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Fight Coverage
Fight By Fight Preview | UFC Fight Night: Yusuff vs Barboza
Take A Closer Look At Every Fight Happening This Weekend At The UFC APEX.
By E. Spencer Kyte, on X @SpencerKyte
The UFC’s four-week run of home games and three-event stay at the APEX come to a close this weekend with a 12-fight slate headlined by an electric featherweight matchup between Sodiq Yusuff and Edson Barboza.
Backed by fights between ranked competitors at flyweight and bantamweight, and featuring several additional must-see matchups, Saturday’s fight card is a quality assemblage of talent that should serve as a fitting send-off before the action shifts to Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi and UFC 294 next weekend.
Here’s a closer look at what’s on tap this weekend in the latest edition of the Fight-By-Fight Preview.
Main Event: Sodiq Yusuff vs Edson Barboza
Ranked featherweights occupy the main event position this week, as Sodiq Yusuff takes on Edson Barboza.
Fighting for the first time in just over a year, Yusuff enters on a two-fight winning streak and having posted a 6-1 record to begin his UFC tenure. The Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS) graduate owns wins over Andre Fili and Alex Caceres but has been delayed in his attempts to ascend the rankings by injuries and untimely opponent changes.
After well over a decade competing against the top talent across two different divisions, Barboza remains a dangerous threat into his late 30s. The Brazilian veteran snapped a two-fight skid with a second-round knockout win over Billy Quarantillo earlier this year that reminded everyone that he’s still an ever-present threat in the 145-pound weight class.
This is both a difficult assignment and the perfect pairing for Yusuff to return to, as the 30-year-old Nigerian has been hovering just outside the Top 10 for a couple years and would benefit greatly from adding a win over Barboza to his resume. Despite closing in on 38 years old, Barboza is still lightning quick, especially with his knees and kicks, and the kind of battle-tested stalwart that is capable of giving anyone in the Top 15 a tough fight whenever he steps into the Octagon.
Will Yusuff return and keep moving forward or can Barboza collect a second straight win to begin working his way back towards the Top 10?
Jennifer Maia vs Viviane Araujo
Brazilian veterans clash in the co-main event of the evening, with Jennifer Maia facing off against Viviane Araujo this weekend.
Now in her sixth year on the UFC roster, Maia has carved out a spot for herself in the flyweight division, serving as the well-rounded, experienced “truth machine” ascending fighters need to get through in order to move into contention. Her losses have all come against Top 5 opponents and in her last two outings, the 35-year-old has out-worked younger hopefuls Maryna Moroz and Casey O’Neill.
Araujo is not quite two full years older than Maia and while her opponent has challenged for UFC gold and only lost to Top 5 opponents, Araujo hasn’t been able to reach those same heights, but remains entrenched in the Top 15 and is a tough out for everyone that steps in opposite her.
Things at the top of the flyweight division are currently paused, which means there are opportunities for the winner of this one to work their way into even bigger matchups over the next 9-12 months as everyone jockeys for position in the championship chase. Expect a competitive battle at the APEX.
Jonathan Martinez vs Adrian Yanez
One of three bantamweight bangers on the schedule this weekend, Jonathan Martinez and Adrian Yanez square off in a battle of ranked fighters looking to take another step forward in the ultra-competitive division.
The soft-spoken Martinez has become one to watch in the 135-pound ranks over the past couple years, cobbling together a five-fight winning streak heading into Saturday’s clash with Yanez. After chopping down Cub Swanson last October, the 29-year-old “Dragon” outworked Said Nurmagomedov in March to force his way into the rankings and force people to start to pay closer attention to him as he works his way up the divisional ladder.
One of the top graduates from Season 3 of Dana White’s Contender Series, Yanez rattled off five straight wins to begin his UFC tenure, vaulting himself into the rankings and onto the radar as an ascending bantamweight to watch. The Texas native took a step up in competition last time out and faltered, suffering a first-round stoppage loss to Rob Font, and now returns to the friendly confines of the UFC APEX, where he’s 5-0 with four finishes, to face off with Martinez.
This is one of those interesting matchups where Martinez is ranked higher, entering on a more significant run of success, and yet Yanez is the one that thus far commands greater attention. Martinez is a more varied and diverse striker under Marc Montoya at Factory X, while Yanez prefers to box and has flashed swift combinations and good power.
The action in the bantamweight division is always electric and the competition to climb the ranks is always fierce, which means this should be an incredible clash in the middle of the main card this weekend.
Andre Petroski vs Michel Pereira
Former ranked welterweight Michel Pereira makes his first UFC appearance at middleweight this weekend, facing off with Andre Petroski, who steps up on short notice to face the Brazilian.
Pereira has won five straight heading into the weekend but is moving up after missing weight ahead of his scheduled showdown with Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson at UFC 291 at the end of July. The 30-year-old has dialed back his wildness since the early days of his UFC tenure, and it will be interesting to see how his speed and power translate up a division at this level.
Petroski also heads into Saturday on a five-fight winning streak, having begun his post-TUF run with three straight finishes before registering decision wins in each of his last two outings. The Philadelphia-based grappler trains under Daniel Gracie and John Marquez alongside Joe Pyfer and Sean Brady, the former who just won last weekend and the latter of whom is starting to ramp up for his return to action.
This is going to be a fascinating clash between a powerful, dynamic striker and a gritty, suffocating wrestler that is likely to come down to who is able to impose their will and execute their offense more consistently. Pereira always looked huge at welterweight; now we’ll see how he measures up against a streaking middleweight.
Edgar Chairez vs Daniel Lacerda
Edgar Chairez and Daniel Lacerda run it back after their meeting on September 16 was unfortunately stopped prematurely.
