heading into the rematch, not many were giving him a chance with only 23% predicting him to defeat Luque. Many expected the rematch to play out like the first fight but Muhammad showed that he was a new fighter. He neutralized Luque with his wrestling which would ultimately earn him the win. 

![Group 6.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/f897db61-864a-4704-4b33-adc42aa02300/pub)

Muhammad didn’t win the fight without adversity, as Luque had him hurt in the 3rd round. It looked like the momentum of the fight was going to shift towards Luque, but Muhammad stayed composed and took back control of the fight. The only round that Luque won on the Verdict Scorecard was the 3rd.

> He knocked me out. He beat me. I had to think about that every day my whole camp. I had to get over that hump - Belal Muhammad in his post fight interview

What makes this win even more special are the circumstances heading into the fight. Defeating a fighter like Vicente Luque is one thing, but defeating him after you’ve already lost to him is another. Fighting someone that’s already knocked you out requires a high level of mental toughness and that’s what we saw with Belal Muhammad. There were moments in the 3rd round where it seemed like the rematch would end how the first fight did, but Muhammad battled through.

Now that he’s defeated Vicente Luque, Muhammad will break into the top of the Welterweight division with only Kamaru Usman, Colby Covington, Leon Edwards, Khamzat Chimaev, and Gilbert Burns in front of him. It’s going to be a difficult mountain to climb, but Belal Muhammad is set on becoming the UFC Welterweight Champion.

Belal Muhammad solidifies himself as a top welterweight

At UFC Vegas 51, Vicente Luque and Belal Muhammad will compete in a rematch 6 years in the making. The pair first faced off at UFC 205 in November of 2016. This was a historic night as it marked the UFC's first event at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

![019_Vicente_Luque_vs_Belal_Muhammad.0.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/46258c4b-c273-4fe2-2cde-f6e42f397b00/pub "Vicente Luque landing the final blows against Belal Muhammad. (Esther Lin - MMA Fighting)")

Luque and Muhammad opened the prelims on Fox Sports 1 that night. The fight didn’t last long, as Luque finished Muhammad by knockout in 79 seconds. This is the first and only time in Muhammad’s career that he's been finished. 

Muhammad went on a 4 fight winning streak after that fight, defeating the likes of Tim Means, Randy Brown, and Jordan Mein. That winning streak was snapped against Geoff Neal in January of 2019. Muhammad hasn’t lost since, as he’s gone on a 7 fight unbeaten streak. His last two wins came against Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson and Demian Maia.

After defeating Muhammad at UFC 205, Luque lost his next fight to Leon Edwards in March 2017. It was after his fight against Edwards that Luque went on a 6 fight winning streak, becoming a threat to the Welterweight division. He finished 5 consecutive opponents then defeated Mike Perry in a brawl where he shattered his nose. This earned Luque a fight against former title challenger Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson. Luque came up short, losing the fight by unanimous decision. Though he lost, he still earned fight of the night honors.

As he did after his loss to Edwards, Luque successfully bounced back from his loss against Wonderboy and went on another winning streak. Luque is currently on a 4 fight winning streak where he’s finished every opponent including a finish against former Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley.

Since they last fought, both Vicente Luque and Belal Muhammad have gone on to become two of the best Welterweight fighters in the division as Luque is ranked #4 and Muhammad is ranked #5. They both have their eyes set on the UFC Welterweight title but must first go through each other to get there.

Luque and Muhammad are set to compete in the main event of UFC Vegas 51 on April 16th.

What Vicente Luque and Belal Muhammad have accomplished since their first fight

After nearly 1 month on the road, the Octagon will return to the Apex for UFC Fight Night: Luque vs. Muhammad 2. Let’s take a look at the main card.

