This weekend sees the UFC return to the Las Vegas APEX for its newest Struggle Night time occasion. Whereas the final two occasions had been missing considerably, this one appears to be like wonderful.
UFC Struggle Night time: Rob Font vs. Marlon Vera options quite a few exciting-sounding fights and whereas not many are more likely to impression the title photos of the promotion’s divisions, they need to be watchable.
So with quite a few the wildest fighters on the roster in motion, this Struggle Night time ought to be one to maintain a detailed eye on, as we could possibly be in for some nice scraps.
Listed here are 5 causes to look at UFC Struggle Night time: Rob Font vs. Marlon Vera.
#5. Grant Dawson is likely one of the UFC’s most underrated fighters
The UFC’s Struggle Night time playing cards are usually crammed with fighters who lack title worth for probably the most half, and which means most of the promotion’s extra underrated fighters are inclined to fly underneath the radar at these occasions considerably.
A kind of underrated fighters – light-weight Grant Dawson – is in motion this weekend, dealing with off with the all the time aggressive Jared Gordon in what ought to be one in all this occasion’s most watchable bouts.
Dawson has been with the UFC for simply over three years now after incomes his shot on Dana White’s Contender Collection. Extremely, ‘KGD’ continues to be unbeaten within the octagon at 5-0-1. He’s a kind of fighters who doesn’t look like a famous person, however when he fights, he’s undoubtedly efficient.
Not solely is he harmful along with his submissions – as his rear bare choke wins over Mike Trizano and Darrick Minner confirmed – however he additionally hits very onerous, as we noticed when he knocked out professional grappler Leonardo Santos with only one second remaining of their struggle.
Dawson’s most up-to-date bout was a considerably disappointing one, as he got here away from his struggle with Ricky Glenn with a controversial draw, regardless of seemingly profitable the primary two rounds handily earlier than fading late.
Which means he’s more likely to come into this bout with Gordon fired up. Given the all-action model of ‘Flash’, not solely might these two lightweights produce fireworks, however Dawson is more likely to have an edge. General, that is undoubtedly one of many higher fights on this card, and hopefully with a win, ‘KGD’ will open some extra eyes to his expertise.
#4. Darren Elkins is almost all the time concerned in wild fights
Few fighters have managed to outlive within the UFC for greater than a decade. Featherweight contender Darren Elkins has not solely been with the promotion since 2010, however he additionally stays one of the hard-nosed, powerful veterans on the roster.
‘The Injury’ basically lives as much as his nickname seemingly each time he steps into the octagon. Win, lose or draw, Elkins all the time appears to come back away from a struggle coated in blood. Whereas his lack of pure athleticism has prevented him from actually difficult for UFC gold, he’s nonetheless picked up wonderful wins through the years over the likes of Mirsad Bektic, Michael Johnson and Diego Brandao.
Elkins’ final struggle noticed him knocked out by fellow veteran Cub Swanson. Previous to that, he’d pulled off two straight wins, each through stoppage.
This weekend’s struggle additionally appears to be like favorable for him, as opponent Tristan Connelly has solely fought as soon as since 2019 – struggling a choice loss to prospect Pat Sabatini final April, and he’s been on the shelf ever since.
Nevertheless, Connelly is a succesful fighter, as his win over Michel Pereira confirmed. Extra to the purpose, he’s a hard-nosed brawler who’s more likely to get into the face of ‘The Injury’, who naturally gained’t again down in flip.
Which means we must always get a trademark Elkins brawl from this struggle, and win, lose or draw, ‘The Injury’ is extremely more likely to produce the products contained in the octagon as soon as once more, making this a struggle to maintain a detailed eye on.
#3. Andrei Arlovski is a real UFC legend and so it’s all the time price watching him
It’s extremely unlikely that UFC followers will likely be handled to an excessive amount of wild motion when Andrei Arlovski faces off with Jake Collier in a heavyweight bout this weekend, however the fact is that any probability to look at ‘The Pitbull’ in motion is price taking.
