The UFC keeps rolling this Saturday when some of the most exciting fighters in the heavier weights come to the UFC APEX in Las Vegas to make a statement. Some of the toughest heavyweight, light heavyweight and middleweight contenders are looking at some big opportunities.
Two hard-hitting light heavyweight ranked contenders in the UFC’s light heavyweight division will look to pick up a big win in the main event and climb closer to a future championship opportunity. Plus, a short-notice fill in steps up for a big opportunity against a middleweight standout and two heavy-handed heavyweights will look to put on a show.
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Heavyweight bout: Parker Porter vs Alan Boudot
Heavyweights are always a lot of fun to watch, especially when you get two guys who are looking to knock their opponents block off. Porter is coming off of back-to-back decision victories and has score five knockouts over the course of his career. He’s also proven to be very well-rounded, securing three wins by submission as well. Has gameplan here will be interesting to see because his opponent is also a knockout specialist, but Porter may have the advantage in the grappling.
For Boudot, the strategy is typically to score the knockout, as seven of his eight wins have come in that fashion. He’s also found himself in a tough spot as this will be his third time stepping into the octagon and he is still looking to score his first UFC win. He’ll be looking to get back to the early days of his career, during which he won his first six fights by knockout.
Catchweight bout: Kyle Daukaus vs. Jamie Pickett
Middleweight standout Kyle Daukaus was set to take on Julian Marquez before the latter was forced to withdraw from the fight. With Pickett stepping up on less than two week’s notice, this bout will now be fought at a catchweight of 195 pounds. Daukaus is a submission specialist, with eight of his 10 victories coming that way. Lately, he’s found himself in a bit of a struggle, losing two of his last four, with a third resulting in a no contest. He’s going to want to grab a hold of his opponent in this one and finish the fight early to really make a statement.
But just because he’s stepping in on short notice, doesn’t mean Pickett isn’t a very game opponent. With a 13-6 record, Pickett has knocked out eight of his opponents and is riding a two-fight winning streak. A win over Daukaus on short notice would be a big score for Pickett who could be looking at a ranked opponent very soon if he can pull this off. Classic clash of styles in this one and whichever fighter can exact their gameplan will likely score the victory.
Light Heavyweight bout: Johnny Walker vs. Jamahal Hill
The UFC’s light heavyweight division is as wide open as any in the sport, so any ranked contender has to feel like they always have a huge opportunity in front of them. When the #10 and #12 light heavyweights step into the octagon tomorrow night, they may just be one spectacular finish away from jumping way up those rankings.
For Walker though, this is more about stopping his recent skid and establishing some momentum. He’s lost three of his last four, including a decision against Thiago Santos in October. A dangerous and explosive striker, 15 of Walker’s 18 wins have come by knockout. He’ll mix up his strikes, with punches, kicks, elbows and even spinning back fists being legitimate weapons for him at any moment.
The same can be said for his opponent though. Hill sports a 9-1 record and has seen five of his wins come by knockout. Most recently, he bounced back from his first career loss by knocking out Jimmy Crute in just 48 seconds. That was a big test for Hill because we had never seen him bounce back from a loss before and he proved that his confidence certainly had not faded against a very tough opponent. Both guys are likely going to be willing to stand and bang and that makes for a very exciting main event.
UFC Fight Night: Walker vs. Hill will be held Saturday, February 19 at 7 PM ET. Fight fans can watch live on ESPN+.