Make no mistake, most of the attention heading into UFC 246 is on the main event clash between Conor McGregor and Donald Cerrone. But to label the event a “one-fight card” would be to disrespect the matchups lower down the card, which feature a host of key contenders and rising prospects across the UFC’s various weight classes.
But which of the other fights on the UFC 246 card should fans keep a close eye on? MMA Junkie’s Dave Doyle, Simon Head, and Nolan King shine a spotlight on the non-main event fights which most intrigued them heading into fight week in Las Vegas in the latest edition of Triple Take.
Dave Doyle: How will Anthony Pettis fare in his return to lightweight?
I feel like I could simply write “Anthony Pettis is fighting,” and leave it at that, with no further explanation necessary.
This is, after all, “Showtime.” And maybe the former UFC snd WEC lightweight champion has lost a step since his days as champion, when people were starting to openly speculate on whether Pettis (22-9 MMA, 9-8 UFC) was approaching No. 1 pound-for-pound status.
But look at Pettis’ output in recent years: Even if he’s not the same fighter he once was, his presence on the card still guarantees excitement. Pettis’ wins over the likes of Michael Chiesa and Stephen Thompson were the types canny veterans pull off. His losses, to Tony Ferguson and Nate Diaz, were thrilling battles. He clearly has something left to give.
Pettis’ return to his lightweight wheelhouse after bouncing everywhere from featherweight to welterweight in recent years seems to indicate he’s getting serious and buckling down for one more big run.
And, as is usually the case, Pettis isn’t taking an easy fight. He’s being greeted by one of the more underrated competitors at 155 pounds in Diego Ferreira (16-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC), who enters the bout on a five-fight win streak. Those wins have come over tough guys without much name value, But now Ferreira is getting exactly the opponent he wants on the platform he’s wanted.
So yeah, as long as there’s a matchup the caliber of Pettis vs. Ferreira, don’t tell me UFC 246 is a one-fight show.
Next page: Simon Head: A flyweight clash with future title implications
Simon Head: A flyweight clash with future title implications
Khabib Nurmagomedov is dominant at 155, Zabit Magomedsharipov is on course to challenge for the strap at 145 and Petr Yan looks to be in pole position for a title shot at 135.
After UFC 246, another dominant Russian fighter could find himself on the verge of title contention.
Undefeated flyweight Askar Askarov takes on American flyweight veteran Tim Elliott in the third fight of the night in a bout that could potentially propel the “Bullet” toward the top of the UFC’s 125-pound division.
Askarov (10-0-1 MMA, 0-0-1 UFC) was a dominant force in Russian promotion ACB, where he was 125-pound champion. But a tough long-haul debut assignment on his UFC debut saw him make the long trip to Mexico to take on Brandon Moreno in what was his first fight outside of Europe. Askarov earned a split draw in that matchup to put the sole blemish on his otherwise perfect record.
Now he returns to action against gritty veteran Elliott (15-9-1 MMA, 4-7 UFC), who is sure to bring the fight straight to Askarov – and that may well be exactly what “Bullet” is counting on. Askarov has finished all 10 of his wins (seven by submission, three by knockout) and an impressive finish of Elliott could vault the Russian towards top contender status.
Other fights on the card may have more established names, but Askarov may just have the highest ceiling of the bunch. If he can pass the test posed by Elliott, don’t be surprised to see him in a title eliminator this summer.
Next page: Nolan King: A featherweight banger that can’t possibly be boring
Nolan King: A featherweight banger that can’t possibly be boring
This is an easy one for me.
On paper, one of UFC 246’s best fights isn’t taking place on the evening’s main card. Chronologically the second to last preliminary card fight of the night, Andre Fili vs. Sodiq Yusuff should be nothing short of fireworks.
A winner of four out of his most recent five outings, Team Alpha Male’s Fili has reinvented himself. The 29-year-old featherweight has always shown signs of improvement, but now he’s really figuring out how to put it all together. This was evident in his most recent fight, a 187-second shellacking of Sheymon Moraes at UFC on ESPN+ 13 in July.
As for Yusuff, he’s one of the hottest rising stars in MMA regardless of weight class. The Nigeria-born striker is a fan-friendly stylist with heavy knockout punching abilities and thunderous leg kicks. Yusuff is undefeated in the UFC thus far with victories over Suman Mokhtarian, Sheymon Moraes, and Gabriel Benitez.
The winner of this fight could very well set themselves up for a matchup against a top 10 opponent in their next fight. Regardless of outcome, this fight should be a banger.
It’s possible someone could go down hard early on – or the Vegas crowd could be in for a three-round treat. Either way, this fight hasn’t received the respect it deserves. Come Saturday night, I think that’ll all change.
