The UFC returns to the APEX in Las Vegas this weekend with another exciting fight night card. Ranked fighters can be found all throughout this event and some very interesting matchups should make for a fun night, capped off by a thrilling featherweight main event.
Two featherweight contenders, ranked in the top 15, will meet in a main event that could vault the winner to the fringes of championship contention in a very talented division. Plus, two of the best women’s flyweights will meet to cement a spot in the top 10 and ranked bantamweight contenders will look to level up with an impressive performance.
Bantamweight bout: Jonathan Martinez vs. Adrian Yanez
It’s rare to see a matchup between two fighters under the age of 30 with so much octagon experience between them. The 26-year-old Jonathan Martinez will be stepping into the octagon for the 13th time saturday and bringing with him a professionally record of 18-4. He’s also riding a five-fight winning streak and is currently the 13th-ranked bantamweight in the UFC. with eight knockouts under his belt, including his most recent coming from leg kicks against Cub Swanson last year, Martinez has proven to be a versatile and powerful striker.
The same can be said for Adrian Yanez, who will be stepping up for his seventh UFC fight at the age of 29. With a 16-4 pro record and 10 of his wins coming by knockout, Yanez is clearly no stranger to finishing fights. The difference here though is that Yanez will be looking to bounce back from a loss, his first in the UFC. It will be interesting to see how the promising young fighter responds. This should be an exciting standup war between two very talented strikers.
Women’s Flyweight bout: Jennifer Maia vs. Viviane Araujo
The women’s flyweight division remains stagnant among the top of the rankings after a championship rematch between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko resulted in a draw last month, but that doesn’t mean Jennifer Maia can’t make her claim for a better spot in those rankings. Maia comes into this one with a 21-9 record and five submission wins. She has recently bounced back from a skid, winning her last two bouts after dropping three of her previous four. A third straight win would cement her as one of the best in the class and possibly set her up for a very big fight her next time out.
It’s a different story for the 11th-ranked Viviane Araujo, who comes into this fight having lost two in a row and three of her last four. Despite her recent skid, Araujo’s record still stands at 11-5 with four submission victories. At 36 years old, there is still time for Araujo to turn things around but she is going to need to start stringing together some wins now if she hopes to get into that title picture. Expect this bout to end in a hard-fought decision as neither fighter has finished an opponent since 2020.
Featherweight bout: Sodiq Yusuff vs. Edson Barboza
Oddly enough, the current state of the men’s featherweight division is not all that different from that of the women’s division. The top of the class is stagnant due to a dominant champion who is putting his title on hold while he challenges for the lightweight crown for a second time. And yet, this main event poses a huge opportunity for two fighters who hope to crack the top 10.
Currently sitting at 11 in the class, Sodiq Yusuff comes into this bout with a 13-2 record and six knockouts. He has also won his last two fights against some stiff competition. Yusuff has lost only one fight in the UFC and that came against Arnold Allen, who is currently ranked fourth in the class, in 2021. He has otherwise proven to be an incredibly tough competitor and dangerous in both the striking and grappling game. That being said, he has quite a tough test in front of him this time out.
And that would be because Edson Barboza is one of the most prolific and flashiest strikers in UFC history. With a 23-11 record and 14 career knockouts, Barboza will be stepping into the octagon for the 29th time. With experience on his side, Barboza will likely look to outstrike his opponent as he so often does. However, Barboza has had a hard time establishing any momentum. Having lost seven of his last 11 fights, he snapped his most recent losing streak with a knockout of Billy Quarantillo back in April. Now, he will be looking to string together wins to prove that he still belongs among the best of the best fighters in the world. If he can stay at range, this will be a short night for Yusuff, but that is a big if.
UFC Fight Night: Yussuf vs. Barboza will be held Saturday, October 14 at 7:00 PM ET. Fight fans can watch live on ESPN+.