## Vicente Luque vs. Belal Muhammad 2

A rematch nearly 6 years after the first fight will headline UFC Vegas 51 with Vicente Luque taking on Belal Muhammad. Luque is ranked #4 in the UFC’s Welterweight division while Muhammad is ranked #5. The first fight took place at UFC 205 in November of 2016. It resulted in Luque finishing Muhammad by 1st round knockout. The pair went from fighting on the first fight of the Fox Sports 1 prelims to main eventing a card on ESPN. Though Muhammad is unbeaten in his last 7 fights, only 23% are predicting him to defeat Luque. Nearly half of the Verdict Community are predicting the rematch to end how the first fight ended, with 45% predicting Luque to finish Muhammad by knockout. A win for either fighter will bring them closer to a title shot against Kamaru Usman who’s looking for fresh opponents to fight.

![luquemuhammad.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/c4317368-f2a2-4541-2786-5de49f378400/public)

## Caio Borralho vs. Gadzhi Omargadzhie

A battle between two Dana White’s Contenders Series Alumni will take place this weekend as Caio Borralho will take on Gadzhi Omargadzhiev in a fight that’s flying under the radar. Borralho hasn’t lost a fight since July of 2015 while Omargadzhiev has never lost a fight in his career. Omargadzhiev is coming into this fight with an 84% finishing rate, finishing his last 10 of 11 fights. This is a close fight on Verdict, as 56% are currently predicting Gadzhi Omargadzhiev to defeat Borralho.

![BorralhoOmargadzhiev.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/fb479613-d844-42d6-7e15-7da0f8160400/pub)

## Miguel Baeza vs. André Fialho

Prior to his current 2 fight losing streak, Miguel Baeza was undefeated at 10-0 and had finished all of his fights in the UFC. He looks to get back on track when he takes on André Fialho this weekend. Fialho is returning to action for the first time since making his UFC debut against Michel Pereira. Fialho had early success against Pereira, winning the 1st round before losing rounds 2 and 3. Baeza is expected to win by many, as 71% of the Verdict Community predict he’ll defeat Fialho. 

![BaezaFialho.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/36607925-cde6-490b-3167-a44580a60800/pub)

## Mayra Bueno Silva vs. Wu Yanan

Wu Yanan is looking to get back into the win column, as she hasn’t won a fight since November of 2018. Though she hasn’t won a fight in nearly 4 years, 69% are predicting Yanan to defeat Silva. Expect this fight to go all 3 rounds, as 82% are predicting the fight to end by decision.

![SilvaYanan.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/ad9ad210-6881-4c4f-51fa-24b9370b3900/pub)

## Pat Sabatini vs. T.J. Laramie

Pat Sabatini is coming into this fight on a 5 fight winning streak, while Laramie is looking to bounce back from a loss against Darrick Minner. Sabatini is the biggest favorite on the card, with 82% predicting him to defeat Laramie.

![SabatiniLaramie.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/d949de42-75d2-4d59-92d0-7d475587ba00/pub)

## Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos vs. Mounir Lazzez

When Mounir Lazzez made his UFC debut on Fight Island against Abdul Razak Alhassan in July of 2020, many expected him to be the next promising prospect out of the Middle East. He went on to be finished by TKO in his next fight against Warlley Alves. Lazzez will return to the Octagon after a 15-month layoff when he takes on Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos. The majority expect Lazzez to lose his 2nd consecutive fight, as 78% of the Verdict Community are predicting dos Santos to defeat him.

![dossantoslazeez.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/07225715-ca3b-4865-b96e-e0d8fca3c900/pub)

UFC Vegas 51 Verdict Pre-Fight Preview

The long-awaited rematch between Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan finally took place at UFC 273 in Jacksonville, Florida. The first fight in March of 2021 ended in controversy as Petr Yan hit Sterling with an illegal knee which resulted in Yan being disqualified and Sterling as the Champion.

