Happy Easter! With a rare off-week for the UFC, it seems like a good time to take a look at the state of the lightweight Top 10 – a division where the title belt was recently vacated by Khabib Nurmagomedov, who is apparently retired for good despite Dana White’s best efforts to bring him back for one more fight. A matchup between Michael Chandler and Charles Oliveira has been scheduled for the vacant title, and a few other exciting matches are pending in the division. Let’s take a look at these upcoming fights, as well as a couple others that aren’t scheduled but make perfect sense in my opinion. And if you want to put a few bucks on your favorite lightweight, you can get a piece of the action at 22Bet.

[#1] Dustin Poirier vs [#13]  Conor McGregor 

Coming off a TKO win over McGregor, the #1 ranked Dustin Poirier should really be fighting for the vacant title. Alas – money talks, the UFC loves ‘rubber matches’, and with Poirier and McGregor both holding a stoppage win over the other, how could they resist a trilogy bout? I would have preferred to see these two in other bouts before a rematch, but the figurative ink on this bout agreement was dry before the official result of the second fight was announced.

There was growing speculation in 2020 that fight fans would be treated to a sensational showdown between Francis Ngannou and Dillian Whyte after the two got into a war of words. Indeed, once again, giants from the octagon and boxing ring would come together to shake the very ground we stand on. To those that are on the outside of fighting circles, there may be some confusion as people try to make out what the difference is between MMA and boxing, and why this would be such a unique event?

They may seem like similar sports on paper, but at the same time, they are also worlds apart. It’s a bit like baseball and cricket, badminton and tennis. Perhaps the best example is that of the NFL and AFL which seem alike and are often confused for being the same thing. But this article on how the two sports differ will give you a detailed breakdown of the crucial distinction and comparison between the American and Australian sports. Punters will notice that the gear the players wear is slightly different, similar to the main contrast of boxing and MMA.

In boxing, the gloves weigh 8-10 ounces whilst in MMA they register just 4-6 ounces. Additionally, the different shapes of the playing area is one of the key differences between the NFL and AFL, notably, that is the main distinction between boxing and MMA as well. In this instance, it’s unclear as to where the fight would take place, either the eight-sided octagon or the four corners of the boxing the ring, either way, there is a strong desire to see it happen.

Indeed, the animosity between the two is still there, but interestingly, their career prospects have both dramatically increased after spectacular recent wins. Ngannou was able to brutally knock Stipe Miocic out to claim the UFC heavyweight championship of the world out. Meanwhile, Whyte avenged his initial loss to Alexander Povetkin in just four rounds, setting up a showdown with current WBC champion Tyson Fury.

What a knockout! 💥

Francis Ngannou finishes Stipe Miocic in the second round and is the new UFC Heavyweight Champion! 🏆#UFC260 pic.twitter.com/Zz2uyiHEdp

— UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) March 28, 2021

The Pennsylvania betting scene would be shocked by Sean O’Malley saying he wants no one to bet on him as he looks to bounce back from his first ever career loss, but will be undoubtedly hyped for the main event of UFC 260, as Ngannou challenges Stipe Miocic once again for the heavyweight title.

Francis Ngannou is going to go up against Stipe Miocic for the second time in his career, hoping for a better result than the last time. That last time was in 2018, at UFC 220, where Ngannou was riding a six-match winning streak since joining the UFC. He was the favorite going onto the match and the stars looked aligned for the Cameroonian who looked primed to become the new heavyweight champion. Ultimately, he would fall short – short of impressing, short of his objective, and short of the title, in an unrecognizable performance that saw the champ clamp down and snuff out Ngannou.  Such a high-profile loss would floor anyone mentally, raise cause for doubt, especially when another loss follows it in a match that was supposed to show your ability to bounce back. Ngannou would again take to the octagon to but the title loss behind him, only to be stunned by Derrick Lewis. The predator still would not lose sight of his goal and is now back in the fray after four big wins on the trot and what he believes to be the best version of himself.

There are some exciting UFC cards scheduled to take place over the next couple of months where there is a strong chance titles could change across a number of divisions.

We’ve taken a look at what other major fights may be added to the schedule in 2021 in what is set to be a great year for MMA fans.

Derrick Lewis To Take On Miocic – Ngannou Winner

Texas heavyweight Derrick Lewis is in line to take on the winner of the Stipe Miocic and Francis Ngannou contest at UFC 260. Ngannou is the favorite in the Miocic – Ngannou odds so it could be the challenger who ends the bout with the belt.

Lewis has a record of 25-7 following his victory over Curtis Blaydes. He earned the performance of the Night for that knockout punch which came in the second round of the fight. It was his fourth straight victory inside the octagon.

The Black Beast has only fought for the UFC heavyweight title once before. He lost to Daniel Cormier in 2018 at UFC 230, succumbing to a rear-naked choke. He is a much better fighter now though, so if he did get a shot at Miocic or Ngannou, he would be in with an excellent chance of taking the crown this time.

