UFC 321 has the possibility to shake up a number of divisions. Saturday’s pay-per-view has two title fights, Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane and Virna Jandiroba vs. Mackenzie Dern, on the poster — nevertheless it’s the undercard that exhibits glimpses of the long run.
Umar Nurmagomedov is by far the most important non-title identify on the cardboard. The bantamweight title challenger, cousin of UFC Corridor of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov, is somebody totally able to turning into UFC champion. Then there’s Alexander Volkov vs. Jailton Almeida, a combat that possible produces the highest challenger for whoever leaves Abu Dhabi as undisputed heavyweight champion.
With a lot to dig into, let’s study extra about three undercard fights that deserve your consideration at UFC 321.
Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Mario Bautista
Do not be stunned to see the winner of this combat difficult for the bantamweight title ultimately. Nurmagomedov discovered robust classes in a aggressive loss to UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili in January. Regardless of the loss, many consider he has the very best probability of taking the title from Dvalishvili. A bounce-back win is crucial to show that. Bautista has quietly compiled a resume that, pending Saturday’s outcome, ought to earn him a title shot. He is on an eight-fight successful streak with current wins over former UFC featherweight champ Jose Aldo and former Bellator bantamweight champ Patchy Combine. Bautista will must be in the very best type of his profession to beat Nurmagomedov, however doing so places him on the shortlist of bantamweight contenders.
Alexander Volkov vs. Jailton Almeida
This heavyweight scrap has important implications within the division. Volkov and Almeida are ranked No. 2 and No. 5 within the UFC’s official heavyweight rankings, respectively. The winner has a no brainer case to problem the champion, excluding an Alex Pereira jump-up. Former Bellator and M-1 champion Volkov is in uncommon type. Heading into his combat with Gane, Volkov had a four-fight successful streak with three finishes. Everybody and their canine thinks Volkov beat Gane in December, apart from the 2 judges who awarded him a cut up choice. Almeida is a next-level finisher with a imply grappling recreation. He is 8-1 within the UFC and has stopped 21 opponents in 22 wins.
Ludovit Klein vs. Mateusz Rebecki
Rebecki doesn’t know what boring means. The “Contender Collection” graduate scored a knockout and submission win in his second and third UFC fights, respectively, each occasions in opposition to fighters who missed weight. Issues get higher when fighters’ chins maintain up. Rebecki’s final two fights went the gap however have been awarded Combat of the Night time. Klein does not have the identical popularity, however he was a killer on the regional scene — ending 14 of 15 wins. If anybody can drag that aspect out of him, it is Rebecki.
