
Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker has an intriguing showdown looming against top prospect Rainier De Ridder. They have been lined up to headline UFC on ABC 9 on July 26 at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The Etihad Arena will be the venue for the fight for a spot in the top 5 of the 84kg division.


No matter how much Derrick Lewis begs the UFC not to give him 5-round fights, his star status inevitably leads to the need to headline tournaments. One of them will be held in Nashville, at Bridgestone Arena, on June 13, where the "Black Beast" will meet the new heavyweight talent - Tallison Teixeira. The guys will definitely decorate the anniversary UFC on ESPN 70, since there will be no knockout here.


The featherweight champion on paper, Iliya Topuria, has earned a title shot with his move up to 70 kg, where he will fight for gold against Charles Oliveira. The vacant Makhachev belt will go to one of them at UFC 317, June 29 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It will be International Fight Week, and it is a spectacle not to be missed.


Rafael Fiziev's career is noticeably sagging in terms of winnings, and he is returning to fix it. "Ataman" will perform at the first tournament in Baku - UFC on ABC 8, in the co-main fight, in the last minutes on June 21. There are rumors that this fight may even become the headliner, but we will talk about something completely different.


The UFC is planning to conduct a test: is Gilbert Burns ready to compete with young prospects, and is Michael Morales capable of confronting former top welterweights? Who can do what – we will find out on May 18, at the UFC Fight Night 256 tournament, where in the main fight these guys will determine the best in a five-round duel.


Since March 2023, we have not seen Nikita Krylov in action due to a serious shoulder injury. But he returns at the numbered tournament UFC 314, which will take place on April 13 in Miami, Florida. His opponent will be former title challenger Dominick Reyes, who recently got out of the crisis and intends to continue his career on a winning note. So whose intention to win will result in real success?


Alexander Volkanovski has been at the helm of the featherweight division for so long that it’s strange to see him as a contender. However, on April 13, he will fight Diego Lopez for the vacant title, headlining UFC 314. There is a lot of debate in society: is this the same Alex we are used to seeing? This makes it doubly interesting whether he is capable of stopping a highly rated prospect, whom he would have simply eaten 3-4 years ago.

