Taylor Dow

## Fighter Spotlight: Jiří Procházka


   
***Record***: 29-3-1         
***Date of Birth***: October 14, 1992 (age 31)    
***Weight***: 205 lb (93 kg)   
***Height***: 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)     
***Reach***: 80 in (203 cm)     
***Nationality***: Czech               
***Fighting out of***: Brno, Czech Republic      
***Next Fight***: Alex Pereira at UFC 295: Procházka vs. Pereira



## Early Life     

```iframe
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border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CHsqO70Fu3Z/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Jiří “BJP” Procházka (@jirkaprochazka)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
```


Jiří Procházka was born in Znojmo, Czechslovakia (now Czech Republic).     

As a child, Procházka was an avid football and freestyle BMX fan.   

Following the death of his father, Procházka found himself getting into street fights very often as a football hooligan, sometimes up to 100 in a week, as well as massive 30-on-30 brawls against opposing teams' supporters.     




Procházka was introduced to martial arts before joining high school when his friend showed him videos of Ramon Dekkers, Mirko Cro Cop, and Fedor Emelianenko. This introduction led the young Procházka to watch the film Never Back Down and take up martial arts, particularly Muay Thai kickboxing.     

Procházka is a follower of Bushido principles, Samurai moral values, and the teachings of Miyamoto Musashi.     

Since 2017, Procházka has lived in a cottage about 30 minutes outside his hometown of Brno, near a reservoir. The cottage has electricity and other amenities; however, it has no gas, and he gets his water out of a well.      




## MMA Debut     
```iframe
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/H2MR_iMMrYY?si=t5JIm_7oHvajQ5rW" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
```

Procházka began his professional MMA career in April 2012 when he faced Stanislav Futera in Gladiator Fighting Championship, the biggest promotion in his home country of the Czech Republic.    

Procházka won the fight in 53 seconds by knockout and began his undefeated run as a professional MMA fighter.     





## First Fights     
```iframe
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1fnfVifWRPo?si=t5rN_J9gqKfSnV6E" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
``` 

Procházka would follow up his debut with 3 more first-round finishes, 2 knockouts, and 1 submission against Vladimír Eis, Martin Vaniš, and Strahinja Denić. All of these fights took place in the Czech Republic in 2012.      

Procházka's first career loss came in his fifth professional fight against Bojan Veličković, where he was TKO'd in round 1; however, Procházka did not let this hold him back and was back in with a TKO win of his own 2 months later.   

Procházka was back again with another big 26-second KO by flying knee against Radovan Estocin 3 months later.     

Procházka would return, but this time, in Moscow, Russia, facing Abdul-Kerim Edilov, where he received his second career loss by first-round submission.     


Procházka's next 9 fights would see him go undefeated with 1 draw, with 7 finishes in the first round, as well as obtaining and defending the Gladiator Fighting Championship at Light Heavyweight.     

Procházka was now 14-2-1, with 14 finishes, 13 of which were all in the first round, and ready for a shot in a big promotion.    




## The Rizin Era     
```iframe
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gQKWa3TbQEI?si=CfPP07hu3lE9w2Jc&amp;start=249" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
```

Procházka received his most significant career opportunity to date when he was offered to fight in Japan under the Rizin banner, where he spent the better part of his career.     

Procházka's Rizin debut saw him score a first-round head kick knockout against Satoshi Ishii on December 29, 2015, which granted him entry into the Rizin Light Heavyweight Grand Prix 2 days later.     


During the Grand Prix, Procházka faced Vadim Nemkov, a future Bellator world champion, in the first leg of the tournament. Procházka retired Nemkov after the opening round due to an amalgamation of damage to move on to finals against former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight champion Muhammad Lawal. Lawal ended the fight by KO in the first round and gave Procházka his final career loss to date.    


Procházka's next fight would see him score yet another first-round KO against Kazuyuki Fujita and return to his finishing ways.     



Procházka would earn his one and only decision win in his following fight when he faced Mark Tanios during the Rizin Openweight Grand Prix in 2016.     



Procházka continued this impressive finishing streak until joining the UFC, over big names such as Karl Albrektsson, Bruno Cappelozza, Brandon Halsey, Muhammad Lawal, Fábio Maldonado, and C. B. Dollaway. All of these finishes ended in knockout.     

Procházka was now 26-3-1, with 25 finishes and 1 decision. He ended his Rizin run in December 2019 with a promotional record of 11-1.       



## A Quick Rush to a UFC Title     
```iframe
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dHKRVKnChFI?si=4QeHHXIBS5U1iUB6&amp;start=249" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
```

Procházka's UFC debut came against previous title challenger Volkan Oezdemir, where he landed a clean 1-2, which rendered Oezdemir unconscious at 49 seconds of round 2, winning him a Performance of the Night bonus. 

Procházka's next fight would see him score his most amazing knockout to date when he faced another previous title challenger, Dominick Reyes. Procházka landed a spinning back elbow, which knocked Reyes out cold and earned him 2 bonus awards: 1 for Fight of the Night and 1 for Performance of the Night. 

These 2 impressive victories earned Procházka a title shot against the new Light Heavyweight champion, Glover Teixeira. Little did we know, this would be one of the greatest fights ever, as both men left it all on the line in an all-out war of attrition. Over the first 4 rounds, the action was back and forth; however, it seemed like Teixeira could be slightly up on the scorecards. Procházka dug deep in the final round and, with 28 seconds remaining in the fight, submitted the 2nd-degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt by rear-naked choke to become the undisputed Light Heavyweight champion. This war would earn both men Fight of the Night and Fight of the Year for 2022.     

Procházka was scheduled to rematch Teixeira at UFC 282 in December 2022. However, Procházka suffered a shoulder injury that forced him to pull out and relinquish the title 1 month prior. Procházka has been recovering ever since.     




