The 10: November Brings Several Noteworthy Battles To The Octagon

This feels like a matchup that is going to tell us more about where Blanchfield stands than anything else, as Namajunas’ legacy is established and her stature as a contender is undeniable. Can the 25-year-old bounce back with the biggest win of her career and affirm her elite status or will this be another painful lesson that Blanchfield will be forced to learn from instead?

Brandon Moreno vs Amir Albazi

Before the title goes up for grabs next month, elite flyweight contenders Brandon Moreno and Amir Albazi will battle for position in the pecking order in the Edmonton main event.

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Beginning and ending with his tandem bouts against Brandon Royval, Moreno fought eight times in just over three years, posting a 4-3-1 record that included becoming the undisputed champion on two occasions, the interim champion once, and consecutive narrow defeats on the scorecards. After losing the title to Alexandre Pantoja last summer by split decision, Moreno took a sabbatical from the sport following his split decision loss to Royval in Mexico City in February, but returns here eager to get right back into the thick of things in the division he’s briefly ruled twice before.

Originally scheduled to face Moreno in Mexico City earlier this year, Albazi was forced to the sidelines with a neck injury, slowing the momentum he had built by earning wins in each of his first five UFC appearances. The 31-year-old is fundamentally sound everywhere, having earned victories inside the Octagon by submission, TKO, and decision, while also showing the stamina to go five hard rounds in his split decision win over Kai Kara-France.

Prates has already made a splash in his rookie campaign on the UFC roster, posting three wins in as many starts to land on the doorstep of the Top 15 and in his first main event assignment. The Fighting Nerds representative looked outstanding in earning his spot on the roster last year on Season 7 of Dana White’s Contender Series, and in dispatching Trevin Giles and Charles Radtke in his first two outings, but it was his second-round stoppage win over Li Jingliang that really opened a lot of eyes.

“The Magny Test” is a great barometer for where a fighter fits in the welterweight division, with the veteran having previously turned back the likes of Geoff Neal, Daniel Rodriguez, and Mike Malott, while helping to illustrate the readiness of former foes Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Machado Garry in defeat. This is Prates’ chance to show he’s ready to take another step forward ahead of his sophomore year on the roster, and how things play out will be illuminating, one way or another.

Read: Carlos Prates: Humility And Confidence En Route To UFC Stardom

UFC 309: Jones vs. Miocic — Saturday, November 16 (New York, NY)

Bo Nickal vs Paul Craig

Middleweight prospect Bo Nickal and Scottish submission ace Paul Craig share the Octagon in this UFC 309 main card clash that is sure to garner a lot of attention on fight night.

Nickal has cruised through his first three trips into the Octagon, following up his rookie year wins over Jamie Pickett and Val Woodburn with a second-round submission win over Cody Brundage in April at UFC 300. The decorated collegiate wrestler has been ticketed for stardom and title contention since prior to his DWCS appearances in 2022, and now he finally takes a meaningful step in that direction by sharing the cage with a more experienced foe for the first time.

Chandler ends a two-year hiatus with a second straight fight at Madison Square Garden and third appearance on the annual November NYC pay-per-view in just six outings. Last time out, he landed on the wrong side of things in a clash with Dustin Poirier, and after his oft-delayed tussle with Conor McGregor failed to materialize, the 38-year-old hopes to jump the line in the lightweight ranks by returning and taking out the former champion.

These two met for the vacant lightweight title back at UFC 262 in May 2021, with Chandler hurting Oliveira midway through the opening round before the Brazilian rallied and finished early in the second. Will we see a similar outcome in the sequel, or can Chandler reverse his fortunes and make a massive splash in his return to action?

Jon Jones vs Stipe Miocic

One year after originally scheduled, Jon Jones will defend his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic in the main event of UFC 309.

Jones claimed the belt in his divisional debut against Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 in March 2023, submitting the French athlete in a little over two minutes to become the latest fighter to win UFC gold in two weight classes. It was Jones’ first appearance since pre-pandemic, and while his physique had certainly changed with the move up in weight, he looked every bit the elite talent he’s been throughout the entirety of his UFC career.

Fighting for the first time since dropping the heavyweight title in March 2021, Miocic looks to become just the second person in UFC history to claim gold in the same weight class on three different occasions. Each time he’s faltered over the course of his career, the Ohio native has rebounded with multiple victories, and will surely be looking to maintain that pattern here.

Since dropping his promotional debut at UFC 259, Ulberg has done nothing but win, entering this contest with six consecutive victories. While he’s shown considerable growth as he’s continued his transition from kickboxer to mixed martial artist, Ulberg’s powerful striking remains his calling card, as he’s earned four of his last five wins by stoppage in the first round.

With the way current champ Alex Pereira is working his way through challengers, the winner of this one could very much be in the thick of the championship chase heading into 2025, especially if either man ends things in dramatic fashion.

Yan Xiaonan vs Tabatha Ricci

Top 10 strawweights occupy the co-main event slot in Macau as recent title challenger Yan Xiaonan returns to take on streaking grappler Tabatha Ricci.

Fighting for the first time since her UFC 300 title bout with Zhang Weili, this will be Yan’s first appearance in her home country since her third UFC appearance all the way back in 2018. Prior to her setback in April, the steady veteran had earned consecutive quality wins over Mackenzie Dern and Jessica Andrade, making her easily the most experienced opponent Ricci has faced to date.

Stationed at No. 10 in the rankings, Ricci touches down having earned consecutive wins over Tecia Pennington and Angela Hill, while having garnered victories in six of her seven strawweight appearances inside the Octagon. While she has clearly worked hard to improve her striking over the course of her UFC tenure, Ricci’s strongest asset remains her grappling and ability to dictate the action on the ground.