![sterling-yan-e1649606376397.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/85c37477-7941-4753-06a8-48b141d12600/pub "Aljamain Sterling gets his hand raised in the rematch against Petr Yan. (Getty Images)")

For 13 months, Sterling was criticized and often referred to as a “Paper Champion” by many fans online. He had the opportunity to silence the doubters and legitimize himself as a Champion in the rematch against Yan and that's what he did. Going into the first fight at UFC 259, the Verdict Community was split at a 50/50 on who they predicted to win. The data headed into the rematch was much different, as 85% of the community predicted Yan to defeat Sterling. 

You can attribute the community’s confidence in Yan heading into the rematch to how the first fight played out. Prior to the disqualification, Yan was in full control of the fight prior to the illegal knee and was cruising to a win. 

> I think I showed that even in my worst night, which was my first performance against Yan. That was a shell of myself and he couldn’t get me out of there that night, and he wasn’t going to get me out of there this night, either. - Aljamain Sterling

For 13 months, Sterling has been saying that the person that fought Yan in the first fight was the worst version of him. Many believed that Sterling was just trying to hype up the rematch when he said that, but he showed at UFC 273 that he was indeed right.

Sterling won a close split decision against Petr Yan at UFC 273, legitimizing himself as a true Champion. However, the rematch still had controversy as many including UFC President Dana White scored the fight in favor of Petr Yan. 

![scor.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/366287b8-600f-46e4-fcee-2bb6028aec00/pub "The Verdict Scorecard")

This was the closest title fight in the history of Verdict, with Sterling having a higher final score with a differential of 0.01. Yan won more rounds on the Verdict Scorecard but Sterling had a higher final score. That’s because winning dominant rounds carry more weight than winning marginal rounds on the Verdict Scorecard. Rounds 2 and 3 were the most impactful rounds of the fight, as many members of the Verdict Community scored those rounds a 10-8 in favor of Sterling. 

![Group 10.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/e34201db-5f7d-43e9-e869-5abf60649b00/pub "The Scores of the Cage-Side Judges")

The fight ultimately came down to the 1st round in the eyes of the judges, which was also the closest round on the Verdict Scorecard with Yan edging it out with a differential of 0.47. 

Now that Sterling has defeated Yan, he has his eyes set on former Bantamweight Champion TJ Dillashaw for his next title defense. 

Aljamain Sterling legitimizes himself as Champion

Whenever there’s a Champion vs. Champion fight, the stakes are raised. At UFC 273, Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan will compete in the 13th UFC title unification fight in history. Let's take a look back at the previous 12 fights.

## Jose Aldo vs. Conor McGregor

![etherlin.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/7a6933b5-db37-4276-8e0b-bc698ac25100/pub "Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor face off 2 days before their fight. (Esther Lin - MMA Fighting)")

The title unification bout between Jose Aldo vs. Conor McGregor is still one of the biggest fights in UFC history. It involved the pound for pound #1 fighter in the world Jose Aldo taking on who would become the biggest superstar in MMA history Conor McGregor. Aldo became the WEC Featherweight Champion in November of 2009. When the WEC merged with the UFC in 2010, Aldo was upgraded from the WEC Feathweight Champion to the UFC Featherweight Champion. When Conor McGregor made his UFC debut, he made his intentions clear from the very start: He wanted to become a UFC Champion. McGregor had a meteoric rise and dominated his competition en route to a title shot. After finishing Denis Siver in January of 2015, McGregor hopped over the Octagon fence and got into the face of Jose Aldo. The UFC announced that McGregor would challenge Aldo for the Featherweight title at UFC 189. Just 11 days before their scheduled bout, Aldo withdrew from the contest after suffering a rib injury. Chad Mendes stepped in on short notice to fight McGregor for the interim Featherweight title. McGregor finished Mendes by TKO to become the interim Champion. A fight between McGregor and Aldo was rebooked for UFC 194, this time being a Champion vs. Champion bout. McGregor shocked the world as he finished Jose Aldo by knockout in just 13 seconds to become the Undisputed Featherweight Champion of the world. At the time, no one had defeated Aldo for nearly 9 years. McGregor needed only 13 seconds.

## Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Justin Gaethje

![getty.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/e21bcfa1-ee0d-4caf-fa8f-59d088089300/pub "Khabib Nurmagomedov in the final weigh in staredown of his career. (Getty Images)")

A dream fight between Tony Ferguson and Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov was scheduled to take place in April of 2020 at UFC 249. The pair was supposed to compete 4x before this but the fight ended up getting cancelled every time. Every time a new fight was scheduled it became even bigger. It seemed like Khabib vs. Ferguson would finally take place at UFC 249 but the fight was again cancelled. This time it was cancelled for a reason no one saw coming: A global pandemic. After the spread of COVID-19 the world shut down and many international borders were closed. Khabib wasn’t able to leave Russia to enter the United States. When the UFC announced they would be bringing fights back, they set up an interim Lightweight title fight between Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje in May of 2020. This was the final nail in the coffin for Ferguson vs. Khabib, as Justin Gaethje went on to finish Tony Ferguson to become the interim Lightweight Champion. Gaethje refused to wear the interim title after finishing Ferguson, as he knew he had to defeat Khabib Nurmagoemdov to be considered the true Lightweight Champion. Gaethje received that opportunity at UFC 254 in October of 2020, as he would fight Khabib for the Undisputed Lightweight title. Khabib Nurmagomedov proved without a doubt that he was the best Lightweight fighter in the world as he submitted Justin Gaethje to remain the Lightweight Champion. After the fight was over, Khabib announced his retirement from the sport. He retired as the Undisputed Lightweight Champion and the pound for pound #1 fighter in the world.

## Tito Ortiz vs. Randy Couture

![71mMHSp0SxL._AC_SL1024_.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/0bbd8a8d-caeb-4ffc-a760-23943ac13b00/pub "The UFC 44 poster")

After Tito Ortiz refused to defend his Light Heavyweight title against Chuck Liddell in early 2003, the UFC ordered an interim title fight between Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture. At the time, Liddell was on a 10 fight winning streak and had dominated the competition while Couture was coming off back to back TKO losses at Heavyweight. Many expected Liddell to dominate Couture but the opposite happened. Randy Couture became the first fighter in history to finish Chuck Liddell by TKO and became the interim Light Heavyweight title. Less than 3 months later, Ortiz decided to return to the sport and fight Couture for the Undisputed Light Heavyweight title at UFC 44. The 40-year-old Couture dominated Ortiz for 5 rounds to become the undisputed Light Heavyweight Champion.

## Georges St-Pierre vs. Carlos Condit

![Graham Hughes:Canadian Press.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/a1b3be54-86df-4e8d-0071-2f6b2ce20700/pub "GSP and Carlos Condit pose with their belts. (Graham Hughes - Canadian Press)")

After the UFC purchased Strikeforce in 2011, they acquired many of Strikeforce’s fighters. One of those fighters was the reigning Strikeforce Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz. The UFC set up a blockbuster Champion vs. Champion fight between Nick Diaz and UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre at UFC 137. However, the fight was scratched after Nick Diaz failed to attend a press conference for the event. Instead, the UFC booked a Welterweight title fight between GSP and Carlos Condit at UFC 137. GSP suffered a knee injury and his fight against Condit was scratched. With GSP sidelined, the UFC ordered an interim title fight between Carlos Condit and Nick Diaz at UFC 143. Condit defeated Diaz in a close fight to become the interim Welterweight Champion. An undisputed Welterweight title fight was booked between Condit and the returning Georges St-Pierre at UFC 154. The fight took place in GSP’s hometown of Montreal, Quebec. It was an action-packed fight that saw Condit almost finish GSP, but GSP was resilient and went on to defeat Condit by unanimous decision to remain the Undisputed Welterweight Champion.