## Next Fight     



```iframe
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nwbLRPJA4Qs?si=QpQkhAoy3YJ5mILm" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
```

Catch Jiří Procházka when he takes on Alex Pereira for UFC gold at UFC 295: Procházka vs. Pereira.

Fighter Spotlight: Jiří Procházka

Liam Lindsay

A top-5 matchup in the Light-Heavyweight division is now in the works. Jan Blachowicz is targeted to face Aleksandar Rakic in a rematch at UFC 297, which is believed to be going down in Toronto, Canada, on January 20th, per Ariel Helwani.

**This bout occurs in the Light-Heavyweight (205 lbs) division.**

Jan Blachowicz is ranked #4 at Light-Heavyweight and holds a professional record of 29-10-1 (12-7-1 UFC), with notable wins over Israel Adesanya, Aleksandar Rakic, and Dominick Reyes.

Aleksandar Rakic holds the #5 ranking in the Light-Heavyweight division and claims a professional record of 14-3 (6-2 UFC). He has credible wins over Thiago Santos, Anthony Smith, and Jimi Manuwa.

**Official odds have yet to be released.**

Jan Blachowicz had a meteoric rise up until late 2021, when he lost the title to Glover Teixeira. Now, the Pole is 1-1-1 in his last three. Following a victory over Rakic in 2022, Blachowicz would fight Magomed Ankalaev for the vacant Light-Heavyweight Championship. The fight would be a tale of two halves, with Blachowicz hurting Ankalaev's leg multiple times across the first three rounds, but would be dominated in rounds 4 and 5, leading to a split draw. In an attempt to bounce back, Blachowicz would face Alex Pereira at UFC 291 but fell victim to the striking prowess of Pereira and the altitude in Salt Lake City, eventually losing a split decision. Blachowiz has his back against the wall heading into this matchup and will need to secure a victory to keep his top-5 ranking in the division.

![blachowicz-pereira.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/8c4ce0af-87ce-4518-2dcc-aac89c5c9500/pub "Jan Blachowicz and Alex Pereira celebrating after their fight at UFC 291. Credits to: Jeff Swinger - USA TODAY Sports.")

Aleksandar Rakic is coming off a long layoff following his defeat to Blachowicz. "Rocket" headlined his first UFC event vs. Blachowicz, and the fight was competitive until the unfortunate stopped. The Pole succeeded in the first round on the feet; Rakic would fire back in the second with an early takedown, controlling Blachowicz for the rest of the round. But, early in the third, Rakic stepped back on his leg and tore his ACL, forcing the referee to stop the contest. Now, Rakic looks to come back after a twenty-month layoff and avenge his loss to Blachowicz to continue moving further into the top of the division.

![rakic-blachowicz.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/61e26e4e-4f0a-4aa7-b7a8-1ed9b405b000/pub "Aleksandar Rakic taking Jan Blachowicz down in their main event fight. Credits to: Jeff Botari - Zuffa LLC.")

This is excellent matchmaking and a great addition to the UFC 297 card if it gets finalized. As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know your prediction for the fight in the comments below.

Jan Blachowicz vs. Aleksandar Rakic 2 In The Works

You read the title right. Dana White has just announced the main events for the first three PPVs of 2024. After much speculation, here are the confirmed title fights for UFC 297, UFC 298, and UFC 299.

## UFC 297: Sean Strickland vs. Dricus du Plessis

The first PPV of 2024, rumored to be going down in Toronto, Canada, on January 20th, will be headlined by the current UFC Middleweight Champion, Sean Strickland. His opponent will be the #2 ranked contender, Dricus du Plessis.

Sean Strickland is coming off one of the biggest upsets of 2023, where he defeated Israel Adesanya via a dominant unanimous decision in Sydney, Australia. The Champion is riding a three-fight win streak, with his only recent losses coming against Alex Pereira and a razor-thin split decision vs. Jared Cannonier. Now, Strickland looks to make the first defense of his title against a widely different style of opponent.

![strickland-adesanya.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/fc8f6bcf-8d73-44dd-2a90-9bd55771cc00/pub "Sean Strickland defeating Israel Adesanya at UFC 293. Credits to: Jasmin Frank - USA TODAY Sports.")

Dricus du Plessis is riding a huge win streak in the Middleweight division. The South African fighter has won all six of his UFC bouts and finished five of them. In his last bout at UFC 290, he also got an upset victory by finishing Robert Whittaker in the second round via TKO to earn his title shot. At the time, he faced off against Adesanya in the cage, but now he eyes Sean Strickland to become the first-ever UFC South African Champion.

![du-plessis-whittaker.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/7b983ae4-1d8f-4d47-680b-49e9610ac300/pub "Dricus du Plessis finishing Robert Whittaker at UFC 290. Credits to: Stephen R. Sylvanie - USA TODAY Sports.")

## UFC 298: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria

The dominant Featherweight Champion, Alexander Volkanovski, will headline the PPV in February. His opponent will be the rising Georgian contender Ilia Topuria, an undefeated prospect riding a fourteen-fight unbeaten streak. The current venue and date for UFC 298 is unknown.

Alexander Volkanovski is coming off a devastating KO loss to Islam Makhachev. The always-game Champion took the fight on eleven days' notice, saving the UFC 294 card, but his two-division champion dreams were cut short by Makhachev. Now, "The Great" looks to make the sixth defense of his Featherweight title and cement himself as the greatest Featherweight of all time.

![volk-rod.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/c62fbdf7-4e2d-4abe-6987-9511212fcc00/pub "Alexander Volkanovski cracking Yair Rodriguez at UFC 290, his last win. Credits to: Stephen R. Sylvanie - USA TODAY Sports.")

Ilia Topuria has faced little adversity throughout his six-fight UFC run. Bar an early knockdown against Jai Herbert, "El Matador" has looked perfect during his run to the title. His last fight came against Josh Emmett, whom Topuria dominated across five rounds en route to a unanimous decision, with one of the judges scoring the contest 50-42. Topuria now focuses on UFC gold, aiming to become the first Georgian UFC Champion.

