The UFC will return to Charlotte this weekend for an absolutely loaded Fight Night card that will see some of the best fighters in the world square off in some very big matchups. And to make things more exciting, that fights will air live on ABC.
A devastating up-and-comer in the heavyweight division will square off against a competitor who has sat near the top of the rankings for a long time in a heavy-hitting main event. Plus, two top seven light heavyweight contender will meet for a chance to vault into the title picture and a fast-rising welterweight star will look to crack the top 15 in a meeting with his first ranked opponent.
Welterweight bout: Daniel Rodriguez vs. Ian Garry
It’s never a fun position to be in when you’re the guy with the ranking next to your name but you’re still the underdog against an unranked opponent. That’s the case for Rodriguez who comes into this bout the 15th-ranked welterweight in the UFC, with a 17-3 record and eight knockouts. He’s a very talented and well-rounded fighter who will be looking to bounce back from a submission loss against Neil Magny back in November.
He will have a tough task ahead of him thought because there’s reason Garry is favored even as an unranked fighter. At 11-0, Garry has been dubbed one of the next big things both by those in the sport and the fans watching. The 25-year-old has shown unbelievable ability in the octagon, to the tune of four straight wins, two of which have come by knockout. He did show some vulnerability his last time out however, as Kenan Song landed some good shots and seemed to rock the young fighter. Still, he managed to score a knockout of his own and add to his highlight reel. This will be his biggest test to date and if he can pass it, he should be rewarded with a spot in the top 15.
Light Heavyweight bout: Anthony Smith vs. Johnny Walker
When you talk about some of the toughest guys in the history of the UFC, Anthony Smith’s name is likely to come up. With a 36-17 professional record, Smith has racked up 19 knockouts and 14 submissions in his impressive career. Currently the number five fighter in the light heavyweight division, Smith is looking to bounce back from a loss to Magomed Ankalev almost a year ago. But, you know, everyone loses to Ankalaev so… no shame there. Smith has been in the octagon against the likes of Rashad Evans, Shogun Rua and current heavyweight champion Jon Jones. So a co-main event against Johnny Walker will be just another day at the office.
Speaking of which, it’s hard to believe these guys have never met in the octagon previously. Walker comes into this bout with a 20-7 record and 16 knockouts, with 10 of his fights coming in the octagon. Currently ranked seventh, Walker has been floating around the light heavyweight rankings for what feels like forever. These two just meeting in the octagon for the first time is incredibly exciting and should make for a thrilling co-main event. Expect a wild standup war in this one.
Heavyweight bout: Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Jailton Almeida
It has been quite a while since the UFC’s heavyweight division has been this interesting. The legendary Jon Jones sits atop the division while a former champ awaits him as the next challenger. Meanwhile, a stable of incredibly talented contenders is constantly battling for position and another former champ, one who never lost his belt, lurks in the distance.
Rozenstruik is one of those talented contenders who has been struggling to get over the hump and claim his shot at the heavyweight title. With a 13-4 record and 12 knockouts, his resume is more than impressive enough for him to be at the top. Unfortunately, all four of those losses have come in his last seven fights. He is coming off of a knockout win over Chris Daukaus in December, so now he will look to build some momentum en route to climbing back up from his current nine spot in the rankings.
That will be easier said than done though as his opponent in this main event is another young phenom who has been surging to the top very quickly. Almeida comes into this bout with an 18-2 record, seven knockouts and 11 submissions. For those of you keeping score at home, that means he has finished all 18 opponents he has defeated. More impressively, he is riding a 13-fight winning streak and hasn’t lost since 2018. He also hasn’t lost in the octagon, scoring two knockouts and two submissions in his first four trips. Almeida is a destroyer whether the fight is one the feet or on the ground. He’s going to have to withstand an onslaught from the heavy-handed Rozenstruik is he wants to win this one and continue to rise in the heavyweight rankings. The betting odds will tell you he will do exactly that. One way or another, expect an early finish in this one.
UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Almeida will be held Saturday, May 13 at 3:00 PM ET. Fight fans can watch live on ABC.