## Cain Velasquez vs. Fabricio Werdum

![Jeff Bottari: Zuffa LLC.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/db8a1f22-97af-438f-2629-a70ad26b1800/pub "Fabricio Werdum with his signature troll face. (Jeff Bottari - Getty Images)")

After Cain Velasquez’s trilogy fight against Junior dos Santos in October of 2013, he was hit with various injuries and was unable to defend his Heavyweight Championship. Velasquez was scheduled to return to action and defend his title against Fabricio Werdum at UFC 180 in November of 2014 in Mexico City. However, another injury forced Velasquez to withdraw. The UFC ordered an interim Heavyweight title fight between Fabricio Werdum and Mark Hunt at the event. Hunt showed success early on with his striking, but Werdum finished him with a flying knee out of nowhere to become the interim Heavyweight Champion. The UFC would return to Mexico City in June of 2015 at UFC 188 for an Undisputed Heavyweight title fight between Cain Velasquez and Fabricio Werdum. To the shock of many, Werdum won every area of the fight. He did what nobody thought could be done. He outworked Cain Velasquez and got him tired. Velasquez shot for a takedown in the 3rd round which Werdum capitalized on by securing and finishing Velasquez with a guillotine choke to become the Undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion. Werdum is the man that ended the winning streak of Fedor Emelianenko and took the title away from Cain Velasquez. With this win, he etched his name as one of the greatest Heavyweights of all time.

## Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Dustin Poirier

![Jeff Bottari: Zuffa LLC2.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/826b07bc-df38-4f1c-c44b-591ece13e100/pub "Before Khabib's first UFC fight in Abu Dhabi. (Jeff Bottari - Getty Images)")

In October of 2018, Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Conor McGregor in the biggest box office fight in UFC history at UFC 229. The event sold 2.4 Million PPV buys and remains the only UFC event in history that’s surpassed 2 Million PPV buys. After Khabib finished McGregor, a brawl ensued as Khabib Nurmagoemdov jumped over the fence to attack the cornermen of Conor McGregor. It was an ugly scene that led to a 9-month suspension for Khabib. During his suspension, the UFC ordered an interim Lightweight title fight between Dustin Poirier and reigning Featherweight Champion Max Holloway. Poirier defeated Holloway to become the interim Champion and earned a fight against Khabib Nurmagoemdov. Poirier and Khabib were scheduled to fight for the undisputed Lightweight title at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi. Khabib continued to show how superior he was compared to the rest of the division as he finished Poirier with a rear-naked choke to remain the Lightweight Champion.

## Robert Whittaker vs. Israel Adesanya 1

![Jeff Bottari:Zuffa LLC 2.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/15d20531-cb50-44a8-4c7f-71ac29b1f800/pub "The weigh ins for Whittaker vs. Adesanya 1. (Jeff Bottari - Getty Images)")

When Israel Adesanya entered the UFC, you could immediately see that he was a different kind of striker than what we were used to in MMA. He came from the world of professional kickboxing where he accumulated a record of 75-5. After winning 5 consecutive fights in the UFC, he earned an opportunity to fight for the interim UFC Middleweight title against Kelvin Gastelum after the reigning Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker was sidelined due to an injury. Adesanya and Gastelum competed in an instant classic in a fight that pushed Adesanya to his limits. Adesanya won a hard fought battle to become the interim Middleweight Champion. This led to an undisputed Middleweight title fight between Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya at UFC 243 at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia. This event set an all-time UFC attendance record at 57,127 fans. Adesanya looked flawless that night as he went on to finish Whittaker by knockout to become the undisputed Middleweight Champion.