![topuria-emmett.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/399ecdde-04e3-42d5-a901-777844556b00/pub "Ilia Topuria after rocking Josh Emmett in his first UFC main event. Credits to: David Yeazell - USA TODAY Sports.")

## UFC 299: Sean O'Malley vs. Marlon Vera 2

UFC 299 will host a superfight of a matchup and one of the most highly anticipated rematches in UFC history. The newly crowned Bantamweight Champion "Sugar" Sean O'Malley will look to make the first defense of his title against the only man to ever beat in professional MMA, Marlon "Chito" Vera. The date and venue for this is currently unknown.

Sean O'Malley shocked the world when he devastatingly TKOed Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292. After months of trash talk between the two, O'Malley would land a devastating cross on Sterling before following up with ground-and-pound strikes to close the show. In 2020, O'Malley faced Vera for the first time at UFC 252, losing via first-round TKO. O'Malley has expressed his opinions about the loss and the "flukish" nature of it, but now has the opportunity to write his wrongs at UFC 299.

![omalley-sterling.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/7287c7c6-e35f-46ed-28b7-a74cacf46c00/pub "Sean O'Malley TKOing Aljamain Sterling to win UFC gold. Credits to: Bob DeChiara - USA TODAY Sports.")

Marlon Vera has the chance to become the first Ecuadorian UFC Champion, a dream he has worked towards since joining the UFC in 2014. Vera has won five of his last six, with his only loss being a split decision to Cory Sandhagen, and he has claimed masterful victories over Frankie Edgar, Dominick Cruz, and Rob Font. Across those three matchups, Vera landed seven knockdowns, which shows how powerful a striker he is. In his last matchup, he defeated Pedro Munhoz via unanimous decision in the same event O'Malley defeated Sterling, and now he has the opportunity to go 2-0 over the superstar.

![vera-munhoz.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/09929971-26ed-4d52-e2ec-214a41795200/pub "Marlon Vera tagging Pedro Munhoz in his last bout. Credits to: Bob DeChiara - USA TODAY Sports.")

Which of these events are you most excited about? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know your thoughts and predictions in the comments below.

PPV Main Events For UFC 297, UFC 298, And UFC 299 Announced by Dana White 

Following a masterclass performance from Jailton Almeida at the weekend, the rising contender asked for a top-5 matchup against Ciryl Gane for his next fight. We're going to take a look at the scope of the Heavyweight division and discuss the next fights to make.

## Curtis Blaydes (#5) vs. Jailton Almeida (#9)

Following his victory over Lewis, Almeida was quick to call out the #1 contender, Ciryl Gane. But, if we're being realistic, it's doubtful that fight will happen next, with Almeida only just breaking into the top 10 of the division. Instead, the original bout between Almeida and Curtis Blaydes should be rebooked for a five-round main event in early 2024. Blaydes is coming off a TKO defeat to Sergei Pavlovich, but before that, he was 8-1 in his last nine. The fight is an excellent opportunity for Blaydes, ranked #5, to prove he can still hang with the rising contenders and allows Almeida to jump into the top 5 of the division with a victory. The winner would likely set themselves up for a big fight in mid-2024 with potential title implications, which is why it's imperative we get this matchup across five rounds.

![almeida-headkick.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/dcf053cb-7aa9-4c0d-e8dd-88c3bd01c700/pub "Jailton Almeida clipping Derrick Lewis with a headkick. Credits to: Jason da Silva - USA TODAY Sports.")

## Derrick Lewis (#10) vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik (#12)

Derrick Lewis just had a bad night in the office. Despite taking the fight on short notice and impressing many fans with his submission and ground defense, he was still utterly dominated across five rounds. "The Black Beast" is 2-5 in his last seven and is slowly being forced out of the rankings due to steeper competition, but he's still always down to take a fight, even if it's a poor matchup for him. Another fighter in a rough spot is Jairzinho Rozenstruik, who hasn't pieced a winning streak together since 2019. The former kickboxing champion has no current wins over anyone inside the top 15 and, with another loss, could fall from the rankings. With Lewis holding the #10 ranking and Rozenstruik claiming #12, this is a perfect matchup to make next that could open a PPV card. With the two fighters being prolific knockout artists in the division and both being ranked for multiple years, it's shocking we haven't seen this fight already.

![lewis-delima.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/05914045-93b7-46a5-a883-13d4788be900/pub "Derrick Lewis' last win against Marcos Rogerio De Lima at UFC 291. Credits to: Jeff Swinger - USA TODAY Sports.")

## Alexander Volkov (#6) vs. Serghei Spivac (#7)

Now, this matchup is a classic instance of a striker vs. a grappler. Alexander Volkov is coming off a big win at UFC 293, where he submitted Tai Tuivasa with an Ezekiel choke. The Heavyweight veteran is riding his longest win streak since 2018, with finishes over Tuivasa, Alexander Romanov, and Jairzinho Rozenstruik. On the other side stands Serghei Spivac, who made a name for himself in 2022 when he TKOed Greg Hardy and Augusto Sakai. "Polar Bear" started 2023 off strong, too, with a submission over Derrick Lewis, but fell victim to the technical striking of Ciryl Gane in his last bout, halting his momentum in the division. This is an ideal fight for both men, as they're right next to each other in the rankings, and both need a big win to boost themselves into a top-5 matchup next. We could likely see this headline a Fight Night card in early 2024, especially since Volkov is a very active fighter.

![volkov-tuivasa.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/e6b6f770-5069-4a86-b5d8-bbb8f5c6a800/pub "Alexander Volkov beating Tai Tuivasa on the feet at UFC 293. Credits to: Jasmin Frank - USA TODAY Sports.")
 
