Liam Lindsay

A clash between top-5 challengers Raquel Pennington and Irene Aldana has been confirmed to headline UFC Fight Night 224 on May 20th inside the UFC Apex in Enterprise, Nevada. The two previously met at UFC on ESPN: dos Anjos vs. Edwards in 2019, where Pennington won via split decision.

**This fight takes place in the Women's Bantamweight (135 lbs) division.**

Raquel Pennington holds a professional record of 15-8 (12-5 UFC) and is ranked #2 at Women's Bantamweight. She holds credible wins over Jéssica Andrade, Meisha Tate, and Ketlen Viera.

Irene Aldana holds a professional record of 14-6 (7-4 UFC) and is ranked #5 at Women's Bantamweight. She holds notable victories over Macy Chiasson, Bethe Correia, and Yana Santos.

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

Raquel Pennington is currently riding the longest winning streak of her professional career. After dropping a decision to Holly Holm in 2020, Pennington has won five straight. Her last fight came against Ketlin Viera, where she would outstrike the Brazillian across all three rounds to win a decision. Pennington possesses technical striking, which she'll look to use to go 2-0 over Irene Aldana.

![pennington-viera.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/6fabceb8-e389-4168-9395-1ef3fbd6fd00/pub "Raquel Pennington outstriking Ketelin Viera on her way to a split-decision victory. Credits to: Chris Unger - Zuffa LLC.")

Irene Aldana will be looking to bring her winning streak to three and equal the score with Pennington. Her last performance came at UFC 279: Diaz vs. Ferguson, where she scored a bizarre TKO over Macy Chiasson. Aldana would throw an up-kick off her back, which directly hit Chiassons liver, sending her down to the mat. She'll look to use her always dangerous striking to secure the victory in this matchup.

![aldana-vs-chiasson.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/85e0a446-2f24-41dc-76ec-9f8ecd0c6c00/pub "Irene Aldana standing over Macy Chiasson after her crazy liver-kick TKO. Credits to: Joe Camporeale - USA TODAY Sports.")

This is a key bout in the Woman's Bantamweight division, with the winner likely challening Amanda Nunes for the belt next. Who do you have winning this matchup? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know your prediction in the comments below.

Raquel Pennington Will Headline Fight Night Card in Rematch vs. Irene Aldana

Douglas Vegas Bets

The UFC is bringing us Heavyweight action this weekend from the Apex as Curtis Blaydes -172 will look to test his dominant wrestling yet again against Russian powerhouse Sergei Pavlovich +135 in the main event. This card features several other action-pack matchups like Brad Tavares -167 vs. Bruno Silva +130 and Bobby Green -286 vs. Jared Gordon +210. I went over the whole card and gave out my betting picks and predictions for each fight, so let’s break them all down. 

**Odds provided by Stake.com accurate as of 7:30 PM EST 4/18/2023**

## Curtis Blaydes -172 vs. Sergei Pavlovich +135 

A title shot may be on the line in this massive Heavyweight main event. Curtis Blaydes has been known as one of the most dominant wrestlers in the division for some time, and over that time, he has developed some solid boxing as well that has real power behind it. Sergei Pavlovich has burst onto the scene with a streak of round-one knockouts over some of the most feared brawlers in the UFC, most recently Derrick Lewis and Tai Tuivasa, although his wrestling has been a concern with the Alistair Overeem fight being hard to ignore. 

This has been a tough fight to pick, but overall, Blaydes has more ways to win and more high-level experience, making him the rightful favorite. With that said, this is a matchup I am going to avoid betting on the money line as I see no value there. 

Pick: Blaydes O/U: Under 1.5 -141

## Brad Tavares -167 vs. Bruno Silva +130

Sharp Middleweight striker’s meetup in this fantastic matchup. Brad Tavares is a tough boxer with a great jab, although he was outpaced by Dricus Du Plessis in a weird fight his last time out. Bruno Silva is a powerful and aggressive kickboxer who has had a tough fight with Alex Pereira, although his last fight against Gerald Meerschaert was very concerning as he was finished after a bad performance. 

I am going to lean with Tavares for my pick as it is hard to trust Silva after his last showing, but for my bet, I like the over in this matchup, as both men have proven to be very durable over their careers, and I see value in betting neither to get finished at an underdog price. 

Pick: Tavares O/U: Over 2.5 -103

## Bobby Green -286 vs. Jared Gordon +210

Veteran Lightweights look to put on a show here on the main card. Bobby Green is a very high pace boxer with a unique hands-down style coming off a loss to Drew Dober in which he looked fantastic until getting finished by the powerful Dober. Jared Gordon is a crafty boxer with solid grappling ability to go with that and give him more paths to victory; he is coming off a controversial loss to Paddy Pimblett in which he was able to clearly outstrike and control the English prospect. 

I’m taking Bobby Green by knockout here as I think he will land a lot in what will be a close fight for as long as it lasts, and I do not trust Gordon’s chin despite him having held up well in his past few fights. 

Pick: Green O/U: Under 2.5 +200

## Iasmin Lucindo -323 vs. Brogan Walker +240

A must-see Women’s Flyweight prospect gets a showcase on the main card here. Iasmin Lucindo is coming off a wild debut loss to Yazmin Jauregui; despite not raising her hand, Lucindo showed impressive skills and aggression for the division. Brogan Walker is coming off a very disappointing performance over Juliana Miller in the ultimate fighter finale, where she was finished after being outpaced in the striking and dominated in the grappling for almost all three rounds. 

I’ve got Lucindo, as I am excited to see her again, especially in a matchup like this where I believe she can and will find the finish.

Pick: Lucindo O/U: Under 2.5 +200

## Jeremiah Wells -112 vs. Matt Semelsberger -112

Powerful Welterweights are pitted against one another in this exciting matchup. Jeremiah Wells has shown he has fight-ending power in his hands after a devasting knockout of Court McGee in his last fight. Matt Semelsberger has used his awkward style to mixed success of late, although he is coming off a very impressive showing over Jake Matthews, where he was able to land several knockdowns. 

I’ll take Wells here despite the line movement towards Semelsberger. I think Wells deserves to be the favorite after having shown his well-roundedness and potential, with Semelsberger having shown his ceiling, in my opinion. 

Pick: Wells O/U: Over 1.5 -169

## Ricky Glenn -175 vs. Christos Giagos +137

Lightweight veterans with well-rounded skill sets collide in this matchup. Ricky Glenn is a tough striker with solid defensive grappling and good cardio. Christos Giagos has consistently been given tough matchups over the course of his UFC run, although of late, he has not been very active and was finished early in his last two showings against Arman Tsarukyan and Thiago Moises. 

