Fight Coverage
The 10 | Business Picks Up In February
Outlining A Collection Of The Outstanding Fights On Tap Over The Coming Month In The UFC
Whenever a new year begins in the UFC, I like to find a way to frame the forthcoming 12 months that makes them both individual collections of events, but also tethered to the other slate of shows that will follow.
Each month is its own thing, but all 12 months are something similar, interconnected, if that makes sense. This year, I was instantly drawn to movies, and the first two months of 2024 have obvious fits.
Preview The UFC 298 Title Fight Between Alexander Volkanovski And Ilia Topuria
January was a small budget, critically loved drama — You Hurt My Feelings; Mississippi Grind —featuring a handful of recognizable faces and a couple established names. Enjoyed by everyone that checked them out, there are folks that will certainly pay close attention to the next efforts of various members of the cast and crew, however there are also people that say they “love movies” that weren’t really drawn to the less flashy gem that dropped in January.
February feels like the latest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe — still a big event for many, frequently better than most of the reviews it receives, and featuring instantly recognizable and beloved actors, plus a couple fun cameos, and generally a pretty good time all things considered. Of course, because it’s not Infinity War or Endgame, it’s just not good enough for some in the audience, but those were highly anticipated, certified blockbusters — tentpole events — and we’ve got a couple of those coming up later this year.
Order UFC 298: Volkanovski vs Topuria
Here’s a look at some of the cast of characters appearing this month inside Octagon.
UFC Fight Night: Dolidze vs Imavov — Saturday, February 3 (Las Vegas, NV)
Viviane Araujo vs Natalia Silva
This all-Brazilian battle between ranked flyweights has the potential to be February’s entry in the “sneaky important fight” category for 2024.
Araujo is the veteran litmus test in the middle of the Top 15 — a 37-year-old stalwart with a 6-4 record under the UFC banner that has almost exclusively faced off with ranked opposition. Her compatriot Silva is a perfect 4-0 inside the Octagon and riding a 10-fight winning streak overall, most recently posting a unanimous decision win over Andrea Lee at UFC 292.
Will the veteran turn back another hopeful that is not yet ready to take the next step forward in the division or can Silva keep rolling and move closer to earning a place in the flyweight Top 5?
Renato Moicano vs Drew Dober
Sound the klaxons and buckle up, because we’ve got ourselves a banger here!
“Money Moicano” returns to action for the first time since November 2022, when he made relatively quick work of Brad Riddell in an all-action pairing that absolutely delivered. As for Dober, he’s allergic to being in boring fights, having registered a post-fight bonus in each of his last three wins while posting a 4-1 mark with four finishes over his last five outings.
There is no way this fight isn’t entertaining and all kinds of fun; it just feels impossible for it to not deliver.
Roman Dolidze vs. Nassourdine Imavov
The first of two middleweight headliners this month pits ranked Europeans Roman Dolidze and Nassourdine Imavov against one another.
After registering three wins in 2022, Dolidze only competed once in 2023, dropping a unanimous decision to Marvin Vettori as he looked to climb into the Top 5. Imavov had a frustrating time last year, as well, dropping a decision to short-notice replacement Sean Strickland in the first main event of 2023 before a clash of heads ended his fight with Chris Curtis in Vancouver prematurely.
Register For The UFC 300 Presale Here
The 185-pound ranks are in full flux at the moment, with another new champion at the helm, established veterans looking to solidify their standing, and a host of ambitious, emerging talents looking to change the landscape of the division over the next 12 months.
UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs Pyfer — Saturday, February 10 (Las Vegas, NV)
Jack Hermansson vs Joe Pyfer
Jack Hermansson and Joe Pyfer make up our second set of middleweight main event competitors this month.
An injury forced Hermansson to withdraw from his lone assignment last year, entering off a loss to Dolidze last time out, and having alternated wins and losses over his last eight outings. Pyfer arrives having earned stoppage wins in each of his first three UFC appearances, quickly establishing himself as a rising star in the division.
UFC Signs Kayla Harrison; Bout With Holm Added To UFC 300 card
This is a fascinating pairing between an established, well-rounded veteran and an ascending prospect whose ceiling is still undefined. Will “The Joker” defend his place in the pecking order or can Pyfer pick up the biggest win of his career and keep charging forward?
