The UFC returns to London for the tenth time this Saturday with a heavyweight showdown between Fabricio Werdum and Alexander Volkov topping the card at the O2 Arena.
For forty-year-old, and seemingly evergreen legend Fabricio Werdum, it represents another opportunity to earn a rematch against heavyweight king Stipe Miocic. Having gone 3-1 since that loss, he is yet to emerge victorious over a real top tier opponent. A fight with Francis Ngannou should be high up on the Brazilian’s list should he get his hand raised this Saturday.
Werdum has fought across the spectrum of MMA, competing in both Pride and Strikeforce as well as the UFC. He is considered to be one of the greatest grapplers in the history of the sport, with the likes of fellow Brazilians Demian Maia and Royce Gracie. A black belt in Judo and heavy hands make him a dangerous prospect for any heavyweight!
In his way, is six-foot-seven giant Alexander ‘Drago’ Volkov, a tough Russian who is on a five-fight winning streak and is the former Bellator and M-1 heavyweight champion. Of his twenty-nine fights, nineteen have come by way of knockout. Recent victories over fellow giant Stefan Struve and Roy Nelson have propelled ‘Drago’ in to title contention.
With eleven years difference in the headliners, you’d be shocked to learn that Volkov has more fights on his record than Werdum. The Brazilian heads into the fight as the favourite, but judging by Werdum’s comedic weigh in, the height advantage may play into the Russian’s hands, should he be able to keep his opponent at range!
Awesome staredown between Werdum and Volkov! 🤣
Werdum brings a chair with him on stage...
London’s own Jimi Manuwa looks to bounce back from his knockout loss to eventual title challenger Volkan Oezdemir at UFC 214 in July with a rematch with Poland’s Jan Blachowicz on home soil.
The two light heavyweights met back in 2015 in Krakow, with Manuwa earning a points decision victory in a somewhat uneventful fight. Both men have since had mixed fortunes, and due to the lack of talent at 205lbs, it seems that they’ll run back a fight that the fans had little demand for.
European favourite Tom Duquesnoy looks to return to winning ways after his decision loss to Cody Stamann at UFC 216, taking on Terrion Ware. The Frenchman came into the UFC with huge hype follow his two-weight title success in BAMMA.
That fight could potentially be a back-and-forth battle, with both bantamweights culpable to taking a lot of damage, as well as giving it! A last performance from Duquesnoy will reignite the hype behind ‘Firekid’, whilst Ware will be looking to cause a big upset in London.
British welterweight Leon Edwards will look to extend his four-fight winning streak and move up the rankings at 170-pounds, when he faces Germany’s Peter Sobotta. Since Edwards’ loss to Kamaru Usman, Edwards has beat every man put in front of him and will hope to retain his perfect European record in the octagon.
Middleweight Welshman John Phillips makes his long awaited UFC debut, closing the prelims against Charles Byrd. Phillips is nicknamed ‘The White Mike Tyson’ and is training at the famed SBG Gym in Ireland, under the tutelage of John Kavanagh. Charles Byrd makes his UFC bow after winning twice on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2017.
Liverpool’s Danny Roberts battles Swedish welterweight Oliver Enkamp in the welterweight division, whilst Edinburgh’s Danny Henry looks to build on his victorious octagon debut against tough Canadian Hakeem Dawodu.
Paul Craig looks to retain his place within the promotion as he takes on unbeaten Russian Magomed Ankalaev in a light heavyweight bout, whilst fellow Scot Stevie Ray returns to the promotion against Tristar Gym’s Kajan Johnson.
Cage Warriors featherweight champion Nad Narimani kicks off proceedings as a late replacement to face Germany’s Nasrat Haqparast in a lightweight bout. Fellow Englishman Mark Godbeer looks to defeat unbeaten Russian Dmitry Sosnovskiy.
A bout between Jack Marshman and Bradley Scott was pulled off the card due to the commissioners halting Marshman’s weight cut for safety reasons.
The event kicks off at 5:45PM on UFC Fight Pass, with the main card starting at 9PM on BT Sport 2.