I’ll take Glenn here as I believe he is the much more durable fighter with better cardio, and he could take over this fight late. 

Pick: Glenn O/U: Over 2.5 -179

## Rani Yahya +420 vs. Montel Jackson -667
 
A good matchup between grapplers here at Bantamweight. Rani Yahya is a very experienced submission specialist who has continued to win at the UFC level for years since competing with the likes of Chad Mendes and Joseph Benavidez. Montel Jackson has shown impressive skills in his UFC run, although he has posed very little finishing threat to his opponents.  

I like Jackson here as there is a reason he is this size a favorite, and with that, I will bet him to win by decision as this price offers underdog value on Jackson to win by what I believe is his most likely path to victory. 

Pick: Jackson O/U: Over 2.5 +135

## Karol Rosa -108 vs. Norma Dumont -118

A rare Women’s Featherweight matchup here. Karol Rosa moves up in weight here after a solid run to start her UFC career, where she has shown good offensive wrestling and striking. Norma Dumont has been one of the few to consistently compete in this weight class, having shown solid striking, although she has been controlled for long portions of her fights at times by smaller fighters. 

I’ll lean with Rosa here as I don’t believe she will be outsized despite moving up in weight, and her grappling advantage should be enough to get her the win. 

Pick: Rosa O/U: Over 2.5 -357

## Mohammed Usman -109 vs. Junior Tafa -116

Hard-hitting Heavyweight action between inexperienced prospects here. Mohammed Usman showed his massive power his last time out, finishing Zac Pauga after being outpaced early in the fight. Junior Tafa makes his debut here with plenty of kickboxing experience, which he looks to translate to MMA; he has high output and good durability. 

I usually don’t like playing close Heavyweight fights as it feels like betting a bad price on a coin flip, but here I’ll take a small shot on Tafa as I think he will be the fighter landing at a higher rate in a matchup of similar power and durability.  

Pick: Tafa O/U: Over 1.5 -123

## Francis Marshall -213 vs. William Gomis +165

Matchup between highly regarded Featherweight prospects here early on the card. Francis Marshall has shown himself to be a well-rounded finisher with a very high pace throughout his young career. William Gomis is a tall, long kickboxer coming off an impressive UFC debut in Paris.  

I’ll lean with Gomis here as this line feels wider than it should be, and I still have questions about Marshall as he seems very hittable and has not fought great competition. 

Pick: Gomis O/U: Over 2.5 -156

## Priscila Cachoeira +148 vs. Karine Silva -192

This is an intriguing matchup at Women’s Flyweight. Priscila Cachoeira has competed with very high-level competition over her UFC career, although with that, she has shown some weakness in her game, having been submitted several times. Karine Silva is coming off an impressive debut win where she submitted Poliana Botelho in the first round showing the finishing ability she showed on the Contender Series translates to the higher levels. 

I think Silva finishes this fight early, as she is a very talented prospect and a terrible stylistic matchup for Cachoeira. 

Pick: Silva O/U: Under 2.5 -167

## Batgerel Danaa -141 vs. Brady Hiestand +111

This is a very fun fight to start the night. Batgerel Danaa is a hard puncher who has taken nearly a year off to improve his game after two straight losses where he struggled when he was unable to knockout his opponent. Brady Hiestand is a high pace grappler who had some fun fights in the ultimate fighter house. 

I like Hiestand here as I have gone against Danaa in his last few fights as I see him as an early knockout or bust fighter, and although Hiestand can be hurt, I think he will be able to use his grappling early to negate the power and take control of the fight. 

Pick: Hiestand O/U: Over 2.5 +123

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

Junior Tafa -116

Brady Hiestand +111

Brad Tavares vs. Bruno Silva Over 2.5 Rounds -103

Bobby Green by TKO/KO +400

Montel Jackson by Decision +175

Karine Silva Round 1 Submission +650

UFC Fight Night: Pavlovich vs. Blaydes Predictions

Jordan Lopez

## Fighter Stats
Record: 17-1 (14 KO)

**Age**: 30 (05-13-1992)

**Height**: 6'3" (191cm)

**Weight**: 255lbs (115kg)

**Reach**: 84.0" inches (213cm)

**Country**: Russia

**Next Fight**: Curtis Blaydes (17-3) at UFC Fight Night: Pavlovich vs. Blaydes

Sergei Pavlovich was making his name known fighting professionally at AMC Fight Nights Global, where he was the two-time Heavyweight champion. Pavlovich has mentioned that he was constantly training for fights his entire life, but once he turned pro in 2014, he took it another step. Pavlovich was undefeated to start his professional career, winning 11 straight fights at Fight Nights Global. He won eight of those fights by knockout in the first round. After a tremendous start to his professional career, Pavlovich got the call from the UFC to debut in November of 2018 against Alistair Overeem. 

![overeem.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/3a01c153-3093-4812-c22b-21e77c6de000/pub "Sergei Pavlovich suffering his first loss in his professional career to Alistair Overeem. Credits to: Jeff Bottari-Zuffa LLC.")

To be making your UFC debut against Alistair Overeem tells you all you need to know about how Pavlovich was viewed coming into his debut. He was the co-main event against a fighter that is viewed as a legend by most fight fans worldwide. Unfortunately, Pavlovich suffered the first defeat of his professional career as he lost via TKO in the first round. However, after an unsuccessful debut, Pavlovich made the necessary adjustments and started to go on the recent run that he is on.

![Pavlovich KO.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/204695ad-e2ab-4e62-004a-87f3a2d3ad00/pub "Sergei Pavlovich earns his first win in the UFC. Credits to: Jeff Bottari-Zuffa LLC.")

Pavlovich returned to the octagon in April of 2019 and got back into the win column over Marcelo Golm. It took him only 66 seconds to get the knockout win as fight fans got to see why Pavlovich is viewed as a highly touted prospect in the Heavyweight division. While getting his first win in the UFC, Pavlovich also earned his first Performance of the Night bonus. 

![PavlovichGreene.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/b0cae31d-0b4b-4d2a-066d-e22c3e4d3700/pub "Sergei Pavlovich walking away after his second knockout win in the UFC. Credits to: Jeff Bottari-Zuffa LLC.")

A little over two minutes into the fight, Pavlovich found the chin of Maurice Greene and won via knockout. He landed 20 significant strikes while only absorbing eight in return. Pavlovich dominated the fight from start to finish as he made it back-to-back wins in the UFC. Indeed after a win like this, Pavlovich is looking at a potentially massive fight with a top contender in the Heavyweight division. 

![PavKO.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/14572cef-9fb5-4687-5111-d62bfdee7900/pub "Sergei Pavlovich defeating Shamil Abdurakhimov at the O2 Arena. Credits to: Justin Setterfield-Zuffa LLC.")