## Matt Serra vs. Georges St-Pierre 2

![geettt.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/b666ba71-964a-4fa5-6f4f-e5ee5660d900/pub "The final face off before GSP and Matt Serra stepped into the Octagon. (Getty Images)")

When Matt Serra won Season 4 of the Ultimate Fighter in 2006, he earned a title shot against the Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre. Not many were giving Serra a chance, who was an 11-1 underdog. He was going up against the almighty Georges St-Pierre who was leading a new generation of martial artists. Serra shocked the combat sports world, when he finished GSP by TKO in the 1st round to become the Welterweight Champion. This was the turning point in GSP’s career, as he began to rebuild himself as a fighter. He started by defeating Josh Koscheck at UFC 74. Serra was scheduled to make his first title defense against Matt Hughes at UFC 79 after the two were opposing coaches on the 6th season of the Ultimate Fighter. However, an injury forced Serra off the card. GSP stepped in on short notice to fight Hughes at the event for the interim Welterweight title. GSP submitted Hughes to become the interim Champion in what was also a trilogy bout between the pair. After having the interim title wrapped around his waist, GSP removed the belt and said that the only way he’d consider himself as the true Champion was by defeating Matt Serra in a rematch. The rematch against Serra would take place at UFC 83 in his hometown of Montreal, Quebec. This was the UFC’s first event in Canada. The rematch went as many expected the first fight to go. GSP dominated Serra and finished him in the 2nd round to once again become the UFC Welterweight Champion.

## Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir 2

![SamMorris:LasVegasSun.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/f939e89c-c74f-4ca9-894f-0c7f0e1b2700/pub "Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir one day before their rematch. (Sam Morris- Las Vegas Sun)")

In February of 2008, former WWE Superstar Brock Lesnar made his UFC debut against Frank Mir at UFC 81. This was a major event for the UFC as many people were watching MMA for the first time. Brock Lesnar immediately charged towards Frank Mir when the fight began and started to attack. Referee Steve Mazzagatti halted the action after Lesnar hit Mir with punches to the back of the head. This was the turning point of the fight as Lesnar lost momentum. When the fight restarted, Mir secured and finished Lesnar with a kneebar, handing him the first loss of his professional career. Lesnar rebounded from this loss by defeating Heath Herring at UFC 87. Brock Lesnar was such a box office draw that the UFC granted him with a Heavyweight title shot against Randy Couture after just one win in the UFC. This was a return fight for Couture who was going through contract issues with the UFC, after trying to secure a fight against Fedor Emelianenko outside the Octagon. Before Couture decided to return to the UFC to fight Lesnar, the UFC had booked an interim Heavyweight title fight between Frank Mir and Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira. Both Lesnar and Frank Mir both finished their title fights by 2nd round TKO which set up a rematch between the two for the undisputed UFC Heavyweight title. The rematch would take place at UFC 100 which at the time was the biggest blockbuster event in UFC history. Lesnar avenged his loss to Mir by finishing by TKO to become the undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion.

## Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin

![102595844-ufc-116-weigh-in.jpg-850x560.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/0e4c1b84-76c9-46dc-8746-470a6e33c100/pub "Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin weighing in before their mega fight - Getty Images)")

After Brock Lesnar defeated Frank Mir at UFC 100, he was scheduled to defend his title against the undefeated Shane Carwin at UFC 106 in November of 2009. However, Lesnar was forced out of the fight after suffering diverticulitis. With Lesnar sidelined due to the illness, the UFC put on a fight for an interim Heavyweight title between Shane Carwin and Frank Mir at UFC 111. If Carwin won, we would see the fight that was originally scheduled for UFC 106. If Mir won, we’d see a trilogy fight between Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir. Carwin pummeled Mir with uppercuts and finished him to become the interim Champion. He earned an opportunity to fight Lesnar for the undisputed title at UFC 116 in July of 2010. Up until that point, Carwin had finished every opponent he had fought by 1st round knockout. It looked like he was going to continue that streak against Lesnar when he rocked him in the 1st round. Lesnar stayed composed while Carwin emptied the tank. Carwin would enter the 2nd round for the first time in his career against Lesnar. He came into the 2nd round as a depleted fighter. Lesnar took him down and finished him with an arm triangle choke. This fight earned Lesnar a tremendous amount of respect from the fight world as he proved he could take punishment, recover, and come back to win. It proved he was a true fighter.