Okay, so it’s true that Arlovski hasn’t been producing wildly entertaining fights as of late. His placing model – which stays remarkably fleet-footed contemplating his age – is anathema to the type of plodding opponents he’s been matched with not too long ago, however the Belarusian merely doesn’t take too many dangers today with the intention to defend his chin.
Nevertheless, it’s nonetheless price noting that ‘The Pitbull’ is a real dwelling legend of MMA and of the UFC, and for him to nonetheless be competing within the heavyweight division greater than 15 years after he held the heavyweight title is actually outstanding.
The times of Arlovski contending for the title are lengthy gone now, in fact, however on the age of 43 he nonetheless seems to be in phenomenal form. This weekend’s bout with Collier will mark the thirty eighth time he’s stepped into the octagon and will likely be his 56th skilled struggle general.
Extra to the purpose, if he can beat ‘The Prototype’, which he’s favored to do, he’ll equal the file for probably the most wins in UFC historical past – 23 – at the moment held by Donald Cerrone and Jim Miller. That reality alone makes his bout this weekend a must-see one.
#2. Andre Fili often delivers loopy ranges of motion within the octagon
There are a variety of fighters at the moment competing within the UFC who appear to ensure loopy motion each time they step into the octagon, and Andre Fili is undoubtedly one in all them. Positive, ‘Sensitive’ is now not thought-about a prospect, neither is he a title contender, however it’s nonetheless onerous to disregard him when he’s in motion.
Curiously, the principle purpose why Fili’s by no means fairly ascended to the highest of the featherweight division is identical purpose why he’s so thrilling to look at. The Staff Alpha Male fighter is aggressive to a fault, and sometimes places himself in harms’ means with the intention to assault his opponent.
Coming into this weekend’s bout with Joanderson Brito, Fili has not formally gained a struggle since his resolution win over Charles Jourdain in 2020. He was comfortably beating Daniel Pineda in his final journey to the octagon, just for the struggle to be declared a No Contest when Pineda suffered an unintentional eye poke.
Nevertheless, this bout looks as if a winnable one for ‘Sensitive’, as Brito doesn’t have wherever close to the identical expertise as him contained in the octagon. Identical to Fili, he’s wildly aggressive and may be anticipated to deliver the struggle to his opponent.
Both means, this one ought to be a surefire contender for this weekend’s ‘Struggle of the Night time’ award, and so it’s undoubtedly a purpose to take a look at the occasion.
#1. Marlon Vera has quietly change into one of many UFC’s most entertaining fighters to look at
Essentially the most intriguing bout on faucet at this weekend’s occasion is unquestionably the headline struggle between bantamweights Rob Font and Marlon Vera. Whereas Font is at the moment the upper ranked of the 2, it’s arguably ‘Chito’ who makes this one a must-see conflict.
Again when he debuted within the UFC in 2014 following a stint on the primary season of TUF: Latin America, few followers anticipated the native of Ecuador to provide something particular. Not solely has Vera change into one of the harmful bantamweights on the roster, he’s change into one of the thrilling, too.
Actually each time ‘Chito’ steps into the octagon, he’s trying to end off his opponent in violent trend. Whereas he’s dropped selections to the likes of Jose Aldo and Music Yadong, when he wins, it tends to come back earlier than the ultimate buzzer.
Actually, Vera has solely gone the gap in victory on two events since beginning his profession with the UFC. His different ten victims had been all stopped in nasty trend, together with former light-weight champion Frankie Edgar, who was viciously knocked out by a entrance kick final November.
Whether or not ‘Chito’ can defeat Font stays to be seen, however he’ll nearly definitely give it his all. If he can beat the Boston native, it’s unlikely that it’ll are available a five-round resolution. This struggle, subsequently, is one which followers shouldn’t take their eyes off.