Nearly three years later, Pavlovich returns to the octagon after an unfortunate series of events. First, the pandemic shut everything down for a few months in 2020. Then, once the UFC got back into scheduling fights, Pavlovich had three canceled bouts between that time. He was scheduled to fight Cyril Gane in late 2020, Tom Aspinall, and Tanner Boser in late 2021. 

Pavlovich returned in March of 2022 and defeated Shamil Abdurakhimov via first-round TKO. After earning the win, he received his second Performance of the Night bonus in his career. Pavlovich entered the Heavyweight rankings by defeating Abdurakhimov, who was ranked inside the top ten at the time. 

![PavLewis.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/1de22cf1-b817-42b6-3a85-88dc8299ae00/pub "Sergei Pavlovich after defeating Derrick Lewis at UFC 277. Credits to: Chris Unger-Zuffa LLC.")

Pavlovich had the most significant test of his early UFC career at UFC 277 when facing the knockout king, Derrick Lewis. Fight fans were eager to see how this fight would play out, and it ended quickly. Pavlovich defeated Lewis via TKO in a controversial ending. Lewis was frustrated that it was stopped early as Pavlovich was pouring it on him. Nonetheless, it took him only 55 seconds to get the finish and defeated one of the biggest names in the Heavyweight division. 

![PavTai.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/61c6e1f6-c4d3-4ace-3063-601bef37d700/pub "Sergei Pavlovich and Tai Tuivasa embracing after their fight at UFC Orlando. Credits to: Jeff Bottari-Zuffa LLC.")

Pavlovich left no room for controversy in his most recent fight as he defeated fan-favorite Tai Tuivasa in just 54 seconds in front of the Orlando, Florida, crowd. He landed 23 significant strikes while only absorbing two in the biggest win of his career. A dominating performance from Pavlovich landed him inside the top five in the Heavyweight rankings, and once again, he earned a Performance of the Night bonus.

![Pav.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/e60d9aba-dfde-40ea-5f22-8d01490b9a00/pub "Sergei Pavlovich weighed in as the backup fighter at UFC 285. Credits to:  Louis Grasse-Zuffa LLC.")

It all leads to this. Sergei Pavlovich is now headlining a UFC Fight Night card at the UFC Apex against the No. 4 ranked contender, Curtis Blaydes. The winner of this should be next for the title at Heavyweight as Jon Jones is expected to defend the belt against Stipe Miocic later this year. Pavlovich enters the fight on a five-fight winning streak with seven wins in 1:15 or less. He has 14 first-round knockouts in his career and will look to add to that total this weekend. While having a background in Greco-Roman Wrestling, Pavlovich will look to utilize some of those skills to keep the wrestle-heavy Blaydes away. This has all the makings of a great fight with a great chance of ending in the first round. 

Fighter Spotlight: Sergei Pavlovich

A bout between top 15 Featherweights Movsar Evloev and Bryce Mitchell has just been announced for UFC 288 on May 6th in the Prudential Center
in Newark, New Jersey. Mitchell was initially scheduled to face Jonathan Pearce, but Pearce was removed from the bout due to an injury.

**This fight takes place in the Featherweight (145 lbs) division.**

Movsar Evloev is ranked #10 at Featherweight and holds an undefeated professional record of 16-0 (6-0 UFC). He holds credible wins over Dan Ige, Hakeem Dawodu, and Seung Woo Choi.

Bryce "Thug Nasty" Mitchell holds a record of 15-1 (5-1 UFC) and is currently ranked #11 at Featherweight. He holds significant wins over Edson Barboza, Andre Fili, and Charles Rosa.

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

Movsar Evloev has looked unstoppable so far during his UFC run. After successfully debuting against Seung Woo Choi in 2019, Evloev has put together a six-fight winning streak inside the UFC. His last performance came against Dan Ige, where he would dominate Ige with his striking and wrestling en route to a unanimous decision. Evloev will be looking to bring his undefeated streak to seventeen when he takes on Mitchell.

![movsar-evloev.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/702ed52a-5870-4086-07bb-11212db04f00/pub "Movsar Evloev delivering a stiff jab. Credits to: Chris Unger - Zuffa LLC.")

Bryce Mitchell will be looking to bounce back from his first professional loss, losing to Ilia Topuria at UFC 282 via second-round submission. Despite showing improved striking, he struggled to keep up with Topuria's power and pace, resulting in a knockdown before being submitted with an arm-triangle choke. However, Mitchell is an excellent ground fighter with slick submissions and will look to use these to bounce back in style against Evloev.

![MITCHELL-TOPURIA.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/b8479ccd-4cb1-4dbb-fd04-4d599d714200/pub "Bryce Mitchell battling against Ilia Topuria at UFC 282. Credits to: Stephen R. Sylvanie - USA TODAY Sports.")

This is a high-stakes matchup and an excellent addition to the UFC 288 card. So who do you have winning? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know your prediction below.

Movsar Evloev Takes Short Notice Fight vs. Bryce Mitchell at UFC 288

Liam Mooney

**UFC Fight Night: Holloway Vs. Allen Results**

**Joselyn Edwards vs. Lucie Pudilova**

**Result**: Joselyne Edwards def. Lucie Pudilova via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

**Division:** Women's bantamweight

**Referee:** Dwayne Bess

Both fighters came out hot! Instant action from the opening bell, and Edwards eats a knee early in the clinch. Pudilova gets a takedown a couple of minutes in and is able to control her opponent for most of the round. 

Edwards comes out to the second round with a bit more intensity; she seems to be getting the better of her opponent on the feet until Pudilova gets another takedown with around three minutes on the clock and is able to control her opponent for the remainder of the round. 

In a similar story as the previous two rounds, Edwards is getting the better of her opponent on the feet using her jab and landing some good leg kicks. Pudilova has the advantage in grappling but cannot get a takedown in the final round. A much better showing in the final round for Edwards, and she takes the decision, much to the surprise of the MMA community and athletes online.

**Gaston Bolanos vs. Aaron Phillips**

**Result:** Gaston Bolanos def. Aaron Phillips via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

**Division:** Bantamweight

**Referee:** Nick Berens

The opening round is a close-fought contest with both men trading, but Bolanos seems to land the more powerful strikes and causes more damage to his opponent. 

In the second round, Phillips is able to implement his wrestling, completing two successful takedowns. Phillips comes close as he attempts a rear naked choke, but his opponent manages to escape. In reversing the position, Bolanos is able to have some success with his ground and pound closing out the round. 

In the final round, Bolanos manages to defend well when pushed up against the cage, and when Phillips attempts an armbar, Bolanos finds himself in full mount. Bolanos looks to make the most of this position and empties the tank with some ground and pound. However, Bolanos eventually lets him back up to his feet. After a failing spinning attack from Bolanos gives Phillips his back, Phillips keeps control for the remaining few minutes. While in control, he cannot cause much damage, and the bell sounds.  