UFC 298: Volkanovski vs Topuria — Saturday, February 17 (Anaheim, CA)
Amanda Lemos vs Mackenzie Dern
Top 10 strawweights Amanda Lemos and Mackenzie Dern meet in this intriguing UFC 298 clash.
Lemos returns for the first time since her failed bid to claim gold last August, aiming to return to the form that produced wins over Michelle Waterson-Gomez and Marina Rodriguez. Dern has been on the cusp of contention for the last couple years, but has failed to take that next step, chasing each quality win with a disappointing result, keeping her stuck in limbo in the strawweight title chase.
These two have similar elements to their games, but approach it from different directions. Lemos is a power hitter first and foremost, with strong grappling in her back pocket, while Dern is best when she can initiate grappling exchanges, but doesn’t mind slinging leather if push comes to shove.
Merab Dvalishvili vs Henry Cejudo
Merab Dvalishvilli and Henry Cejudo face off here in a critical pairing at the top of the bantamweight division.
With nine straight wins and counting, Dvalishvilli has established himself as a suffocating, menacing contender in the 135-pound ranks, having out-wrestled and neutralized former champs Petr Yan and Jose Aldo in his last two outings. Cejudo ended his three-year retirement in 2023, returning to challenge Aljamain Sterling for the bantamweight title, landing on the unhappy side of a split decision verdict.
While nothing is ever guaranteed, there is a strong possibility that the winner of this one will challenge for championship gold later this year.
Geoff Neal vs Ian Machado Garry
Initially paired off last summer, Geoff Neal and Ian Machado Garry will finally share the Octagon together at UFC 298.
A fixture in the Top 15 for the last several years, Neal combined with Shavkat Rakhmonov for one of the best fights of the year in 2023, but unfortunately for the Fortis MMA product, he landed on the wrong side of the results. Machado Garry has yet to occupy that position in his career, bringing a 13-0 record into his seventh UFC assignment
There was a little heat between these two the first time around when they weren’t able to face off, and it feels like there is more at stake divisionally this time around, so expect an absolute barnburner when these two step in against one another in Anaheim.
Alexander Volkanovski vs Ilia Topuria
Featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski returns to defend his throne once again, while ascending challenger Ilia Topuria looks to usher in a new era in the 145-pound ranks.
While Volkanovski went 1-2 in 2023, those losses came in lightweight championship bouts, and in between, he once again proved his dominance in this division, running through Yair Rodriguez at UFC 290. Unbeaten in 14 professional bouts, Topuria outworked Josh Emmett last June to post his sixth straight UFC triumph and profiles as an intriguing test for the long-term champion here.
Are we about to see a changing of the guard in the featherweight division or will Volkanovski once again thwart the challenge of a dangerous hopeful?
UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs. Royval 2 — Saturday, February 24 (Mexico City, Mexico)
Yair Rodriguez vs Brian Ortega
Featherweight standouts Yair Rodriguez and Brian Ortega share the Octagon together for a second time, 17 months after their initial encounter on Long Island.
Rodriguez claimed interim gold in February, submitting Josh Emmett in Australia, but when it came time to try to unify the titles in July, he was no match for Volkanovski. Ortega has been out of action since suffering a shoulder injury in his first meeting with Rodriguez and looks to register his first victory since besting “The Korean Zombie” in October 2020.
Anticipation was high for this one when they first met two summers back, so it will be interesting to see if they can recapture that excitement and produce an electric encounter this time around in Mexico City.
Brandon Moreno vs Brandon Royval
It’s a meeting of recent flyweight title fight participants named Brandon in the final UFC contest in February as ex-champ Brandon Moreno takes on Brandon Royval for a second time.
“The Assassin Baby” competes for the first time since his narrow title loss to Alexandre Pantoja last summer at UFC 290, returning to headline in Mexico City for the second time in his UFC career. Royval, who was turned back by Pantoja in December, jumps in for Amir Albazi, seeking vengeance for his previous loss to Moreno and an accelerated return to the championship picture.
Their first fight was the action-packed scramblefest you’d anticipate but was also marred by Royval suffering a dislocated shoulder, so it will be interesting to see how things play out between these two a few years later and with five rounds to potentially work with this time around.
UFC 298: Volkanovski vs Topuria took place live from Honda Center in Anaheim, California on February 17, 2024. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
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