Middleweight (185)
[#11] Kevin Holland (21-5-0, -176) vs. [#12] Derek Brunson (21-7-0, +144)
Derek Brunson is the All-Time #43 ranked Middleweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Kevin Holland (3-0-0)
2020-12-12: W vs. [#14MW] Ronaldo Souza (26-9-0) via KO (Punches) in 1:45 of round 1
2020-10-31: W vs. [#251MW] Charlie Ontiveros (11-7-0) via TKO (Submission to Slam) in 2:39 of round 1
2020-09-19: W vs. [#50MW] Darren Stewart (12-6-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Last 3 Fights: Derek Brunson (3-0-0)
2020-08-01: W vs. [#23MW] Edmen Shahbazyan (11-1-0) via TKO (Punches) in 0:26 of round 3
2019-08-17: W vs. [#18MW] Ian Heinisch (14-4-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2019-05-04: W vs. [*] Elias Theodorou (18-3-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Kevin Holland 98, Derek Brunson 231
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Kevin Holland leads 1-0
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Welterweight (170)
[#72] Max Griffin (16-8-0, -169) vs. [#75] Kenan Song (16-5-0, +138)

Last 3 Fights: Max Griffin (1-2-0)
2020-11-07: W vs. [#277WW] Ramiz Brahimaj (8-3-0) via TKO (Doctor Stoppage) in 2:03 of round 3
2020-03-07: L vs. [#46WW] Alex Oliveira (22-9-1) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
2019-10-12: L vs. [#62WW] Alex Morono (18-7-0) via UD (29-28, 29-27, 29-27)

Last 3 Fights: Kenan Song (2-1-0)
2020-02-22: W vs. [#177WW] Callan Potter (18-9-0) via KO (Punches) in 2:20 of round 1
2019-08-31: W vs. [*] Derrick Krantz (24-12-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2018-11-24: L vs. [#62WW] Alex Morono (18-7-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Max Griffin 133, Kenan Song 392
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Light Heavyweight (205)
[#18] Jamahal Hill (9-0-0, -290) vs. [#25] Paul Craig (14-4-1, +230)

Last 3 Fights: Jamahal Hill (3-0-0)
2020-12-05: W vs. [#27LHW] Ovince St. Preux (25-15-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:37 of round 2
2020-05-30: W vs. [#43LHW] Klidson Abreu (15-5-0) via TKO (Knee to the Body and Punches) in 1:51 of round 1
2020-01-25: W vs. [#100LHW] Darko Stosic (13-4-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Last 3 Fights: Paul Craig (2-0-1)
2020-11-21: W vs. [#41LHW] Mauricio Rua (27-12-1) via TKO (Punches) in 3:36 of round 2
2020-07-25: W vs. [#123LHW] Gadzhimurad Antigulov (20-8-0) via Submission (Triangle Choke) in 2:06 of round 1
2019-11-16: D vs. [#41LHW] Mauricio Rua (27-12-1) via Draw (Split) in 5:00 of round 3

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Jamahal Hill 105, Paul Craig 119
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
.

It is remarkable that the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) were able to show 41 events worldwide in 2020, cancelling only five events that year. Within the first six weeks of 2021, there have already been four fight cards including a fight between Max Holloway and Calvin Kattar and a rematch between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor which has been seven years in the making.

The most popular UFC fighters in 2021 will be meeting in the Octagon at venues across the globe. For additional excitement away from the Octagon you can join a licensed online casino like Yukon Gold Casino which offers the chance to win a life-changing jackpot. It may not just be these popular UFC fighters that could experience a life-changing 2021.

Ciryl Gane – Heavyweight

Gane joined the UFC in 2019 after just three professional fights and is currently ranked as a top 10 heavyweight contender after wins against Raphael Pessoa, Don’Tale Mayes and Tanner Boser. His fight with former UFC Heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos ended in a KO win and now Gane is due to meet Jairzinho Rozenstruik. With wins against another former heavy champion Andrei Arlovski and Alistair Overeem, who is arguably one of the best UFC fighters ever, Gane is one to watch in 2021.

Alexander Volkanovski has enjoyed an incredible run since his only defeat to Corey Nelson way back in 2013 in Melbourne. Fast forward eight years and he proudly sits at the top of the tree in the featherweight division. He only fought once in 2020, beating Max Holloway on a split decision at UFC 251. He’ll be looking to get at least two fights under his belt in 2021, but let’s take a look at his potential timeline.

1. Ortega at UFC 260

Brian Ortega goes for the belt on the back of a great performance against the Korean Zombie back in October on his return from injury. He really showed how much he’d improved since the Holloway defeat almost two years prior.

He’s priced as the underdog for his fight with the champion at odds of +163 (2.62) with leading betting sites like bet365 and Unibet. This price is a good indicator of just how good Volkanovski is. The Aussie is priced at -200 (1.50) and -188 (1.53) with top Australian betting sites like Unibet and bet365 respectively. They’re both very competitive prices, but bet365 offers slightly better value on the champ.

Volkanovski is clearly entering this fight full of confidence, and he doesn’t feel he’ll have any trouble getting his hand raised on the night:

“The guy’s always been a good fighter,” Volkanovski said in a recent interview. “I talk about his improvements as if he wasn’t good. He’s always been a great fighter and he’s always had a lot of good skills. But I believe he has evolved. This whole ‘Ortega 2.0,’ I believe it. I’ve seen a different fighter in there – even though he’s always been dangerous. He’s always been good at timing and picking the right shots, but right now all the in-betweens he’s just got down pat at the moment. There’s a lot of things that I’ve seen that was impressive, so I’m expecting a new challenge, a tough challenge and a different challenge.

Coach Mike Brown had a difficult decision to make. It was in early November when the Japanese government announced that only certain select noncitizens could enter the country for business purposes, if they would quarantine for two weeks upon arrival. That meant Brown, a renowned American MMA coach, was actually able to corner Kyoji Horiguchi in the main event of Rizin which took place on 31 of December at Saitama Super Arena.

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