**Bruna Brasil vs. Denise Gomes**


**Result**: Denise Gomes def. Bruna Brasil via TKO (right hook) – Round 2, 2:42.

**Division:** Women's strawweight

**Referee:** Dwayne Bess

Early in the fight, Gomes drops Brasil with a leg kick and lands a nice right as she gets up. After that, Gomes dominates the exchanges and lands some powerful strikes. She hurts Brasil on multiple occasions throughout the round, most notably with a knee and a massive right toward the end of the round. Gomes looked crisp on the feet throughout and had the edge over her opponent for the majority of the opening round. 

The second starts in a similar fashion. Gomes is landing flush with her right hand, a shot that's found success throughout the fight so far. Gomes fights well until the finishing sequence, where she drops Brasil with a right hook! Then, she pounces on her opponent and finishes the fight. Great performance.



**Lando Vannata vs. Daniel Zellhuber**

**Result**: Daniel Zellhuber def. Lando Vannata via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 30-27)

**Division**: Lightweight

**Referee:** Jason Herzog

Zellhuber is towering over his opponent as the two fighters circle each other, both fighters investing in leg kicks early in the fight as they feel each other out and try to establish distance. Zellhuber rocks Vannata with a right and lands a huge knee! He wastes no time in following up and is all over his opponent! Zellhuber is reigning down with ground-and-pound shots. Zellhuber is on top and landing short punches. Vannata seems to have recovered but is in a precarious position. Vannata returned to his feet in the final moments of the round, but the Zellhuber clearly dominated the round and looked only moments away from the finish. A possible 10-8 round ends with both men on their feet, and Vannata seems to have survived the onslaught.

Vannata visibly wears the damage on his face in round two but seems to have recovered. In this round, both men find success and land some great shots. A much closer round where Vannta seems to have found his feet again. 

With a much closer round in the books in the second, Zellhuber comes out strongly in the third. Vannata, by no stretch of the imagination, is out of the fight and continues to find success. A head kick lands late on for Zellhuber. Seemingly stunned, he recovers quickly, much like in the first round. That brings the bout to a close, and Zellhuber takes the victory in a very entertaining fight. 

**Gillian Robertson vs. Piera Rodriguez**

**Result:** Gillian Robertson def. Piera Rodriguez via submission (armbar) – Round 2, 4:21.

**Division:** Women's strawweight

**Referee:** Keith Peterson

Rodriguez starts strong. She works behind a nice jab and fights well against Robertson's pressure. Roberston pulls guard and eventually reverses the position. She is able to keep control until the final bell. 

Roberson gets the early takedown in round two and is in complete control landing big elbows from the top. Robertson fires up a quick arm bar that's locked in tight! It looks as though Rodriguez taps. However, the referee doesn't intervene until a few moments later—another controversy on the card as Rodriguez argues that she didn't tap. Nevertheless, Robertson wins via submission in an impressive performance. 

**Zak Cummings vs. Ed Herman**

**Result:** Zak Cummings def. Ed Herman via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 4:13.

**Division:** Light heavyweight

**Referee:** Dwayne Bes

Cummings looks to be the much sharper fighter as he clips Herman on multiple occasions causing him to crash down to the mat. An illegal up-kick from Herman gives us a quick break in the action, but once the fight resumes, Cummings continues to cause damage showcasing a clear, striking advantage.

 Cummings resumes testing Herman's chin in the second round. He drops him early in the round again and puts him down shortly after with a leg kick. Back on the feet, a huge left hook puts Herman down, who seems to be in great danger this time as Cummings throws down heavy ground and pound. Yet another illegal up-kick stops the action. This time a point is deducted for the second foul. Cummings continues to dominate on the feet and piece up Herman until the end of the round. 

In the final round, the onslaught of a much one-sided fight continues. Another leg kick puts Herman down, and as the fight continues, Cummings keeps on the pressure, although the fight has notably slowed down. Finally, late in the round, a big left stuns Herman, and this one finishes the job as the referee calls a stop to the fight. During the post-fight press interviews, both men announce their retirement and receive a warm reception from the crowd. 

**Matheus Nicolau vs. Brandon Royval**

**Result:** Brandon Royval def. Matheus Nicolau via KO (knee to the head) – Round 1, 2:09

**Division:** Flyweight

**Referee:** Nick Berens

Royval starts the fight with his renowned pressure. On the outside, Nicolau looks to enter the firing range. Seconds later, a colossal knee lands clean for Royval!! Royval swarms him and lands heavy elbows from the top! The referee jumps in and stops the fight. What a spectacular performance and a huge statement made in the Flyweight division.

**Bill Algeo vs. TJ Brown**

**Result:** Bill Algeo def. T.J. Brown via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 1:40

**Division:** Featherweight

**Referee:** Jason Herzog

Algeo starts strong, but the fight soon turns into a brawl. Both men have their moments, but Brown looks to take advantage landing big shots in quick succession. Algeo drops Brown with a jab in response to the pressure, but he quickly bounces back up, and both men continue to swing until the final bell after an immensely entertaining first round. 

Alego starts the round impressively and drops Brown with a devastating elbow shortly after! He follows up on the ground, locks in a rear naked choke, and gets the tap. Great fight for the time it lasted and an impressive victory for Algeo. 

**Rafa Garcia vs. Clay Guida**

**Result:** Rafa Garcia def. Clay Guida via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

**Division:** Lightweight

**Referee:** Dwayne Bess

Guida starts the fight, bouncing side to side and pressuring Garcia. Guida is swinging the fences with big looping hooks early. In comparison, Garcia is much cleaner with his boxing landing a crisp jab and straight shots down the middle. 

Guida comes out to the second similarly, pressuring his opponent and looking to overwhelm Garcia. However, Garcia keeps calm and keeps piecing up Guida with his boxing. His jab is a considerable problem for Guida that he needs help finding an answer for. 

Guida quickly returns for the final round, most likely realizing he is two rounds down. However, Garcia controls the distance, keeps picking away at his opponent with his jab, and lands some nasty uppercuts—an excellent performance from Garcia, who seemed to be one step ahead the whole fight. 

**Chris Gutierrez vs. Pedro Munhoz**

**Result:** Pedro Munhoz def. Chris Gutierrez via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

**Division:** Bantamweight

**Referee:** Jason Herzog

The fight starts, and Gutierrez finds range with his jab. Not long after, a substantial hook lands and sends Gutierrez to the mat! Munhoz follows up the ground and works from the mount. Gutierrez seems to have recovered and avoided any real danger. The fight progresses, and Muhoz is in control up against the cage and keeps up the pressure until the bell. 

