The octagon arrives in Detroit, Michigan for the first time in more than 21 years for one of the most anticipated fight cards of the year. The last time the UFC hosted an event in the city was back in 1996 at UFC 9.
The event was scheduled to be headlined by Max Holloway defending his featherweight crown against fan favourite Frankie Edgar. The challenger was forced to withdraw with four weeks to go with a fractured orbital bone.
His place has been taken by former divisional supremo Jose Aldo on short notice. Holloway defeated the Brazilian six months ago at UFC 212 to unify his interim featherweight title and become the undisputed champion.
Holloway has won eleven consecutive fights since losing by decision to Conor McGregor at UFC Fight Night 26 over four years ago. Only twenty-one at the time of this loss, Holloway has significantly improved and has evolved his game over the course of the last few years.
How can Jose Aldo reconfigure his game to defeat Holloway at the second time of asking? Aldo started the first fight well before appearing to tire as the fight entered the third round. A leg injury was alleged to be part of that disadvantage and if a fully fit Jose Aldo steps into the octagon in Detroit, it may be a close matchup than the card suggests.
The co-main event features a potential heavyweight title eliminator between veteran Alistair Overeem and dangerous Cameroonian Francis Ngannou. For Overeem, it represents another chance to get a shot at Stipe Miocic whilst for Ngannou, it’s certainly the toughest test of his career so far.
Overeem is one of the most accomplished combat sports athletes of all time. He is the former Strikeforce heavyweight champion and a former K-1 World Grand Prix champion. He holds victories over the likes of Fabricio Werdum, Junior dos Santos and Brock Lesnar.
Francis Ngannou might be the most dangerous man in mixed martial arts today. In his five UFC fights he’s been in the octagon for just over twenty-one minutes and earned four knockouts, with one submission victory. The biggest name he’s collected so far is Andrei Arlovski, a legend who is far off the upper echelons of the division.
We’re not stopping at just these fights though! Henry Cejudo takes on Sergio Pettis for a potential challenge at flyweight king Demetrious Johnson. Pettis is one of the few flyweights to have not gained a shot at Johnson, but a win over former challenger Cejudo may put him on collision with ‘Mighty Mouse’.
Then you’ve got possibly the most exciting fight of the lot. For the self-appointed title of the most violent man in MMA, Eddie Alvarez takes on Justin Gaethje. After being appointed as the coaches of the latest installment of The Ultimate Fighter, they are set to go to war in Detroit.
🍫 Get your snacks ready
💥 Expect fireworks
🔥 Eddie Alvarez vs. Justin Gaethje is going to be an all-out war! 🔥
#UFC218
Alvarez will be looking to get back towards the pinnacle of the lightweight division since losing the title to Conor McGregor last November, whilst Justin Gaethje will look to build on his octagon debut victory over Michael Johnson. If you want to whet your appetite for this evening, check out that fight!
UFC 218 Full Fight Card
Main Card (3AM on BT Sport)
UFC Featherweight Title: Max Holloway © vs. Jose Aldo
Heavyweight: Alistair Overeem vs. Francis Ngannou
Flyweight: Henry Cejudo vs. Sergio Pettis
Lightweight: Eddie Alvarez vs. Justin Gaethje
Women’s Strawweight: Tecia Torres vs. Michelle Waterson
Prelims (1AM on BT Sport)
Lightweight: Paul Felder vs. Charles Oliveira
Welterweight: Alex Oliveira vs. Yancy Medeiros
Lightweight: David Teymur vs. Drakkar Klose
Women’s Strawweight: Felice Herrig vs. Cortney Casey
Early Prelims (11PM on UFC Fight Pass)
Welterweight: Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Sabah Homasi
Light Heavyweight: Dominick Reyes vs. Jeremy Kimball
Heavyweight: Justin Willis vs. Allen Crowder
Women’s Strawweight: Angela Magana vs. Amanda Cooper
