The UFC returns to the Apex in Las Vegas this weekend as top-ranked heavyweights collide in the main event. Surging contender Sergei Pavlovich (#3) takes on the always-dangerous Curtis Blaydes (#4) in what will be the first heavyweight main event since the return of Jon Jones when he submitted Ciryl Gane in the first round for the belt. If you’re on the fence about tuning in to Saturday’s card, here are five reasons to watch UFC Fight Night: Pavlovich vs. Blaydes.
Five Reasons to Watch Pavlovich vs. Blaydes
Karine Killer Silva
Karine Silva is hands down one of the most exciting women’s flyweights on the planet. The 29-year-old is must-watch TV, evidenced by her 11 finishes in the first round with an almost even split of submissions and TKOs.
When word spread that the Brazilian would appear on Dana White’s Contender Series, the question was whether she could translate her impressive regional work into the UFC. However, she quickly answered that by ending her opponent’s seven-win streak with a guillotine choke, earning herself a UFC contract. Watch the finish below.
“Killer” made her UFC debut in June of 2022, submitting her opponent in the first round and earning herself a 50K bonus. Now ten months later, Silva returns to fight her trickiest opponent to date, fellow Brazilian Priscila Cachoeira.
Bobby Green
Earlier this year, UFC veteran Bobby Green announced that win, lose, or draw, his next fight would be his retirement bout. However, recently he clarified to MMA Underground that it would just be the retirement of his name and that he would now be known as just King.
This will be Green’s 21st fight in the UFC after joining the promotion from Strikeforce in 2012. The 36-year-old has always been entertaining inside and outside the ring. His crisp boxing and incredible endurance are a thing of beauty to watch. One of my favourite scraps of his is the fight of the night bout that went down against Rafael Fiziev. Watch the highlights below.
The Californian native will take on Jared Gordan on Saturday. Gordan’s coming off his controversial loss to Paddy Pimblett, which fans thought he clearly won. The decision was so contentious that it even won MMAJunkie’s “Robbery of the Year” award. Green is coming off a knockout loss against Drew Dober, so it’ll be interesting to see who can get back in that win column.
UFC Veteran’s Siblings Go to War
One of the most anticipated fights on the card is the heavyweight scrap between Mohammed Usman and Junior Tafa. The fact that both fighters are younger siblings of Kamaru Usman and Justin Tafa will always make the fight that bit more interesting, but the appeal doesn’t stop there.
Usman won the 30th season of The Ultimate Fighter when he knocked out the undefeated Zac Pauga in devastating fashion. His career has been exciting thus far, earning five first-round finishes. The 34-year-old makes his long-awaited return to the octagon in an attempt to kickstart his title campaign.
Junior Tafa was supposed to make his UFC debut at UFC 284 in Australia but pulled out due to an injury. However, he makes his debut this weekend coming off an eight-win streak across Kickboxing, Boxing, Muay Thai, and MMA. This bout is guaranteed fireworks and another reason to tune in to UFC Vegas 71.
Marshall vs. Gomis
Flying slightly under the radar on the card is an intriguing scrap between two featherweight prospects.
Francis Marshall is currently undefeated and holding a record of 7-0, only going to the scorecards twice in his career. The 24-year-old earned his spot in the UFC by beating the highly touted, undefeated prospect, Connor Matthews, on DWCS. Since then, Marshall nailed his octagon debut in December, picking up a second-round TKO victory over Marcelo Rojo.
Marshall’s opponent on Saturday is one of the best prospects out of France, William Gomis. The last time Gomis tasted defeat was all the way back in 2016. He’s currently on a nine-win streak after a majority decision victory in his UFC debut last time out.
With two young and talented prospects with high potential on both sides, it’s hard not to love this fight.
Pavlovich vs. Blaydes
The main event is an old-school title eliminator, where rank three takes on rank four. It’s not a long shot to say that the victor of this one will face the winner of Stipe Miocic vs. Jon Jones.
Since suffering his only loss in the sport in 2018, Sergei Pavlovich has been on a mission for gold. The Russian has won five fights in a row, all in the first round. The hot streak includes impressive victories over Derrick Lewis and Tai Tuivasa, both coming within the first minute of the bout. Now, with a remarkable record of 17-1, the 30-year-old looks to make a statement against the battle-tested Curtis Blaydes.
Last time out, Blaydes earned a victory over Tom Aspinall in London. The bout was underwhelming after lasting just fifteen seconds before the Brit blew his knee out. The Illinois native will hope to put on a vintage performance on Saturday, utilising his wrestling and devastating ground and pound.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
