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A thrilling card last weekend saw a shakeup at the top of the lightweight division and two undefeated athletes continue the perfect start to their careers. This week we head to T-Mobile arena with two titles on the line and guaranteed action on yet another stacked card!
Middleweight title clash
The middleweight belt is on the line for the main event as champion Israel ‘The Last Stylebender’ Adesanya faces no.2 contender Jared ‘Tha Killa Gorilla’ Cannonier.
Adesanya has dominated the middleweight division since joining the UFC, retaining the belt four times since becoming the undisputed champion back in June 2019. He holds a 22-1 record, with 15 knockouts, six of which came in the first round. Before going pro in MMA, he held a 75-4 record in pro kickboxing, and a 5-1 pro boxing record. The Last Stylebender is a huge fan of anime shows and his nickname derived from his love of the TV show Avatar.
Winning four of his last five, Cannonier has earned the first title shot of his UFC career. Tha Killa Gorilla has an impressive 5-1 record at middleweight, including a second-round knockout of Derek Brunson in his most recent bout in February. He has secured 12 finishes in his 15 career wins, seven of which came in the first round. Before taking to the Octagon, Cannonier was an airway transportation systems specialist.
Trilogy to decide featherweight champion
Two of the most exciting fighters in the UFC lock horns for the third time, as Alexander ‘The Great’ Volkanovski looks to retain his belt against Max ‘Blessed’ Holloway.
On an incredible 21-win streak, Volkanovski is currently second on UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings. The Australian walked away from a successful pro Rugby League career to pursue MMA full time. Since taking that step he has accrued a 24-1 record, with 12 knockouts and three submissions. His UFC inspiration is the legendary Chuck Liddell.
Seeking to reclaim the title, Holloway comes into this on a two-bout win streak. As one of the most dynamic strikers in the UFC, he has tallied 10 post-fight awards, including fight of the night bonuses for his past two bouts. A handyman by trade before going pro, Blessed now spends his downtime gaming, and has competed in numerous Warzone tournaments with other celebrities and pro gamers.
The Future faces Gifted
Two exciting welterweight prospects clash here as Irishman Ian ‘The Future’ Garry takes on Gabriel ‘Gifted’ Green.
Garry holds a perfect 9-0 start to his career, since turning pro in 2019. The Future was a Cage Warriors welterweight world champion, and continued his success into the UFC, where he won his first two bouts. His MMA hero is fellow Irishman Conor McGregor, and he dreams of one day fighting on the same card as him in his home country of Ireland.
Also, on a two-win streak, Green is fighting for the second time this year, after a second-round knockout victory over Yohan Lainesse back in April. Green holds a record of 11-3, securing finishes in all but one of those wins, with four knockouts and six submissions. He holds a purple belt in BJJ and helps at an after-school program for children in his home city when not in camp.