A lot less action in the second round. Both men trade leg kicks and circle each other for the majority of the round. The lack of action is met by boos from the crowd. 

The boos continue into the third round as both men trade leg kicks with nothing else happening. Munhoz is controlling the fight, but as the reaction from the crowd implies, not much action is going on—a reasonably comfortable victory for Munhoz, who was never in any danger throughout. 

**Tanner Boser vs. Ion Cutelaba**

**Result:** Ion Cutelaba def. Tanner Boser via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:05

**Division:** Light heavyweight

**Referee:** Keith Peterson

Both men meet in the center, with Cutelaba landing early, Boser responds with a crisp jab. Cutelaba shocks Boser with a huge right! Clearly rocked, Boser is taken down and starts firing down shots! The referee sees enough, and Cutelaba finishes the fight early! 

**Dustin Jacoby vs. Azamat Murzakanov**

**Result:** Azamat Murzakanov def. Dustin Jacoby via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

**Division:** Light heavyweight

**Referee:** Nick Berens

Murzakanov looks to pressure Jacoby and closes the distance. Things start well for the Russian as he drops Jacoby with a right. Jacoby is quick to his feet, but Murzakanov smothers him in pressure. A combination of body shots, leg kicks, and a crisp jab see Murzakanov close out an impressive round one. 

Although Jacoby is finding success with his jab, Murzakanov is landing the cleaner strikes and causing Jacoby a lot of problems with his pressure and power. Murzakanov finishes another round in control but is slowing down after the intense pace he has been fighting at in the first two. 

Jacoby understands that he needs a finish in this round, clearly with an increased urgency fighting against a much slower Murzakanov who is feeling the pace. Jacoby is finally finding his range and connecting with some big shots. Looking like he has hurt his opponent, Jacoby has him up against the cage and chases the takedown. It was a much better final round for Jacoby, but unfortunately, it will be too late as Murzakanov gets a huge win under his belt.

**Edson Barboza vs. Billy Quarantillo**

**Result:** Edson Barboza def. Billy Quarantillo via KO (knee to the head) – Round 1, 2:37

**Division:** Featherweight

**Referee:** Keith Peterson

Quarantillo unsuccessfully shoots for an early takedown. On the break, Barboza lands one of his famous leg kicks. Qurantillo looks to pressure Barboza and force him to fight on his back foot. Things are seemingly going to plan as he lands some nice jabs and forces Barboza up against the cage. However, Barboza breaks away, and as Qurantillo shoots for a takedown, Barboza throws up a mean knee! He instantly puts Quarantillo to sleep with a vicious KO! Incredible knockout victory for the veteran Barboza. 

**Max Holloway vs. Arnold Allen**

**Result:** Max Holloway def. Arnold Allen via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)

**Division:** Featherweight

**Referee:** Jason Herzog

An early low blow in the opening round causes a slight halt to the action. Holloway seems to be happy fighting on the outside as Allen presses forward. Allen lands a huge left hook, but Holloway continues unphased. As the round progresses, Holloway looks sharp with his combinations and ability to hop in and out of range while fighting on the outside.

Allen comes out aggressively in the second round and lands a huge left hook. Allen is finding the mark more here, but Holloway seems unphased and continues to fight at range. Holloway is causing some issues with his movement as he keeps circling away from Allen, but Allen is undoubtedly having more success than the first round and is finding a home for the big left hooks. 

In the third round, Max stays busy and throws a lot of punches, not without resistance, however, as that big left hook from Allen is still finding the mark. Holloway lands a huge body kick that leaves noticeable damage and keeps popping away at Allen with his jab. 

In the fourth round, Holloway invests more in the body shots, landing some more impressive kicks to the body but also jabbing at the body, waiting for Allen to drop the high guard he's been fighting with. Before the closing moments of the round, Allen lands a huge left, right down the middle. Holloway's famous chin has held up throughout this fight so far. 

A close fight so far, but Allen's corner let him know that he would need a finish in the final round if he wanted to get to the victory, and thus, the fighter from England came out guns blazing. Allen throws heat and lands some nice shots, but Holloway's movement is still causing problems. Nevertheless, Allen keeps up a tremendous pace and pressures Hollway for much of the final round. Finally, after some grappling spells up against the cage, both men swing for the bleachers in the fight's final moments. Both men seemingly rocked in the process, but the final bell rings, and Holloway takes down another featherweight contender in an impressive fight from both men.

UFC Fight Night: Holloway Vs. Allen Results

Abdullah Ouazri

The UFC Flyweight title is on the line, and for the first time since 2020, it's not being fought for by Brandon Moreno and Deveison Figueiredo. Instead, Brandon Moreno will defend the belt against his career boogeyman Alexandre Pantoja in their third meeting.

The fight goes down as the co-main event to International Fight Week's staple Pay-Per-View, headlined by Alex Volkanovski vs. Yair Rodriguez.

**This 5-round title fight takes place in the Flyweight (125 lbs) division.**

Brandon, 'The Assasin Baby' Moreno, holds a professional record of 21-6-2 (9-3-2 UFC) and is the current champion. His notable wins include Deveison Figueiredo x2, Kai Kara-France x2, and Brandon Royval.

Alexandre, 'The Cannibal' Pantoja, holds a professional record of 25-5-0 (9-3 UFC) and is currently ranked #2. His notable wins include Brandon Moreno x2, Alex Perez, and Manel Kape.

Moreno has firmly stamped himself the king of Flyweight after settling his four-fight rivalry with Deveison Figueiredo at UFC 283 in January. The pair were neck and neck and were 1-1-1 heading into the first quadrilogy in UFC history. Moreno stopped his rival in the 3rd round via doctor stoppage, settling the 3-year clog at the division's top. Moreno is one of three current Mexican champions in the UFC, alongside Yair Rodriguez and Alexa Grasso.

![CEF4CA2E-DEAD-40A2-8708-F02FFE5752C3.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/39375757-84e1-43e7-260d-5102fd462a00/pub "Brandon Moreno lands the finishing blow on his longtime rival. Credits to: Zuffa LLC.")

The first fresh title challenger since 2020 to the Flyweight title is Alexandre Pantoja, despite being very familiar with the champion. They first met on The Ultimate Fighter season 24 in an exhibition bout where Pantoja submitted Moreno in the 2nd round. Their next meeting came two years later, in 2018, and Pantoja was dominant. He won the fight 30-26 and made easy work of Moreno a 2nd time.

![37D8D6E2-619B-4E6A-9443-F8A5C226E315.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/b7544fbb-b333-4dfd-a67a-720822fdb000/pub "Alexandre Pantoja defeats Brandon Moreno in their second meeting. Credits to: Zuffa LLC.")

