Ranking fights on a big UFC card can seem like an obvious exercise. The sport arranges fight nights to build and build throughout the evening, culminating in the main event that has been heavily advertised on promotional posters to draw fans into the arena or watch on television.
And lots of battle cards invite heated debate. As the main event really The most exciting part of the night? Is there a glittering co-main event that attracts a lot of eyeballs? Or a quiet stub likely to make the loudest noise? Sometimes that’s a close call for the real number 1.
Well, unless Justin Gaethje is on the invoice. After that, the competition was for 2nd place.
This is the case with UFC 274 (6 p.m. Saturday on ESPN+ PPV). The main event in Phoenix delivers the exhilarating Gaethje mayhem we’re all familiar with – and never tire of – but also something tangible to his legacy: He is challenging Charles Oliveira for the lightweight championship.
Gaethje unsuccessfully bid for the title with Khabib Nurmagomedov less than 18 months ago. Why did he get a second shot at gold so early? He earned his way here by winning a decision Michael Chandler in November. In fact, he’s earned it throughout his career with exclamation-laden performances. What’s more, it’s a growing career. He was once a 100% wild, but under the guidance of coach Trevor Wittman, Gaethje now sees his savagery as just one ingredient in a team of technical and disciplined mastery. He’s still spectacular to watch. UFC cannot deny its fans this exciting title match.
Aside from the must-see fights, UFC 274 also has eye-popping fights that are flying under the radar and a pairing that could prove to be difficult to watch. And in addition to all of that, there are two other major MMA events this week, so why not give them a rating review?
Two matches not to be missed, obviously
1. Lightweight Championship: Charles Oliveira vs. Justin Gaethje
What more can we say about this war than, “Now, Saturday, hurry up and come here”?
While the draw for many is Gaethje’s presence, Oliveira has also established itself as a must-see attraction. He won the belt a year ago with a Chandler knock-out and defended it in December with a choking blow. Dustin Poirier. That gives him 10 straight wins, with all but one. Eight of those wins earned him Performance of the Night bonuses. Oliveira has 15 titles in her UFC career, by far the most in promotion history. He is building a sizable legacy for £155. Can Gaethje stop the violence?
2. Straw Championship: Rose Namajunas compare to Carla Esparza
The co-main event ratings here aren’t exact, but let’s revisit this as an affirmation for the UFC’s match organizers who have disregarded the marketing hype. No shooting stars here, just a fascinating revisit of a game long ago that put this weight class on the map.
Eight years ago, Namajunas and Esparza survived a season on The Ultimate Fighter to set up a finale to claim their first UFC £115 title. Esparza overwhelmed Namajunas that night, getting five kills en route to a third round win. But Esparza’s reign was short-lived, and Namajunas has won 9/11 since his 2014 title loss and is now holding his second strawweight title. The champion seems to have gone further than her opponent, but we’ll see on Saturday.
Two fights to watch with one glance, ready to quickly dodge
3. Michael Chandler vs. Tony Ferguson
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Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler opened the main card of UFC 268 with an incredible three-round fight.
It feels like the wheel has suddenly dropped for Ferguson, with two years ago a five-round game against Gaethje as the starting point. When “El Cucuy” fought Oliveira seven months after that battle, he was one step behind all night. Five months later, Beneil Dariush causing Ferguson to lose his third game in a row. Unless there’s a second wind in Ferguson (as it has been), this could go awry. Chandler is a strong man with a high revving engine. Ferguson could keep up with him, no problem, during his prime, but that peak is long gone. Right? Get ready to surprise or cover your eyes.
4. Donald Cerrone compare to Joe Lauzon
Cerrone is undefeated in the last six matches and has finished four times in a slip that runs until 2019. However, this one is not as much of a concern as Chandler-Ferguson. Lauzon doesn’t pose the same level of danger as Chandler, and “J-Lau” is more or less on the ballpark as “Cowboy”. He hasn’t had Cerrone’s recent top-flight losses, but Lauzon has quietly endured a three-game losing streak against opponents that most don’t measure up to what Cerrone has faced. Lauzon is not an unreasonable matchup. And there’s no denying that it’s getting harder and harder to watch “Cowboy.”
Two wars that you will find under the radar
5. Macy Chiasson compare to Norma Dumont
The women’s featherweight division is being balanced by a rope, so a match that can determine the winner as a title challenger is crucial. Since suffering a single career loss on his Octagon debut, Dumont has racked up three straight wins, the last two at 145 pounds. Chiasson lost her last match against Raquel Pennington in December, and she’s lost some weight, so she has something to prove. Chiasson won a featherweight season of The Ultimate Fighter back in 2018 and is physically fit to swim with 145-pound athletes (a few have).
6. Tracy Cortez compare to Melissa Gatto
Gatto is undefeated (8-0-2) and notched a TKO in her two UFC fights, while Cortez has lost only once – in her professional debut nearly five years ago. Neither of these flyweights are likely to be a championship contender, but this fight gives them something to build on. What woman would go on to step up to her perfect or near-perfect?
Two more battles to find… outside the Octagon
7. Ryan Bader compare to Cheick Kongo (Bellator 280 on Friday)
Bader’s light heavyweight version has lost two of his last three fights and slipped a bit from the form that brought him the 205-pound Bellator championship five years ago. But this fight has a heavyweight version of Bader, also known as the undefeated version. He’s 4-0 which is no match in the big boy weight class. And in the only winless game against Kongo in 2019, Bader was on his way to victory before an accidental eye-poke ended the game early and unsatisfied. Can Bader continue where he left off?
8. Ray Cooper III compare to Magomed Umalatov (PFL 3 on Friday – Watch on ESPN+)
Tonight’s title is Kayla Harrison, the biggest star of the promotion, but she’s up against a fighting sambo champion who lacks the MMA guts. While participating in the co-main event, her colleague, two-season PFL champion, Cooper, fought an undefeated boxer. Possibly Harrison’s rival, Marina Mokhnatkina, will come as a surprise, but Cooper has the opportunity to be more of a challenge and is sure to keep you entertained. Also on the card is Anthony Pettis and Rory MacDonaldboth are in dire need of a win after finishing last season.