## Ciryl Gane (#1) vs. Winner / Loser of Pavlovich vs. Aspinall

With Sergei Pavlovich and Tom Aspinall booked for UFC 295, the division's landscape is unknown. Will the winner face Jon Jones, or the winner of Jones vs. Stipe Miocic, or perhaps have to defend their interim title? Either way, as the number #1 contender, Ciryl Gane will fit into the equation somewhere. Despite suffering his only two UFC losses in undisputed Championship fights, the Frenchman has remained perfect throughout the rest of his career, racking up wins over Spivac, Tuivasa, Volkov, Lewis, and more during his rise to the top. Although he initially declined a matchup against Tom Aspinall, he may be forced to fight him in his next bout, depending on how his fight vs. Pavlovich plays out. Regardless, we'll likely see Gane against one of those two fighters next.

![gane-spivac.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/f08baab4-8a39-4013-c7f3-917ca32b8100/pub "Ciryl Gane dominating Serghei Spivac in his last fight in Paris, France. Credits to: Haljestam - USA TODAY Sports.")

## Tai Tuivasa (#8) vs. Marcin Tybura (#11)

Finally, we must decide what to do with the loser of UFC 293's co-main event, Tai Tuivasa. The Western Sydney banger managed to scrap his way to an unofficial title eliminator bout against Ciryl Gane, but after a war in Paris, he was KOed late in the third round. Following the loss, he'd drop two more defeats to Pavlovich and Volkov, leaving him on his second three-fight losing streak inside the UFC. The next logical matchup for Tuivasa is a step down outside the top-10 to face Marcin Tybura. "Tybur" is also coming off a loss to Tom Aspinall, but before that, he was 7-1 in his last eight. The Pole always comes to fight and is always a tough matchup for anyone. It's the logical next matchup for Tuivasa to see if he's still capable of handling himself in the upper echelon of the division.

![tybura-romanov.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/799aa404-e6d6-49b0-8d19-bc1979489700/pub "Marcin Tybura brawling with Alexander Romanov at UFC 278. Credits to: Jeffrey Swinger - USA TODAY Sports.")

So, what do you think? Which of these bouts would you most like to see heading into 2024, and do you disagree with any? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know in the comments below.

Five Fights to Make Next in The UFC Heavyweight Division

The first PPV of 2023 has come with plenty of switchups. Initially, Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria was supposed to headline the card in Toronto, Canada, on the 20th of January. That then shifted to a potential matchup between Max Holloway and Topuria. But now, per Ariel Helwani, the UFC is looking at Islam Makhachev vs. Charles Oliveira 2 for the headliner of UFC 297.

**This five-round title fight occurs in the Lightweight (155 lbs) division.**

Islam Makhchev is the Champion of the Lightweight division and is ranked #2 in the Pound-For-Pound rankings. He claims a professional record of 25-1 (14-1 UFC) and holds notable wins over Alexander Volkanovski, Charles Oliveira, and Arman Tsarukyan.

Charles Oliviera is ranked #1 in the Lightweight division and #9 on the Pound-For-Pound scale, with a professional record of 34-9-1NC (22-9-1NC UFC) and noteworthy wins over Beniel Dariush, Justin Gaethje, and Dustin Poirier.

**Official odds: Islam Makhachev -350, Charles Oliveira +275, per BestFightOdds.com November 4th 5:00 PM EST.**

Despite Jon Jones holding the #1 PFP ranking, many fans view Islam Makhachev as the greatest fighter in the world right now. The phenom from Dagestan, Russia, has not lost since 2015 and is coming off three of the most impressive victories a fighter could claim. He started by submitting Charles Oliveira to capture the Lightweight title, and since then, has defeated the dominant Featherweight Champion, Alexander Volkanovski, by decision at UFC 284, and in his last fight, KOed the Champion with a brutal head-kick to retain the title. He now looks to make the third defense of the Lightweight title as he moves closer to becoming one of the UFC GOATs.

![makhachev-clinch.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/7316a653-6e15-4e6d-6f47-44b9b3d73600/pub "Islam Makhachev clinching Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 294. Credits to: Craig Kidwell - USA TODAY Sports.")

Charles Oliveira was heartbroken when he fell out of his fight at UFC 294, where he was supposed to get his redemption vs. Islam Makhachev after losing the title in 2022. It turns out we won't be waiting long to see Oliveira back in there. The fan-favorite fighting out of São Paulo, Brazil, captured the attention of the world during his run of title fights between 2021-2022, where Oliveira finished Michael Chandler, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje in a whirlwind of title bouts. Now, "Do Bronx" is looking to reclaim the title in Canada, where he made a home in his last fight. Oliveira ran through Beniel Dariush back at UFC 289, also in Canada, finishing the fight via first-round TKO. Now, the stars have aligned for Oliveira to attempt to become the first-ever two-time UFC Lightweight Champion.

![oliveira-beats-dariush.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/f7bce379-ca0b-4bac-65a3-4c386831f500/pub "Charles Oliveira after defeating Beniel Dariush at UFC 289. Credits to: Sergei Belski - USA TODAY Sports.")
 
This is the fight we've all been waiting for, and hopefully, we'll see it go down on Canadian soil. So, who do you have winning? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know your precision in the comments below.

Change of Plans; Islam Makhachev vs. Charles Oliveira 2 Rumoured For Canada

The first title fight of 2024 is booked to go down at UFC 297 in Toronto, Canada. Per AgFight, Raquel Pennington will face Mayra Bueno Silva for the vacant Women's Bantamweight title on January 20th.

**This five-round bout occurs in the Women's Bantamweight (135 lbs) division.**

Raquel Pennington holds a professional record of 15-8 (12-5 UFC) and is ranked #2 in the Women's Bantamweight division. She has notable wins over Ketlen Vieira, Aspen Ladd, and Macy Chiasson.

Mayra Bueno Silva is ranked #3 in the Women's Bantamweight division and holds a professional record of 10-2-1-1NC (5-2-1-1NC UFC), with credible wins over Wu Yanan, Stephanie Eggar, and Lina Länsberg.