## Jose Aldo vs. Max Holloway 1

![Buda Mendes:Getty Images.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/f3c22f7b-7467-450d-e0f6-0a1e6e959900/pub "Jose Aldo and Max Holloway at a press conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Buda Mendes - Getty Images)")

After Conor McGregor defeated Jose Aldo to become the UFC Featherweight Champion, the division was left in limbo. McGregor was scheduled to move up in weight to challenge for the Lightweight title but instead fought Nate Diaz in back to back fights in the Welterweight division. With the Champion out of the division, the UFC set up an interim title fight between Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar at UFC 200. Aldo defeated Edgar to become an interim Champion. After McGregor won the UFC Lightweight Championship in November of 2016, it was clear that he wouldn’t be returning to the division. This forced the UFC to strip McGregor of his title and upgrade Aldo from the interim Champion to the undisputed Champion. At the same time, Max Holloway was scheduled to fight Anthony Pettis for the interim Featherweight title at UFC 206. After Holloway defeated Pettis, he would go on to challenge Jose Aldo for the undisputed Featherweight title at UFC 212. This fight was certainly the most unique in terms of how we got to an undisputed title fight. Holloway went on to finish Aldo to become the Undisputed Champion.

## Francis Ngannou vs. Ciryl Gane

![getme.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/b4bc1c38-a8d4-4853-630f-80a08d368100/pub "From training partners to opponents. (Getty Images)")

When Francis Ngannou defeated Stipe Miocic to become the UFC Heavyweight Champion, it seemed like Ngannou was going to be an active Champion that regularly defended his title. However, Ngannou was going through contract issues with the UFC and did not fight Derrick Lewis at UFC 265 as the promotion wanted. Just 4 months after Ngannou became the Champion, the UFC announced that Derrick Lewis would fight Ciryl Gane for the interim Heavyweight title. Gane was a prodigy and a former training partner of Francis Ngannou. He finished Lewis to become the interim Champion. After it seemed like Ngannou would hold the title for a long time, Cyril Gane came out of nowhere and became the biggest threat to the division. Ngannou and Gane were set to compete for the undisputed Heavyweight title at UFC 270 in January of 2022. Ngannou did in his fight against Gane what he had never previously done in his career. He won a fight by decision. With this win, Ngannou handed Gane the first loss of his professional career and left no doubt that he was the undisputed best Heavyweight fighter in the world. 

A look at every title unification fight in UFC history

The UFC returns to the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida on April 9th for UFC 273. This is a stacked card that features two Championship fights and the return of Khamzat Chimaev. Let’s take a look at all of the fights featured on Verdict.

## Alexander Volkanovski vs. the Korean Zombie

After Alexander Volkanovski defeated Brian Ortega, the original plan was for him to have a 3rd fight against Max Holloway at UFC 272. However, an injury forced Holloway to withdraw. Volkanovski didn’t want to wait for Holloway to recover, so he asked the UFC to set up another fight. Chan Sung Jung stepped in to challenge Volkanovski for the UFC Featherweight title. Jung is no stranger to title fights, as he first competed for the UFC Featherweight title in August of 2013 against Jose Aldo. Jung lost the fight after suffering a dislocated shoulder. Jung went on a 4-year hiatus after his fight against Aldo because it was mandatory for him to serve in the South Korean military. Jung picked up where he left off when he returned to the sport in 2017, as he finished the likes of Denis Bermudez, Renato Moicano, and Frankie Edgar by knockout. As good as Jung is, the Verdict Community isn’t giving him much of a chance at UFC 273 with 86% predicting Volkanovski to defeat him. Nearly 9 years after his first title shot, the Korean Zombie will once again challenge for the UFC Featherweight title.

