Although there have been more than 100 shows at the Apex, counting PPV events during COVID, this weekend will mark the 100th fight night taking place from the UFC’s headquarters. There have been plenty of great main events, but it’s unfortunate the athletes did not have a live crowd to soak it all in with. Regardless, this weekend welterweights throw down in a fight that could be a passing-of-the-torch.
COLUMN: FIGHTER'S BLOCK
All of your mixed martial arts and full-contact combat sports news on the world's best fighters and the most intriguing matchups from your favorite MMA experts.
Looking for a career resurgence, Jourdain is moving down to 135 lbs for this weekend’s clash in Edmonton. His dynamic and unorthodox striking style could work at this weight class, but you must wonder how much of an impact the weight cut can hinder his performance. One thing is for certain, Jourdain won’t go away easily and will always bring it.
For the second time this year, the UFC returns to the Great White North. This time it’s a fight night headed to Edmonton with a double five-round headliner with a pair of flyweight matchups. Co-main event honors go to the women as former straw weight champion, Rose Namajunas, looks to hand Erin Blanchfield a second consecutive loss. The men take center stage in the main event with another former champion looking to slow down a rising contender.
A blistering start to Magomedov’s UFC career led the way to a two-fight losing streak. Magomedov went deep into his bag to pull off a dominant victory over a veteran last time out, positioning himself to get back into the top 10 of the division. A diverse striking skill set is normally the path to victory for Magomedov, but also an underrated wrestling game allows him to wear opponents down in that realm.Â
October usually marks a trip over to Abu Dhabi for the UFC, and this year is no different. As a fight fan, there’s something special about a PPV card taking place in the afternoon, considering you still have the rest of the night to be a normal human being. Hence, why many fans look forward to this October PPV offering from the UFC. Add in the fact that they usually bring a banger card, it makes it all the better.
UFC Vegas 99 Three Best Moneyline Bets Melissa Martinez (7-1) vs Alice Ardelean (9-6) Returning from a 2+ year long layoff, Martinez hopes to shake…
For the second last time this year, the UFC holds an event at the Apex and brings a pair of middleweights that are knocking on the door of title contention to headline. The co-main event features a pivotal bantamweight scrap between slumping veteran, Rob Font, and rising contender, Kyler Phillips. Regardless, most of the heat on this card centers around the main event between two streaking fighters with conflicting styles.
It’s a shame that Carpenter is coming off a long layoff, but he is young enough to still build himself up within the flyweight division. He trains out of The MMA Lab and showcases tremendous potential and talent. From his improving striking game to his relentless grappling and slick BJJ, Carpenter is a threat on all sides. I look forward to seeing him be a little more active now.Â
A successful trip to Utah last weekend makes way for back-to-back events at the UFC Apex before they hit the road again for UFC 308 at the end of the month. 13 fights make up this weekend’s UFC Vegas 98 card, with all eyes on the flyweight main event that could produce a number one contender.