**Official odds have yet to be released.**

Raquel Pennington has been quietly rising through the ranks of the Bantamweight division since 2020. After suffering a decision defeat to Holly Holm, "Rocky" has won five straight and now holds the #2 spot in the division. Her last bout was supposed to be a title eliminator against Irene Aldana, but an injury in the main event of UFC 289 forced Juliana Pena out of her matchup vs. Amanda Nunes. Aldana took the short-notice fight, leaving Pennington on the sidelines, waiting for her opportunity. Now, she looks to challenge for the title for the second time in her career, with the first being a TKO loss to Nunes in 2018.

![pen-vier.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/04749627-461e-4dc2-c95e-172e4195fa00/pub "Raquel Pennington scrapping with Ketlen Vieira. Credits to: Chris Unger - Zuffa LLC.")

Mayra Bueno Silva is coming off a frustrating No Contest against Holly Holm. Bueno Silva impressed many fans in her first UFC main event, submitting Holly Holm with a buggy choke. However, a positive test for ritalinic acid, which Silva claimed was for her ADHA, overturned the win to a no contest. She now looks to continue her unbeaten streak heading into this title shot and will look to outgrapple Pennington in order to claim the title.

![holm-silva.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/43de6fac-353c-43d5-7b6e-bc15ce369100/pub "Mayra Bueno Silva choking Holly Holm in her first UFC main event. Credits to: Chris Unger - Zuffa LLC,")

Though unconfirmed, this bout will likely serve as the co-main event for UFC 297. As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know your predictions in the comments below.


Raquel Pennington vs. Mayra Bueno Silva Slated For UFC 297

The results for ONE Fight Night 16: Haggerty vs. Andrade are here. Keep up to date with the results of the fights.

## Lightweight Muay Thai: Sinsamut Klinmee vs. Mouhcine Chafi

**Result:** Sinsamut Kilnmee def. Mouhcine Chafi via unanimous decision.

**Division:** Lightweight (170 lbs)

**Referee:** Olivier Coste

Chafi starts the fight intense with a leg kick and a barrage of punches, but Sinsamut lands a massive counter. Chafi pumps his jab out there, attempting to close the distance. Sinsamut lands another huge right hand before tripping Chafi. Sinsamut is lighting Chafi up with his hands right now. Chafi closes the round out with a spinning back fist that partially lands and a big straight.

The pair start round two with leg kicks, but Chafi begins to close the distance again. A head kick partially lands for Sinsamut as he slips, and the two begin brawling on their feet. A gnarly cut opens up on Chafis's face as he waves on Sinsamut. A push kick partially lands for Chafi with a minute to go, followed by a body shot. Sinsamut returns with his jab and closes the round out with a one-two. 

Chafi immediately pressures at the start of round three and clips Sinsamut with a barrage of punches, then a leg kick. Sinsamut comes up high with another head kick, which partially lands, but Chafi comes right back with a cross. The pair trade punches on the feet again, with Chafi pressing the action at a slower pace. Chafi pushes the pace harder with a minute to go, and Sinsamut offers little back in the exchanges. The round closes out with a huge right hand from Sinsamut as both men raise their hands.

## Lightweight MMA: Halil Amir vs. Ahmed Mujtaba

**Result:** TKO (referee stoppage) at 5:00 of round 1.

**Division:** Lightweight (170 lbs)

**Referee:** Herb Dean

Amir opened the action early with a sharp kick to the body, which was taken well from Mujtaba. Mujtaba returned with a quick right hand but got greedy and was countered by Amir on the way in. A beautiful trip from Amir takes the contest to the ground. Unbelievably, Amir guts, through a severe kimura attempt, ended up back in top position and managed to close the round out in devastating fashion, potentially a couple of strikes away from finishing the fight. Still, Mujtaba survived to see the second round.

At the opening of the second round, Herb Dean waves the contest off, deeming Mujataba unable to continue.

## Catchweight Muay Thai: Seksan Or. Kwanmuang vs. Karim Bennoui

**Result:** Seksan Or. Kwanmuang def. Karim Bennoui via unanimous decision.

**Division:** Catchweight (140 lbs)

**Referee:** Olivier Coste	

Bennoui gets the better of the action early but is forced to fight off the backfoot due to Seksan's pressure. Seksan attempts to close the distance and land elbows, but Bennoui uses his body jab and straights nicely to keep his range. A big elbow-overhand combination gets through for Seksan. Bennoui lands a left hook over the guard of Seksan to close out the round.

Seksan returns to his body kick early in the second round, with Bennoui attempting to counter it with low leg kicks. A huge elbow gets through for Seksan, followed by some knees to the body. Seksan is noticeably pressuring heavier in this round and finding more success because of it, but Bennoui isn't backing down from a shootout. After eating a right hand, Seksan goes right back to his clinch work, landing knees and elbows—a good combination from Bennoui after getting clipped by a head kick. The round closes out with a knee to the body from Seksan.

The third round begins with a cheer from the crowd and a three-punch combination from Bennoui. The two men are trading heavy punches on the feet. Bennoui gets trapped against the ropes and is forced to eat some vicious body knees. Seksan will not take a backward step right now. Bennoui is constantly finding hooks around the guard of Seksan but is also constantly eating elbows and knees. Seksan throws Bennoui to the ground and goes right back to the knees. Bennoui clips Seksan but cannot break through, and Seksan closes the round out with a couple of kicks to the body.