A DWCS alum who was called up to the roster on short notice and gave a good account of himself opposite Tatsuro Taira, Chairez won each of his two fights between his Contender Series appearance and debut opposite Taira by stoppage, including his viral fourth-round submission win over Gianni Vazquez.
A bundle of kinetic energy that has shown flashes of upside in each of his first four UFC appearances, Lacerda returns to the APEX still searching for his first victory inside the Octagon. He’s had several opponents hurt or in vulnerable positions over his first four appearances but has yet to find a way to seal the deal, and may be staring down his last chance this weekend.
Lacerda initially showed more patience in their first meeting, but Chairez was able to attack the neck with a standing D’arce choke along the fence. The bout was halted prematurely when referee Chris Tognoni thought the Brazilian has passed out, and now they get a do-over on Saturday.
Christian Rodriguez vs Cameron Saaiman
Saturday’s main card action kicks off in the bantamweight division with an incredible matchup between promising youngsters Christian Rodriguez and Cameron Saaiman.
The 25-year-old Rodriguez wasn’t offered a UFC contract following his DWCS win in 2021, but quickly found himself in the Octagon for a short-notice fight up a division against Jonathan Pearce. Since dropping that contest and returning to the bantamweight ranks, “CeeRod” has posted consecutive victories, making quick work of Joshua Weems before big brother’ing Raul Rosas Jr. last time out.
A perfect 9-0 to start his career, the 22-year-old Saaiman earned a third-round stoppage win on DWCS to garner his place on the UFC roster, and has since added a trio of victories inside the Octagon to establish himself as one of the top Under 25 talents in the UFC. Last time out, the South African dispatched Terrence Mitchell with relative ease at UFC 290.
These two were slated to face off at that July pay-per-view before Rodriguez was forced to withdraw, so it’s great to see them paired together again. This is a tremendous matchup between two of the best emerging fighters in the 135-pound weight class, and the winner will be poised to take a big step forward in 2024, while the vanquished competitor will remain a name to track in the future as well.
Preliminary Card Fights
Darren Elkins vs TJ Brown
Featherweights wrap the prelims as Darren Elkins returns to action opposite DWCS graduate TJ Brown.
Elkins makes his 28th appearance inside the Octagon this weekend, looking to bounce back after being on the business end of things against Jonathan Pearce last December. Brown has struggled to find consistency since reaching the UFC level, losing two, then winning two before alternating between losses and victories over his last three outings.
This should be a knock-down, drag-out affair between two gutsy, grimy fighters looking to show they’ve still got something to offer in the 145-pound weight class.
Tainara Lisboa vs Ravena Oliveira
It’s an all-Brazilian matchup in the bantamweight division as Tainara Lisboa welcomes Ravena Oliveira to the Octagon for the first time.
Lisboa debuted with an impressive third-round stoppage win over Jessica-Rose Clark in May, dominating the action on the feet and in the clinch before submitting the popular Australian late in the third. Oliveira steps in for Darya Zheleznyakova looking to build on her 7-1-1 record as she makes her UFC debut this weekend.
Terrance McKinney vs Brendon Marotte
Terrance McKinney makes his fourth start of the year on Saturday, facing off with short-notice newcomer Brendon Marotte in a preliminary card clash in the lightweight division.
The 29-year-old McKinney has been hit-and-miss since debuting with a seven-second knockout win over Matt Frevola in the summer of 2021, posting a 3-3 record over his last six fights. He halted a two-fight skid with a first-round finish of Mike Breeden in August and will look to keep the momentum going this weekend as he steps in with Marotte.
A member of the New England Cartel, Marotte was in the right place — Las Vegas — at the right time to step in and replace Chris Duncan. “The Kid” is 8-1 overall and riding a three-fight winning streak, and he looks to do to McKinney what “T.Wrecks” did to “The Steamrolla” when given the same opportunity.
Fights like this are always intriguing as McKinney has a ton of natural talent and upside, but has struggled to regulate his output and be defensively responsible at times. This is a chance to make a splash, win or lose, for Marotte, so don’t be surprised if the 26-year-old comes out looking to shock some people this weekend.
Irina Alekseeva vs Melissa Dixon
“Russian Ronda” Irina Alekseeva looks to build on her successful debut when she squares off with promotional newcomer Melissa Dixon on Saturday’s prelims.
The flamboyant Alekseeva scored a first-round submission win over Stephanie Egger in her first appearance in the Octagon, though she missed weight by a considerable amount for the bantamweight contest. The 32-year-old Dixon is a perfect 5-0 to start her professional career, most recently having registered a first-round stoppage win over the aforementioned Zheleznyakova under the Ares FC banner in France.
Chris Gutierrez vs Alatangheili
Chris Gutierrez gets to put his training camp to use this weekend as he steps in to face off with Chinese veteran Alatangheili on Saturday.
Gutierrez was scheduled to face Montel Jackson on last weekend’s card before the DWCS grad was forced out for undisclosed reasons at the start of the week, and looks to get things moving in the right direction again after having his eight-fight unbeaten streak snapped last time out. Alatangheili was initially scheduled to Rani Yahya before the Brazilian withdrew, and now faces “El Guapo” in hopes of adding to his two-fight winning streak and three-fight unbeaten streak in this one.
Ashley Yoder vs Emily Ducote
Saturday’s action gets underway in the strawweight division as Ashley Yoder faces off with Emily Ducote.
The 35-year-old Yoder makes her 11th UFC start, looking to snap a two-fight losing streak and register her first victory since beating Miranda Granger in November 2020. Ducote looked sharp in her promotional debut last summer on Long Island, out-working Jessica Penne, but has since dropped back-to-back decisions to Angela Hill and Loopy Godinez to fall to 12-8 for her career.
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