Will the champion avenge his losses, or will history repeat itself? Let us know your prediction in the comments.

Brandon Moreno vs. Alexandre Pantoja Trilogy Set For UFC 290

Taylor Dow

PFL 3 Post Fight Results







## Main Card

## Magomed Umalatov vs. Dilano Taylor

**Result:**  Magomed Umalatov def. Dilano Taylor by KO at 1:31 of round 1.

**Division:** Welterweight

**Referee:** Jacob Montalvo


Umalatov lands a quick right hand which stumbles Taylor, and Umalatov chases him down with a left hook to right hand that puts Taylor down and out. Umalatov earns the quick 6 points for his first-round KO and puts him as the number 1 seed for the Welterweights.

## Carlos Leal vs. David Zawada

**Result:**  Carlos Leal def. David Zawada by KO at 2:25 of round 1.

**Division:** Welterweight

**Referee:** Kerry Hatley


Leal lands a big counter overhand, which rocks Zawada back to the cage and chases him back with combos, ultimately getting the knockout finish. Leal earns the quick 6 points in the tournament for his first-round knockout and is now tied at number 1 with Umalatov.

## Cezar Ferreira vs. Denis Goltsov

**Result:** Denis Goltsov def. Cezar Ferreira by TKO at 2:07 of round 1.

**Division:** Heavyweight

**Referee:**  Mark Smith


The fight starts with Ferreira utilizing some nice blitzes to force Goltsov back. Goltsov then walks Ferreira back to the fence and lands a big right hand to engage a clinch against the fence. Ferreira fights to break the wrestling attempt of Goltsov and ends up keeping it standing, but ultimately Goltsov scores a big takedown at 1:30 into the first round and lands in the half guard. Goltsov is raining down massive shots from the top, which forces Ferreira to cover up. The referee calls a stop to the bout after 10 big shots get through to the chin of Ferreira. Goltsov earns the quick 6 points to put him as the number 1 seed for the Heavyweights.

## Clay Collard vs. Yamato Nishikawa

**Result:** Clay Collard def. Yamato Nishikawa by unanimous decision (30-27,  30-27, 30-27.)

**Division:** Lightweight

**Referee:** Chris Tognoni


Nishikawa starts the fight with big leg kicks, which Collard also returns. Nishikawa kicks the legs out from Collard. Collard lands a big 1-2, which stumbles Nishikawa, but Nishikawa wears the damage well. Round 1 is mostly Collard boxing Nishikawa against the fence for a clear 10-9 Collard round. Round 2 is a much better round for Nishikawa, utilizing his leg kicks, which affect Collard's movement. Ultimately, Collard still takes round 2 10-9 with his crisp boxing against the fence. Round 3 is another decent attempt for Nishikawa, with lots of leg kicks and, in the moments on the ground, lots of submission attempts, but Collard fights free and lands some damaging blows that secured him the final round with a third 10-9. Collard wins the unanimous decision, with all three judges giving him all three rounds. Collard earns 3 points for his performance. 



## Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Shane Burgos

**Result:** Olivier Aubin-Mercier def. Shane Burgos by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27.)

**Division:** Lightweight

**Referee:** Jacob Montalvo


The fight starts with a short feeling-out process. Then, Aubin-Mercier lands a big uppercut that knocks the mouthguard out of Burgos' mouth; Burgos wears the damage well. Round 1 comes to a close and looks relatively close, but Aubin-Mercier takes it 10-9. Round 2 features a wrestling-heavy gameplan from Aubin-Mercier, but struggles to keep Burgos on the canvas. Aubin-Mercier takes the back of Burgos while standing and begins looking for the choke. Round 2 ends with wrestling dominance from Aubin-Mercier, which wins him the round 10-9. Aubin-Mercier again dominates round 3 with the same game plan. Burgos gets free with 10 seconds remaining in the round and unloads, but ultimately it's too late, and Aubin-Mercier wins the round 10-9. All 3 judges give all 3 rounds to Aubin-Mercier for the unanimous decision victory and 3 points in the Lightweight tournament.

## Postliminary Card


## Natan Schulte vs. Stevie Ray

**Result:** Natan Schulte def. Stevie Ray by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27.)

**Division:** Lightweight

**Referee:** Kerry Hatley


Ray begins the fight by pressing forward, and Schulte returns with big leg kicks. Schulte scores a takedown and ends up on top, then slides into the half-guard. Round 1 ends with Schulte on top to win the round 10-9. Round 2 begins very similar to the previous round; Schulte gets the takedown and keeps Ray on the mat. Schulte keeps Ray on the ground to win the round 10-9. Schulte scores another early takedown, keeps Ray on the floor, and grinds him for another 10-9 round. Schulte wins the fight and 3 points in the Lightweight tournament.




## Zach Juusola vs. Brandon Jenkins

**Result:** Zach Juusola def. Brandon Jenkins by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-27.)

**Division:** Lightweight

**Referee:** Mark Smith

Round 1 starts fast, with both men swinging. Both men rush each other, clinch knees, head kicks, and right hands. Juusola lands a big shot at the end of round 1, which leaves Jenkins on wobbly legs going into round 2; round 1 looks like a clear 10-9 Juusola. However, Jenkins recovers well and rocks Juusola back in round 2. Juusola looks tired after rushing for the finish in round 1. Jenkins lands a huge right hook and a flying knee that rocks Juusola, which forces him to shoot for a takedown. Jenkins hunts for the finish but is unable to get it. Jenkins takes round 2, 10-9. Round 3 continues to be back and forth until Jenkins lands a huge head kick and accidentally throws an illegal elbow which is against the rules in the PFL. The action stops briefly for Juusola to recover from the illegal blow. They return to work, and Juusola gets Jenkins to the mat and delivers massive body shots to end the round. Round 3 ends and is close, it could go either way, but potentially Juusola wins the round 10-9 by finishing strong. Juusola wins the judge's decision and 3 points in the regular season.



## Bruno Miranda vs. Ahmed Amir

**Result:** Bruno Miranda def. Ahmed Amir by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27.)
 
**Division:** Lightweight

**Referee:** Chris Tognoni


This fight begins slowly until Amir shoots for a takedown incorrectly and rushes into Miranda's hips which rocks him; Miranda follows this up with a big shot and starts letting his hands go. Miranda lands another big bomb that drops Amir to close out round 1, a clear 10-9 to Miranda. Round 2 begins with Miranda landing more big shots and dropping Amir again, which forces Amir to get desperate in a hunt for a takedown. Miranda is landing counter shots whenever Amir blitzes in, but Amir eats them well. Miranda continues landing bombs, but ultimately Amir survives the round. Miranda takes round 2, 10-9. Miranda lands a massive left hook to open round 3, which drops Amir, but Amir is tough as nails and is right back to his feet and back in the fight. Amir finally gets a takedown with a minute to go in the fight and takes the back, but Miranda successfully fights the hands and breaks free to which Miranda fires a flying knee that drops Amir with mere seconds to go. Again, Amir survives to hear the bell. Miranda takes round 3 based on the considerable damage he dished out, 10-9. Miranda wins the bout on all 3 scorecards and earns 3 points in the Lightweight bracket.