## Welterweight Submission Grappling: Tye Ruotolo vs. Magomed Abdulkadirov

**Result:** Tye Ruotolo def. Magomed Abdulkadirov via unanimous decision.

**Division:** Welterweight (185 lbs)

**Referee:** Herb Dean

Abdulkadirov is pressuring early, trying to make contact with Ruotolo, who's taking a more measured approach. It's a beautiful entry for Ruotolo, who gets the match to the ground for a second, but Abdulkadirov scrambles back up to his feet, leading to nothing. Ruotolo pulls guard with three minutes burnt on the clock. Ruotolo threatens a modified buggy choke, but Abdulkadirov is wise to it, attempting to pass the guard. Ruotolo swiftly dives for the legs of Abdulkadirov but can't secure the lock, but uses it to sweep and end up in top position. Ruotolo passes to full mount with five minutes left to go. Ruotolo secures a body lock from full mount; Abdulkadirov defends well but has yet to be able to do much else and is falling behind in the contest now. Ruotolo passes out of mount and jumps for a guillotine choke. Abdulkadirov once again defends as Ruotolo switches to a d'arce choke. Ruotolo attempts to pass from half-guard to a leg lock, but Abdulkadirov again doesn't allow a submission to be created. Ruotolo ends back up in mount with a minute to go and threatens a triangle choke, then an armbar, but for the final time, Abdulkadirov battles out of it.

## Bantamweight Kickboxing: Jonathan Haggerty vs. Fabrício Andrade

**Result:** Jonathan Haggerty def. Fabrício Andrade via KO (punches) at 1:57 of round 2.

**Division:** Bantamweight (145 lbs)

**Referee:** Olivier Coste

Haggerty starts fast with a barrage of low kicks and teep kicks. Two heavy body kicks get through for Haggerty and a right hand. Andrade gets through with some of his own low kicks and two punches to the body. Haggerty clips Andrade with hooks and blitzing combinations. A right-hand gets through at the end of the round for Haggerty, followed by a left hook to the body.

Haggerty goes back to the teep at the start of the round but is clipped by the jab of Andrade. Haggerty pumps his jab out there as Andrade starts to push forward more and unloads on Haggerty against the ropes. The two fighters trade kicks on the feet. Andrade gets buckled by a lead high kick, and Haggerty follows up with a swarm of punches. Andrade is seriously hurt on the feet, and Haggerty puts him down with a right hand. It's all over; Jonathan Haggerty stops Andrade in the second round with a barrage of strikes.

ONE Fight Night 16: Haggerty vs. Andrade Results

Douglas Vegas Bets

The UFC returns to Brazil this weekend, headlined by one of the country's brightest young talents in Heavyweight, Jailton Almeida -526, as he takes on fan favorite Derrick Lewis +350 in what should be an epic clash. I went over every fight on this deep card and gave my predictions and best bets, so let's get into it.

**Odds provided by Stake.com accurate as of 11/2/2023 10:30 AM**

## Jailton Almeida -526 vs. Derrick Lewis +350

The Heavyweight main event will be all action for as long as it lasts, as these two are some of the fastest finishers in all of MMA. Jailton Almeida is a freakishly athletic grappler with dominant control and fantastic finishing ability with his submission game or ground and pound. Derrick Lewis has become a staple of UFC history for one reason: his very dangerous punching power, although his game lacks much else, not that he needs it when the power lands.

I like Almeida to make quick work of this one; his ground game is as high level as there is in this division, and I don't see Derrick Lewis making the necessary improvements to compete there at this point in his career.

Pick: Almeida O/U: Under 1.5 -323

## Gabriel Bonfim -625 vs. Nicolas Dalby +420

The bigger of the two Bonfim brothers gets the co-main spotlight here at Welterweight. Gabriel Bonfim has proven a deadly finisher ending each of his UFC fights by submission around one minute in against solid competition. Nicolas Dalby is a solid veteran with a good ground game and pace, although he is getting up there in age.

This is an interesting matchup for Bonfim, but he will pass the test and get another finish. 

Pick: Bonfim O/U: Under 2.5 -222

## Rodrigo Nascimento -189 vs. Don'Tale Mayes +145

Rematch here at Heavyweight several years after their first match. Rodrigo Nascimento got the finish in the first matchup between these two, and despite only getting split decisions in his last two, he has still been winning fights. Don'Tale Mayes is a somewhat athletic guy for his size, with decent power that he showed by getting the knockout over Andrei Arlovski in his last fight, but his decision-making in fights is often very questionable, making him hard to trust.

I'll pick Nascimento to get the win again here, as I don't think much has changed to result in a different outcome, but this fight doesn't interest me from a betting standpoint.

Pick: Nascimento O/U: Over 2.5 +115

## Caio Borralho -294 vs. Abus Magomedov +220

Good matchup of Middleweights to watch going forward. Caio Borralho has remained unbeaten in the UFC so far, using his athleticism to show decent offensive striking and fantastic grappling with smothering control. Abus Magomedov is a powerful and long striker, although anyone who saw his last fight knows he has a cardio issue as he completely fell apart after round one against Sean Strickland, which is a massive concern.

I took the round two and three props for Borralho as his clear advantage here is in cardio, and if this fight gets past the first round, I expect him to take over and get the finish. 

Pick: Borralho O/U: Under 2.5 -141

## Rodolfo Viera -112 vs. Armen Petrosyan -114

Classic striker vs. grappler matchup here at Middleweight. Rodolfo Viera is one of the best pure submission artists in the UFC, with a very credentialed grappling game that has earned him several submissions inside the octagon. Armen Petrosyan is a solid kickboxer who is coming off a good win over Christian Leroy Duncan, where he was able to fight smart to dominate a decision. 

I'll take Petrosyan here as I think he can keep the distance and win this fight by avoiding risky positions.

Pick: Petrosyan O/U: Over 2.5 +136

## Ismael Bonfim -500 vs. Vinc Pichel +340

The first of the two Bonfim brothers fights here at Lightweight. Ismael Bonfim is a big-swinging, hard hitter who impressed many at the beginning of the year with his insane flying knee knockout over Terrance McKinney. Vinc Pichel is a tough veteran, although he has been rather inactive over the last few years and has also been outwrestled without much resistance at times when he does fight. 

I've got Bonfim here, as he has every advantage in this fight and will likely score another highlight finish. 

