UFC 270 Preview
The first UFC Pay-Per-View (PPV) event of the year is here and UFC 270 from Honda Center in Anaheim, CA gets us underway with a bang. Two title fights headline an overall pretty decent card full of newcomers, with nine fighters getting set to make their UFC debuts. The co-main event brings to conclusion a trilogy of title bouts in the Men’s Flyweight division. After an era controlled by Daniel Cormier and Stipe Miocic finally came to an end a new era gets started with a bout between former training partners who are now Champion and Interim Champion of the Heavyweight division. UFC 270 prelims kickoff at 6:00 PM ET on ESPN+ and ESPN 2. The main card for UFC 270 has five fights that start at 10:00 PM ET on ESPN+ PPV.
Main Card
Francis Ngannou (C) vs Ciryl Gane (IC) Heavyweight
The main event is set to be a great way to introduce the new era of heavyweights. Following his knockout win over Miocic to become the undisputed “baddest man on the planet”, Francis Ngannou steps back into the octagon to make his first title defense against undefeated and interim champion Ciryl Gane. After Ngannou’s win over Miocic, the new champ made it known he wanted time off before defending his belt. That did not sit well with the UFC as less than five months later a fight between Gane and Derrick Lewis was held with the winner becoming the interim champion.
The win over Lewis moved Gane to a perfect record of 10-0 including seven straight wins since making his UFC debut in 2019. By winning the interim belt Gane became the first French-born fighter to be crowned a champion in the UFC. Gane brings a new unique style of fighting to the Heavyweight division because he is a much more agile fighter and not just a power puncher like we have seen of champs in the past. Gane has serious range and can throw a vast variety of strikes. This could pose a problem for the heavier Ngannou who has made his name stalking down opponents before using his incredible power to put the lights out. Ngannou comes into this fight on a five-fight win streak since losing back-to-back fights after fighting Miocic for the belt back in 2018 and holds a record of. All five of those fights during Ngannou’s win streak finished by knockout in the first two rounds. This is very common for Ngannou who in his 13 UFC fights has 11 wins with 10 coming by first or second-round knockout and the other a lone submission. The other side of that is that the only two fights in his UFC career that went past round two were the two losses he suffered both by unanimous decision.
There has been a lot of tension between Ngannou and Gane in the build-up for this fight. The two were former training partners and debates over what had happened in training have been taking place since a clip from a sparring session surfaced that made Gane look much better than Ngannou.
Prediction
Either way, this fight will not see a decision, but it will be a matter of if Ngannou can manage to catch Gane with a knockout blow or if Gane will be able to use his reach and speed to get past the Cameroonian champion. I have this fight going to Gane by KO.
Brandon Moreno (C) vs Deiveson Figueiredo (1) Flyweight
For a third consecutive fight these two flyweights will go at it for the belt. The first fight may have been the best Flyweight fight I have ever seen and ended remarkably in a draw. The draw came in part to Figueiredo receiving a one-point penalty for a groin strike. Six months later the pair were back at it again and I was lucky enough to be in the arena that day at UFC 263 in Glendale, AZ. This time there was a winner and it was the challenger Moreno who ended Figueiredo’s six-fight unbeaten streak and fulfilled a promise made back in 2017 that he would be the champion one day. Moreno won the rematch with a submission in the third round. The loss was only Figueiredo’s second career loss and after his first loss went on a five-fight win streak to win the belt and successfully defend it three times.
Moreno is one of the feel-good stories in the UFC. Following a two-fight losing streak, Moreno was cut by the UFC in 2018. Moreno was only out of the UFC for one fight in which he won the LFA Flyweight Championship. Since returning to the UFC Moreno has yet to lose any of his six fights with four wins and two draws. By winning the belt Moreno became the first Mexican-born champion in UFC history. A big night is ahead for the Mexican who gets set to make his first title defense against the man whom he took the belt away from. It is not just a big night for Moreno as three of his teammates at Entram Gym in Tijuana will also be fighting. Alongside the champ are women’s strawweight Silvana Gomez Juarez, and UFC debutants Michael Morales (welterweight) and Genaro Valdéz (lightweight).
Prediction
Two fighters that have fought before will give another excellent fight, but unlike the Heavyweights, I do not see a finish coming in this fight and have Figueiredo regaining the belt by split decision.
Michel Pereira vs Andre Fialho Welterweight
One of the most exciting fighters on the UFC roster is Brazilian Michel Pereira. Pereira’s fights always seem to entertain as he constantly throws exciting strikes such as flying knees and the occasional backflip or cartwheel. Besides becoming popular with his unusual style, Pereira has also shown how to fight and currently is on a three-fight win streak following a disqualification due to an illegal knee. Across the octagon from him is UFC newcomer Andre Fialho. Fialho enters UFC 270 on a four-fight winning streak with all four fights coming by knockout. This should be an entertaining fight with lots of stand-up action taking place.
Prediction
Pereira has more to lose as he is trying to make a run to get into the top 15 and he will show up and finish Fialho by knockout.
Cody Stamann (15) vs Said Nurmagomedov Bantamweight
Cousin of UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov, Said looks to make a name for himself and has a chance to do just that against a ranked opponent in Cody Stamann. Nurmagomedov enters this fight with a record of 14-2, but has not fought since October 2020 and has only fought four times since joining the UFC in 2018 going 3-1. Over his last four fights, Stamann has quite the opposite, only winning one fight, a unanimous decision over Brian Kelleher. Stamann comes in on a two-fight losing streak with both coming by decision. He is very much a fighter that goes the distance with eight of his nine UFC fights going to decision.
Prediction
The losing streak will continue for Stamann as Nurmagomedov wins this one by submission putting another Russian on notice.
Prelim Fights to Watch
Jack Della Maddalena vs Pete Rodriguez Welterweight
A pair of fighters making their UFC debuts at UFC 270 and looking to get off on the right foot. There has been quite a lot of recent success for both fighters as Della Maddalena enters riding a 10 fight win streak after starting his career out 0-2. All of his fights ended with a stoppage except for his last win on the Dan White Contender Series that came by decision. The Australian fighter is now 10-2 and faces an undefeated opponent in Pete Rodriguez. Rodriguez makes his first steps in the UFC with a perfect record of 4-0 with all four fights ending via first-round knockouts.
Prediction
I expect sparks to fly, but I find it slightly concerning that Rodriguez has never had a fight go halfway through the first round. He will likely be in new depths against Della Maddalena and for that reason, I have Della Maddalena by knockout in the second round.
Kay Hansen vs Jasmine Jasudavicius Flyweight
An interesting fight opens up the night with young talent Kay Hansen taking on another debutant in Canada’s Jasmine Jasudavivius. The 22-year-old Hansen looks to get back to winning ways after losing her last fight out. That loss ended Hansen’s four-fight win streak that included her UFC debut that she won via a triangle-armbar submission. On the other side, Jasudavivius sits at 6-1 on a two-fight win streak and looks to continue that momentum into the UFC.
Prediction
Hansen gets back to winning ways and wins this by decision.
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