The octagon returns to the home of fighting this weekend as UFC 216 takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The promotion returns to the fighting capital just days after it was rocked by the Las Vegas shooting spree which left fifty-nine people dead.
The event itself is expected to be dedicated to the city of Las Vegas and it will sure be an emotional occasion, with the company based in the city itself. The organisation has also pledged a $1 million donation to the families of victims.
Two championships will be up for grabs this weekend with the interim lightweight title bout between Tony Ferguson and Kevin Lee set to determine the next opponent for Conor McGregor when he returns to the octagon. Demetrious Johnson will finally hope to break Anderson Silva’s record for the most consecutive title defences, as he takes on Ray Borg with the flyweight crown for the taking.
With a total of twelve fights in seven different weight classes there’s plenty to look forward to as we head into the early hours of Sunday morning. The action is scheduled to get underway at 23:30 on Saturday evening, with the main card kicking off at the usual eye watering time of 03:00.
Tony Ferguson vs. Kevin Lee
An obvious pick, but Tony Ferguson and Kevin Lee meet for more than just the interim lightweight championship. The winner will win the “McGregor lottery” and face the Irishman upon his return to the octagon, likely towards the start of 2018.
There is no doubt about Tony Ferguson’s title credentials, with nine consecutive wins dating back to 2012 including five of those victories coming by way of submission. Ferguson hasn’t fought in just over eleven months, after his scheduled fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov fell through at the last minute due to weight cut complications for the Russian.
Kevin Lee has put together a five-fight win streak dating back to the night Conor McGregor defeated Jose Aldo to win the featherweight title at UFC 194. The biggest victory of that run came in June this year with a first-round submission victory over Michael Chiesa. His persona outside the octagon has certainly led fans to believe he has the potential to be a star.
On the night, both men match up fairly evenly in the reach department but it’s hard to see a way for Kevin Lee to get the victory in Las Vegas. A difficult weight cut mixed in with the completeness of Tony Ferguson lead me to believe that ‘El Cucuy’ will raise the belt at the end of the night!
Demetrious Johnson vs. Ray Borg
Finally, it seems Demetrious Johnson will get the opportunity to surpass Anderson Silva’s record of consecutive title defences in Las Vegas. The pair were initially scheduled to meet at UFC 215 before Ray Borg fell ill in the build-up to the weigh-in.
Demetrious Johnson has completed dominated the flyweight division and wiped out every contender in his way. Twelve consecutive wins in the octagon have led to labelling of ‘Mighty Mouse’ as the greatest of all time. His only two losses in thirty fights have come at bantamweight to Dominick Cruz and Brad Pickett.
Ray Borg’s title credentials could be question with two consecutive wins over Jussier Formiga and Louis Smolka but in such a shallow division, a couple of wins is all it takes! If Borg can upset the odds and produce one of the biggest shocks in the sport’s history, he will become the second youngest champion of all time, behind Jon Jones.
If the challenger’s task wasn’t difficult enough, he will have a three-inch reach deficit to Johnson. With the champion having such a well-rounded game and his outstanding striking skills, it’s difficult to see anything other than Johnson leaving with the flyweight title once again.
Tom Duquesnoy vs. Cody Stamann
The concluding bout of the prelims features former BAMMA two-weight champion Tom Duquesnoy take on Cody Stamann in a bantamweight bout.
Frenchman Tom Duquesnoy has widely been touted over in the UK & Ireland for several years with his domination of two divisions at BAMMA. Eleven consecutive victories leave the twenty-four-year-old on the verge of a top-fifteen ranking at 135lbs.
Cody Stamann made his UFC debut just three months ago in Las Vegas, outpointing Terrion Ware in a featherweight bout after previously competing at both bantamweight and featherweight.
Both men have a high output of strikes which should lead to an interesting fight. The Frenchman’s four-inch reach advantage may lead to a smarter game plan from Duquesnoy this time, after his uncomfortably close debut with Patrick Williams.
Magomed Bibulatov vs. John Moraga
Unbeaten Russian prospect Magomed Bibulatov will take on former title contender John Moraga in just the second fight of the evening in a flyweight bout.
After competing in two of Russia’s elite fighting promotions in ACB and Akhmat Fight Show, as well as picking up a World Series of Fighting title in the meantime… Bibulatov joined the UFC and made his debut earlier this year at UFC 210, outpointing Jenel Lausa. Many fans who have watched Bibulatov’s rise have tipped him to be Demetrious Johnson’s next challenger.
John Moraga has been a flyweight mainstay since the inception of the division and lost to Johson back in 2013. Just one win in his last four bouts have left his record at 6-5 in the octagon, and a loss to Bibulatov may see him slide outside of the top fifteen.
The key for John Moraga will be to see if he can defend match Bibulatov’s striking and be cautious of the Russian’s takedowns. Moraga has defended just 42% of takedowns in the octagon and Bibulatov may look to capitalise on that.