Pick: Bonfim O/U: Under 2.5 -112

## Elves Brenner -186* vs. Kaynan Kruschewsky +161*

Catchweight bout here on short notice. Elves Brenner returns and brings the classic Chute Boxe style of forward pressure, which he showed in his comeback victory over Guram Kutateladze earlier this year. Kaynan Kruschewsky steps up here after winning the contender series not long ago.

I think Brenner should win here, but I'm just going to enjoy the show of his wild style rather than risk my money on this one.

Pick: Brenner O/U: Under 2.5

## Elizeu Zaleski +265 vs. Rinat Fakhretdinov -370

Clash of styles in this must-see Welterweight matchup. Elizeu Zaleski is a veteran with a well-rounded skillset; he has been less explosive with age but is still very dangerous. Rinat Fakhretdinov comes into this one with a very impressive record, having shown dominant wrestling and machine-like cardio.

At these odds, I'll go with Zaleski, as I think he can defend the takedowns and test the striking of Fakhretdinov here. 

Pick: Zaleski O/U: Under 2.5 -110

## Daniel Marcos -250 vs. Victor Hugo +190

Good matchup of up-and-coming Bantamweights to watch here. Daniel Marcos enters this one without a loss on his record despite many feeling his last fight over Davey Grant should've gone the other way. Victor Hugo makes his debut here off the contender series with plenty of experience, being on a nice streak of finishes where he has shown his nasty submission game. 

I'll pick Marcos here, but at these odds, I have no interest in betting him at this price. 

Pick: Marcos O/U: Under 2.5 -169

## Vitor Petrino -244 vs. Modestas Bukauskas +185

Light Heavyweight strikers face off here. Vitor Petrino is a wild powerhouse who swings with big power and showed off a much-improved ground game, getting the submission over Marcin Prachnio in his last fight. Modestas Bukauskas has earned back-to-back wins since returning to the UFC, where he has looked good striking at range, although Zac Pauga was able to give him some trouble in close. 

I'll go with Petrino here, as I see him getting a knockout in this one with his power. 

Pick: Petrino O/U: Under 2.5 -111

## Angela Hill +109 vs. Denise Gomes -139

High-stakes Strawweight clash here early on the card. Angela Hill is a tough veteran who has competed with the top of the division for a long time and has proven how she handles a step down in competition in her recent wins over Emily Ductoe and Loopy Godinez. Denise Gomes showed off her punching power in an early upset win over the highly touted Yazmin Jauregui her last time out, which was her second straight knockout win.

I like Hill here as she is a step above Gomes even with her age, as she will be the higher volume fighter here, and she has never been knocked out.

Pick: Hill O/U: Over 2.5 -312

## Monserrat Ruiz +380 vs. Eduarda Moura -588

An intriguing Strawweight prospect makes her debut here. Monserrat Ruiz enters this one off two stoppage losses against good grapplers, although she has shown she can use her scarf hold to beat lower-level competition. Eduarda Moura enters this off a first-round win on Dana White's Contender Series; she is undefeated, having finished all of her opponents but one. 

I'll pick Moura here as she has a very high ceiling based on what I have seen, so I expect her to handle a test like Ruiz with ease. 

Pick: Moura O/U: Under 2.5 -175

## Kaue Fernandes +136 vs. Marc Diakiese -175

It's a fun fight at Lightweight featuring two men with flashy striking in their arsenal to open this card. Kaue Fernandes makes his debut here, and he has shown some potential with very hard and fast kicks early, although he is extremely hittable, and his cardio has looked awful anytime he has gone past round one. Marc Diakiese is a veteran with a well-rounded skillset, he has had his setbacks during his UFC run but has proven capable of competing with high-level competition. 

I've got Diakiese here, as I know he will be good if the fight reaches the deeper stages where I do not have the same confidence in Fernandes.

Pick: Diakiese O/U: Over 2.5 -139

## [DougLasVegasBets.net](https://douglasvegasbets.net) Plays

Angela Hill

Marc Diakiese

Caio Borralho Round 2/3

UFC Fight Night: Almeida vs. Lewis Predictions

Liam Mooney

Quickly rising through the heavyweight rankings, Jailton Almeida is ranked number 9 with five straight victories in the UFC, all coming via finish, with four out of five ending in the first round. Almeida is currently on a 14-fight win streak fighting as both a Light Heavyweight and a Heavyweight. Almeida has been fighting professionally since 2012, debuting as a Welterweight before progressing through the weight classes, holding victories across all 4-weight divisions he's competed in.


![Almeida 3-2.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/7717c831-8c5f-43fc-c747-90ef8adc6300/public "Photo credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC ")


Fighting out of Brazil, it is no surprise to hear that Almeida takes inspiration from former UFC champion Anderson Silva. Fighting out of Galpão da Luta gym in Salvador, Brazil, Almeida has been quoted saying that he incorporates some of the techniques used by Dagestani wrestlers into his game. 


He has amassed an impressive record of 19-2, with all 19 victories coming via finish within the first two rounds. Almeida is a well-rounded fighter comfortable both on the feet and on the ground. He began training boxing at age six and picked up Brazilian jiu-jitsu at age 11, in which he holds a black belt. He is more known for his submission abilities, with 12 of his wins coming via way of submission, but it is worth noting that his seven wins coming via knockout is not a statistic to sleep on. 


![Almeida 5.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/5152524f-3149-412d-fc0c-0a790d430400/public "Photo credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC")


Prior to the UFC, Almeida held championships in Fight On MMA as a Light Heavyweight and in Thunder Fight as a heavyweight. Almeida is among the many highly talented athletes to enter the UFC through Dana White's Contender Series. Almeida faced off with Nasrudin Nasrudinov in 2021 in a Light Heavyweight bout where he dominated the fight before finishing his opponent via a rear-naked choke early in the second round. 


