UFC Returns to Kansas City With a Fantastic Card
After an unforgettable UFC 287 card, the UFC will return to Kansas City six years from the day it held its first event in 2017. On that UFC on Fox card, Demetrious Johnson defeated Wilson Reis with a third-round armbar. Five UFC fighters previously held, or fought for a title on that card.
This KC card is stacked from top to bottom, filled with some amazing fights that will lead up to one of the most anticipated fights of 2023, a main event featuring Max Holloway and Arnold Allen.
Let's take a look at the card as it appears on Verdict.
Max Holloway vs Arnold Allen
With UFC Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski defending his title against interim champion Yair Rodriguez later this year at UFC 290, there are extremely high stakes for this fight, as the winner could have a serious say in the direction the division goes in next. Max Holloway is 0-3 against Volkanovski but remains the number-one-ranked Featherweight in the world.
On the other hand, Arnold Allen is a serious threat to that goal. At 19-1, Allen has surged up the 145 ranks and has won twelve fights in a row. Wins over Calvin Kattar, Dan Hooker, Sodiq Yusuff, and Makwan Amirkhani have gotten Allen up to the number four-ranked Featherweight in the world, and a win over Holloway will put him next in line for a title shot. These are two of the best Featherweights on the planet, so this main event is expected to be one of the best fights of the year.
Edson Barboza vs Billy Quarantillo
Intimate MMA fans should be very excited about this co-main event, featuring a future UFC Hall of Famer and an up-and-coming fighter who just knows how to entertain. Edson Barboza vs Billy Quarantillo is the perfect co-main event for this card. Edson is one of the best strikers the UFC has ever seen. Although he is in the later stages of his career and has recently found a home at featherweight, Barboza is still dangerous and presents the toughest test of Quarantillo's young career. Billy Q is coming off of a huge win against Alexander Hernandez back at UFC 282 and lost a close Fight of The Night with Shane Burgos in a fight where nobody lost. This is a very entertaining matchup, and if Quarantillo can get the win, he'll find himself with a number next to his name the following week, and some great fights in his future as he climbs the Featherweight rankings.
Dustin Jacoby vs Azamat Murzakanov
This is another great fight on the card in the Light Heavyweight division featuring Dustin Jacoby and Azamat Murzakanov. Jacoby and Murzakanov are ranked #13 and #15, respectively, and are looking to move up the division with a win. Jacoby is an established kickboxer who fought the likes of Alex Pereira in GLORY, while Murzakanov is a 34-year-old rookie in the Light Heavyweight division, who is 2-0 with two knockouts in his young UFC career thus far. Both are great strikers, and this fight should be a standup fight that has a great chance of ending in a KO.
Tanner Boser vs Ion Cutelaba
Another firefight on the card, Tanner Boser and Ion Cutelaba are set to appear on this main card, where someone's likely going to get finished. Both men combine for 23 knockouts in their professional careers. These two bring a different level of ferociousness and power to their game, and I'm expecting both men to collide in a big way.
Pedro Munhoz vs Chris Gutierrez
This might be the hardcore MMA fan's favorite fight on the card. Chris Gutierrez is in the midst of his rise at 135 pounds, and he has a great opportunity to get a win over a staple of the division, Pedro Munhoz. This fight should deliver and has a great chance of being awarded the Fight of The Night.
Clay Guida vs Rafa Garcia
This card will feature a sixth fight on the main card featuring Clay Guida, who will be fighting for the 58th time in his professional career, and Mexican sensation Rafa Garcia who is looking for a big win against a notable UFC name. This should be a very fun fight to kick off the main card.
Overall, this is a fantastic main card with a lot of action on the prelims as well. Brandon Royval and Matheus Nicolau will likely fight to determine who the next title challenger at 125 is, Bill Algeo will fight TJ Brown, and Zak Cummings and Ed Herman will slug it out in a battle between two UFC veterans.