![Group 2.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/dbc2a6f3-ccc1-4e19-c2ae-a3d38504fc00/pub)

## Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan 2

The long-awaited rematch between Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan will finally take place at UFC 273. The first fight ended in one of the most controversial finishes in UFC history after Petr Yan was disqualified for hitting a grounded Aljamain Sterling with an illegal knee. With this win, Aljamain Sterling became the first and only fighter in UFC history to win a Championship by disqualification. For the past year, Sterling has been criticized for not continuing to fight. He hasn’t been able to enjoy his time as UFC Champion and hasn’t gotten the respect that a UFC Champion should. He’ll get his opportunity to earn the respect of a Champion at UFC 273. Prior to the first fight, the Verdict Community was dead split at a 50/50 on who they thought would win the fight. It’s a different story headed into the rematch, as 85% of the Verdict Community predicts Yan to defeat Sterling.

![Group.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/97cbef35-ff72-497c-a1a0-625330192200/public)

## Gilbert Burns vs. Khamzat Chimaev

Even with 2 Championship bouts on the card, Gilbert Burns vs. Khamzat Chimaev is still the most anticipated fight on the card for many people. It’s been a long time since a prospect has demolished the competition the way Khamzat Chimaev has. He’s only had 4 fights in the UFC and many are already expecting him to become a UFC Champion in multiple divisions. Given that he’s ranked #11 at Welterweight, not many at the top of the division were keen on fighting Khamzat Chimaev. They view this as a high risk and low reward situation. However, Gilbert Burns knows that if he defeats Khamzat, he’s going to take all of his hype regardless of his ranking. Burns has never shied away from a challenge and you can see that in his fighting style. He’s a multiple-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion a former UFC title challenger. If Khamzat Chimaev defeats Gilbert Burns, there can be no more doubt. Khamzat will prove that he’s the real deal. The majority of the Verdict Community already believes Khamzat is the real deal, as 76% are predicting him to defeat Burns.

![Group 5.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/52d6159e-66dc-4074-0ef1-6baa178baf00/pub)

## MacKenzie Dern vs. Tecia Torres

Mackenzie Dern had a 4 fight winning streak snapped in her last fight against Marina Rodriguez. She’ll get her opportunity to get back on track when she takes on Tecia Torres at UFC 273. Torres’ only losses in the UFC have come against Jéssica Andrade, Joanna Jędrzejczyk, Weili Zhang, and Marina Rodriguez. 3 of those women are former UFC Champions while Rodriguez is likely to be fighting for a Champion in 2022. Simply put, Torres has only lost to the best of the best. Torres is currently on a 3 fight winning with a win against Angela Hill in her last fight. With that said, she's still a big underdog headed into this fight with 75% predicting Dern to defeat her.

![Group 4.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/b270946f-04e9-456b-b608-22b96dee1400/public)


## Aspen Ladd vs. Raquel Pennington

Aspen Ladd was originally scheduled to fight Irene Aldana but Aldana withdrew due to undisclosed reasons. Raquel Pennington has stepped in on short notice to fight Ladd. Since losing to Holly Holm in January of 2020, Raquel Pennington has won 3 consecutive fights. Even though she’s on a winning streak, 63% are predicting Aspen Ladd to defeat Pennington.

![Group 7.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/1e995bc3-5871-4659-9dc2-30429c7d1800/public)

## Ian Garry vs. Darian Weeks

After making a successful UFC debut last November, Ian Garry returns to the Octagon to take on Darian Weeks. Garry is undefeated at 8-0 and is a former Cage Warriros Champion. He represents the new wave or Irish fighters in the UFC and is looking to restart the Irish takeover. He has a lot of confidence as he’s nicknamed himself as “The Future”. His opponent Darian Weeks has a 100% finishing rate with 4 out of 5 fights ending by knockout. 

![Group 3.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/9b8e8645-d67d-42db-7b3e-d128d40c7000/pub)