Almeida later debuted in the UFC as a Light Heavyweight against Danilo Marquez, securing a first-round KO finish in February 2022. Almeida would fight twice more in 2022, returning to the Heavyweight division against UFC veteran Parker Porter and a catchweight bout against Anton Turkalji. Almeida would show no signs of slowing down as he finished both men via rear-naked choke in the first round. If people had not heard about Almeida before, they certainly had after an impressive showing throughout 2022. 


![Almeida 4.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/ba6207d1-a02b-48eb-9d8a-6b0e60b6fd00/public "Photo credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC")


Almeida would return to Brazil in 2023, where he stood across from Nasrudin Nasrudinov. Almeida would continue his shine as he knocked out Nasrudinov in the second round in front of a home crowd. Now an undeniably highly touted prospect with many pundits expressing the possibility of Almeida being a future two-weight champion, Almeida would have his biggest challenge and most notable name in his next fight, Jairzinho Rozenstruik.


A performance of the night-worthy showing from Almeida was indeed on display as he submitted Rozenstruik in the first round and set up his next fight to be his first main event. That fight goes down this weekend when Almeida takes on the UFC knockout record holder Derrick Lewis. This is by far Almeida's most dangerous opponent, who has repeatedly shown that he can put his opponent's lights out in the blink of an eye. On the other hand, a win over the former title challenger can certainly set Almeida up to being one step closer to a UFC title fight. 

Fighter Spotlight: Jailton Almeida

ROUNDHOUSE MMA

According to ONE Championship's Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong, he claims that ONE has the best arsenal of strikers on the planet. Now, to some, this may seem like an insult, but to Chatri, he firmly believes that his promotion carries some of the best stand-up fighters in mixed martial arts. This card on Saturday, headlined by Jonathan Haggerty and Fabricio Andrade, features some of the most explosive, credentialed, and world-class strikers in all of MMA. Fans are in for a treat if they tune in Friday night. Let's go in depth with every fight on the main card and see what's in store for fight fans as ONE presents the world with another stacked card. 


## Sinsamut Kinmee vs Mouhcine Chafi

Sinsamut Kinmee spent an entire year messaging Chatri Sityodong and ONE Championship on social media, begging for an opportunity to compete on the global stage and under the platform of ONE. After finally getting a shot, Kinmee's gamble has paid off, as he knocked out Nieky Holzken and Liam Nolan. A title is in sight for Kinmee and his opponent, Mouhcine Chafi, who is currently riding a five fight win streak. Chafi is taking this fight on short notice, five days exactly. He will look to ride his momentum towards this main card appearance against Kinmee, who has over 100 fights in his career. 

## Halil Amir vs Ahmed Mujtaba

Halil Amir is one of the most ruthless and ferocious fighters in ONE's Lightweight division. He has fought nine times in his young professional career, and has gotten his hand raised all nine times. His nickname is "No Mercy," which is appropriate due to his dominance inside the octagon. He posseses one-punch knockout power, legitimate cardio, and a desire to make it to the top. However, his opponent, Ahmed Mujtaba, posseses serious power as well, which he's shown as he has some crazy upsets under his belt. Mujtaba can knockout kickboxers and submit BJJ black belts. Anything can happen in this fight, so do not miss it. 

## Seksan Or Kwanmuang vs Karim Bennoui

Seksan Or Kwanmuang is on the verge of a massive milestone in his career. He is one fight away from win number 200 in his career. Seksan has had a very long and illustrious career as a kickboxer but will be making his US Primetime debut on Friday night against Karim Bennoui, who is also very experienced and is riding a five fight win streak onto his promotional debut. Both fighters are looking to start their primetime careers off with a bang. 

## Tye Rutolo vs Magomed Abdulkadirov

The first ever ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling world champion will be crowned on Friday night, with the two men fighting for it vicious submission hunters. Tye Rutolo might be a familiar name to some, as his brother Kade currently holds the ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling world title. Tye is looking to join his brother as a champion, and has never suffered defeat under the ONE banner. On the other hand, Abdulkadirov is looking to steal Rutolo's spotlight and become the inagural Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion. Magomed has dedicated his life to grappling, posseses a BJJ black belt, is an International Master of Sport in Grappling, and is a member of the prestigious Russian National Grappling Team. Adbulkadirov brings a lot of experience, a highly touted resume, and is looking to avenge a loss of one of his teammates, who previously lost to Rutolo. This co-main event will feature two masters of their craft, and with history on the line, you can't miss it. 


## Jonathan Haggerty vs Fabricio Andrade

More history is on the line in the ONE Fight Night 16 main event, as both Jonathan Haggerty and Fabricio Andrade will compete for the vacant Bantamweight Kickboxing World Title. Haggerty is the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion and is coming off of a knockout over Nong-O Hama back in April that won him his title. Now the champion, Haggerty has a target on his back. He has gotten called out by some of the most feared fighters in the sport, such as Rodtang, Superlek, Liam Harrison, Nong-O, and Fabricio Andrade himself. Fortunately for Haggerty, he embraces that role and welcomes all challengers to fight for the throne. If he is able to become a two-sport world champion, ONE may have a superstar on their hands. 

On the other hand, Fabricio Andrade is the ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion. Andrade was the one picked to fight Haggerty for the vacant kickboxing belt, beating out some other top contenders. Andrade has demonstrated that he is a worthy opponent and is coming off a knockout win over John Lineker in his last fight. The man they call "Wonder Boy" comes with a legitmate striking background, as he trains out of Tiger Muay Thai in Thailand and has amassed a 40-3 record in muay thai. 

The winner of this fight will become a two sport champion in the ONE Bantamweight division and likely will welcome a member of what is a murderers row of contenders next. 

There is an abundance of talent on this card and history will be made on Friday night. Chatri Sityodtong claims that his promotion has the best strikers in the world, and they will be on full display for this highly anticipated card. As a member of the Verdict Community, leave a comment down below as let us know who you're backing! 
