The UFC is one of the most notable events in the sporting calendar. Filled with heaps of drama, UFC commands the attention of fighting fans and media outlets across the world.
Contenders help create suspense and draw in crowds with their determination and fighting talk, every single fight brings unexpected twists and even though fans will be watching from home, the tension and adrenaline will still be present.
There are a number of highly anticipated UFC fights coming up, here are just a few that should not be missed. The odds for each fight can be found on New Jersey’s betting sites as listed here.
Here are the top four to look forward to:
1# UFC 254 – Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Justin Gaethje – October 24 2020
Justin Gaethje defeated fellow lightweight Tony Ferguson back in May, putting him in the lineup for the Flash Forum fight in Abu Dhabi.
Perhaps one of the greatest fighters in his division in history, Nurmagomedov is unbeaten. He has taken on the likes of Conor McGregor, Edson Barboza and Rafael Dos Anjos and took each of them down.
Does Gaethje even have a chance? Well, he is said to be a strong defender with an incredible punch. Justin hits harder than any other Lightweight in the UFC. Perhaps he will finally be the one to bring down the mighty Eagle, Nurmagomedov.
2# UFC 254 – Zabit Magomedsharipov vs. Yair Rodriguez – October 24th 2020
On the same night, Featherweight contenders Yair Rodriguez and Zabit Magomedsharipov will finally face their highly anticipated re-scheduled fight.
The pair are both known for their aggressive fighting styles. Rodriguez has shown himself to be an effective finisher since entering the UFC following his win aged 22 in the Featherweight tournament in 2014. His wins include The Zombie and BJ Penn.
Yet, it is probably Magomedsharipov that has the better shot, he is on 0-6 since entering the UFC four years ago, haven beat both Jeremy Stephens and Calvin Kattar. His wrestling style is not to be messed with and his striking is seemingly chaotic but effective.
3# Fight Night 181 – Anderson Silva vs. Uriah Hall – October 31 2020
Hall and Silva are set to headline the middleweight event on Halloween in Las Vegas.
Anderson Silva was once the 185 weight champion, but in reality has only won one fight since 2012. Whereas, Uriah Hall has recently captured fights back-to-back for the first time in almost five years.
Rumour has it that Silva may be considering going into retirement following this fight. However, the 45 year old’s coach says the fighter has other ideas.
Hall is almost a decade younger and has much more energy. He is also determined to get back in the ring, following his two previous fights being cancelled. Souza pulled out of a fightback in May after testing positive for Covid-19, while his next opponent, Yoel Romero pulled out for undisclosed reasons in August.
4# Fight Night 182 – Sarah Moras vs. Vanessa Melo – November 7 2020
Canadian fighter Sarah Moras will take on Brazilian Vanessa Melo in Las Vegas in November. This is Melo’s chance to prove herself after a series of recent losses. She is at 0-3 of 3 UFC outings, having lost against Tracy Cortez, Karol Rosa and Irene Aldana.
Moras’ last UFC fight was in May, where she found herself on the unfavourable side of a unanimous judgement against Sijara Eubank. She is a trained Jiu-Jitsu purple belt and is known for notching a submission win, having done this six times in her professional career.
Both fighters are similar in age and build, however the odds are strongly in Sarah Moras’ favour due to her superior bantamweight record.