## Shane Mitchell vs. Nayib López

**Result:** Naylib López def. Shane Mitchell by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27.)

**Division:** Welterweight

**Referee:** Jacob Montalvo

López shoots for an early takedown and secures it; as Mitchell makes his way to his feet, López throws an illegal knee to the head to a downed opponent and is deducted a point, as well as losing the position. When the action resets, Mitchell lands a big right hand, and López shoots another takedown which briefly floors Mitchell, but he quickly gets back up. López keeps the wrestling pressure on Mitchell, but Mitchell is able to get back to the neutral position. Mitchell's counterpunching is excellent in the final minute of the round, but López uses it to sneak in a takedown to finish the round. López wins the round with a 9-9 score after the point deduction. López begins the round with another takedown under a missed shot from Mitchell. Mitchell ends up in the top position and sits tight in a headlock; Mitchell abandons the attempt and gets back to his feet. López kept the heavy wrestling pressure on the Australian to secure round 2. López finishes the round on top for a 10-9 score. López starts round 3 with the same game plan and scores a quick takedown. Every time Mitchell tries to get back up, López floors him. López ends the round in side control for a 10-9 score and relentless wrestling victory. López remains undefeated and earns 3 points for the Welterweight bracket.


## Raush Manfio vs. Alexander Martinez

**Result:** Raush Manfio def. Alexander Martinez by unanimous decision ( 29-28, 29-28, 30-27.)

**Division:** Lightweight

**Referee:** Kerry Hatley

The fight starts with a feeling-out process. Manfio's cage control is winning him this fight so far. Manfio is just walking Martinez down. No deciding strikes to win either man the round over the opening stanza, but Manfio's control of the distance wins him the round with a 10-9. Round 2 begins with a takedown attempt from Martinez, which Manfio stops. Manfio catches a kick, sweeps the leg to get Martinez to the mat, and ends up in the full guard. Marinez gets to his feet but makes the same mistake and is swept from a caught leg kick again. Manfio takes the back at 1:40 of round 2, but Martinez gets back to his feet and into the neutral position. Martinez's leg kicks have slowly added, and Manfio is limping slightly. Manfio ends the round on top for a 10-9 score. Manfio begins round 3 by walking Martinez back to the cage and keeping the pressure on Martinez. Manfio scores a trip that puts Martinez down momentarily. Manfio unloads combos on Martinez for the final 30 seconds and seems to have done enough to win all 3 rounds with a 10-9. Manfio wins the fight and 3 points in the Lightweight standings.



## Magomed Magomedkerimov vs. Ben Egli

**Result:** Magomed Magomedkarimov def. Ben Egli by KO at 1:03 of round 1.

**Division:** Welterweight

**Referee:** Chris Tognoni

Magomedkarimov starts the bout by throwing bombs; one rocks Egli and Magomedkarimov follows it up with a head kick that puts Egli down and out. Magomedkarimov earns the quick 6 points for his first-round finish and sits atop the Welterweight standings.



## Sadibou Sy vs. Jarrah Al-Silawi

**Result:** Sadibou Sy def. Jarrah Al-Silawi by TKO at 1:14 of round 2.

**Division:** Welterweight

**Referee:** Mark Smith

Both men start slow for the first 5 minutes. However, the last few seconds of round 1 see some action as Sy lands on top of Jarrah Al-Silawi and throws some good ground and pound. Close, uneventful round 1, but Sy takes it 10-9. Then, 1 minute into round 2, Sy lands a big knee to the body that folds Jarrah Al-Silawi, and Sy leaps in for the finish. Sy scores the TKO victory and 5 points for a round 2 finish in the Welterweight bracket.


What was your favorite fight of the night? Let us know in the comments below.


PFL 3 Post Fight Results

All 28 fighters stepped on the scale as they all will compete at UFC Kansas City as the main event is headlined by Max Holloway and Arnold Allen. The winner of this Featherweight fight puts them righ in the mix for the next title shot as Holloway and Allen both rank inside the top five. The co-main event is headlined by the devestating striker in Edson Barboza. He will fight the tough and formidable Billy Quarantillo. The rest of the card is stacked with fighters like Dustin Jacoby, Tanner Boser, Pedro Munhoz, Clay Guida, and more. Fans should expect a great night of fights.

Let's see how they weighed in.

## MAIN CARD (START TIME: 8:30 PM EST ON ESPN/ESPN+)

_Featherweight_: #2 Max Holloway (***146***) vs. #4 Arnold Allen (***146***)


_Featherweight_: #14 Edson Barboza (***146***) vs. Billy Quarantillo (***146***)


_Light Heavyweight_: #13 Dustin Jacoby (***206***) vs. #15 Azamat Murzakanov (***205***)


_Light Heavyweight_: Tanner Boser (***203***) vs. Ion Cutelaba (***206***)


_Bantamweight_: #9 Pedro Munhoz  (***136***) vs. #13 Chris Gutierrez(***136***)


_Lightweight_: Clay Guida  (***154.5***) vs. Rafa Garcia (***155***)


## PRELIMS (START TIME: 5:30 PM EST ON ESPN+)


_Featherweight_: Bill Algeo (***146***) vs. TJ Brown (***146***)


_Flyweight_: #4 Brandon Royval (***126***) vs. #5 Matheus Nicolau (***126***)


_Light Heavyweight_: Zak Cummings (***206***) vs. Ed Herman (***206***)


_Women's Strawweight_: Gillian Robertson (***116***) vs. Piera Rodriguez (***116***)


_Lightweight_: Lando Vannata (***156***) vs. Daniel Zellhuber (***156***)


_Women's Strawweight_: Bruna Brasil (***116***) vs. Denise Gomes  (***115***)


_Bantamweight_: Aaron Phillips (***136***) vs. Gaston Bolanos (***136***)


_Women's Bantamweight_: Joselyne Edwards (***136.5***) vs. Lucie Pudilova (***136***)

_Joselyne Edwards has missed the Bantamweight limit by 0.5 pounds. All other fighters have weighed in and the fights will proceed as planned._

Who will get their hands raised this weekend? Let us know in the comments below.

UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Allen weigh-in results

A massive bout between top 10 Flyweights Deiveson Figueiredo and Manel Kape has just been announced for July 8th at UFC 290 in Las Vegas, Nevada, inside the T-Mobile Arena, per ESPN Deportes.

**This fight takes place in the Flyweight (125 lbs) division.**

Deiveson "Deus Da Guerra" Figueiredo is ranked #1 at Flyweight and holds a professional record of 21-3-1 (10-3-1 UFC). He holds notable wins over Brandon Moreno, Alexandre Pantoja, and Joseph Benavidez.

Manel "Starboy" Kape holds a professional record of 18-6 (3-2 UFC) and is ranked #9 at Flyweight. He holds credible wins over David Dvořák, Zhalgas Zhumagulov, and Ode Osbourne.

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

Deiveson Figueiredo is coming off the only homegrown UFC quadrilogy in UFC history, where he fought his long-term rival, Brandon Moreno, four times back-to-back. "Deus Da Guerra" would come out the loser of the quadrilogy, drawing once, winning once, and losing twice, and will be breaking many trends in his next bout, as this will be Figueiredo's first non-title bout in over three years, and his first time not fighting Brandon Moreno in two and a half years. Despite teasing a move to Bantamweight, he appears to remain at Flyweight for the foreseeable future. Figueiredo has phenomenal knockout power and dangerous submissions, which he'll be looking to be using against Manel Kape.

![moreno-figgy-4.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/0ccf32a9-6d0e-4404-2128-a00b98b8fe00/pub "Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno grappling in their forth fight at UFC 283. Credits to: Jason da Silva - USA TODAY Sports.")

Manel Kape has had a very unlucky UFC career so far. After losing a unanimous decision in his debut to the currently #2 ranked contender Alexandre Pantoja, "Starboy" would suffer a second consecutive loss where he would lose a very controversial decision to Matheus Nicolau. However, since then, Kape has put a three-fight win streak together, gathering knockout victories over Ode Osborne and Zhalgas Zhumagulov and a dominant decision win over David Dvořák. His UFC run has suffered from numerous pullouts, where he was supposed to face Rogério Bontorin twice and Alex Perez. Kape is now looking to make a statement and will seek to use his dynamic striking skillset to win over the former Flyweight Champion Figueiredo.

![kape-knee.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/4c9ed757-8b61-4a6c-c4c5-c407004a5900/pub "Manel Kape moments after landing a flying knee on Ode Osborne at UFC 265. Credits to: Troy Taormina - USA TODAY Sports.")

This is an incredible matchup inside the Flyweight division, with the winner of this bout bouncing right into title contention. So who do you have winning this matchup? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know your prediction in the comments below.

Deiveson Figueiredo Booked to Face Manel Kape at UFC 290

## Fighter Stats
Record: 15-3 (5 KO, 5 SUB)

**Age**: 32 (19-03-1991)

**Height**: 5'11" (180cm)

**Weight**: 156lbs (70kg) - Previously 146 (66kg

**Reach**: 75.5 inches (192cm)

**Country**: USA

**Next Fight**: Olivier Aubin-Mercier (17-5) at UFC PFL 3

After making a massive name inside the UFC, "Hurricane" Shane Burgos is gearing up for his Professional Fighters League (PFL) debut this weekend. Burgos made his professional MMA debut in 2013 after training MMA since he was fourteen years old, where he scored seven straight wins, all via finish, leading him to the UFC and the PFL. He would debut in the UFC in 2016 against Tiago Trator and win by unanimous decision, showing off his striking by dropping Trator in the second round.

![shane-vs-trator.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/02345de6-2dc0-4994-c414-1c2f51c2b900/pub "Shang Burgos clipping Tiago Trator in his UFC debut. Credits to: Michael Adamucci - USA TODAY Sports.")

In 2017, Burgos would rack up two more wins before getting his first high-profile fight, including a Fight of The Night TKO victory over Charles Rosa and a decision win over Godofredo Pepey. At UFC 220 in January 2018, he would face Calvin Kattar in the featured bout of the main card and lose a Fight of The Night TKO to Kattar. Despite a momentum-changing second round, "Hurricane" would be caught early in the third and be finished via ground strikes.

![burgos-vs-quarantillo.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/6e91a5a8-ee0d-4c00-4e23-03349c0f1e00/pub "Shane Burgos scrapping with Calvin Kattar in one of his many FOTN bouts. Credits to: Bob DeChiara - USA TODAY Sports.")

This loss wouldn't deter Burgos, as he would rack up three straight victories, including two finishes, across 2018 and 2019. First, ten months after his loss to Kattar, he would submit Kurt Holobaugh via first-round armbar at UFC 230. Then, he'd win a split decision against UFC veteran Cub Swanson before finally TKOing Makwan Amirkhani in the third round at UFC 244.

![burgos-vs-amirkhani.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/048869c9-c9e5-404c-049f-f99658b1c400/pub "Shane Burgos landing a headkick on Makwan Amirkhani before finishing him in the third. Credits to: Sarah Stier - USA TODAY Sports.")

In the final leg of "Hurricane's" UFC career, he would take on Josh Emmett and Edson Barboza in back-to-back Fight of The Night performances. He would lose to Emmett via decision and Barboza by third-round KO but rebound in style on the main card of UFC 286 in 2021 against Billy Quarantillo. On any other occasion, Burgos would've received his fifth FOTY bonus. Unfortunately, the two fought just after the Fight of The Year contender Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler, stealing the bonus away from the two. Regardless, Burgos would return to the win column after three years in his hometown of New York City.

![burgos-vs-quarantillo.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/6e91a5a8-ee0d-4c00-4e23-03349c0f1e00/pub "Shane Burgos and Billy Quarantillo throwing down at UFC 286. Credits to: Ed Mulholland - USA TODAY Sports.")

The final fight of Burgos' career came against Charles Jourdain in July 2022, where he defeated the Canadian by a majority decision. With this being the final fight on his UFC contract, Burgos tested free agency and signed a massive deal with the PFL that the UFC couldn't match. 

![burgos-vs-jourdain.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/4f479ab1-8a65-4b5f-d1b2-0da2ffe7c300/pub "Shang Burgos beating Charles Jourdain with his grappling in his final UFC bout. Credits to: Ed Mulholland - USA TODAY Sports.")

Now, Burgos heads into the biggest fight of his career, headlining against Olivier Aubin-Mercier, the 2022 PFL Lightweight Tournament winner. A win over Aubin-Mercier can skyrocket "Hurricane's" career and could earn him up to six points in the 2023 PFL Lightweight Tournament, putting him well on his way to winning the million doller prize. Do you think Shane Burgos will win the 2023 PFL Lightweight Tournement? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know you prediction in the comments below.