The UFC will return to Las Vegas this weekend as some of the best fighters in the world will put on a show at the APEX. This weekend’s Fight Night card may not have any championships on the line, but it is littered with ranked contenders and talented competitors.
Two top flyweight contenders will square off in a main event that could have imminent championship implications. Plus, a very exciting featherweight matchup could steal the show and one of the greatest lightweights to ever step into the octagon will meet a very game opponent.
Lightweight bout: Jim Miller vs. Jesse Butler
Jim Miller made his octagon debut way back at UFC 89. Let that sink in as I remind you that we are just a week away from UFC 289. In that time, he has fought in the octagon 41 times, a UFC record. In those 41 fights, he has amassed 24 wins, another UFC record. He is currently second all-time in finishes and tied for second in submission wins. Long story short, the guy is a lock for the UFC Hall of Fame. And at the age of 39, he’s still competing at a very high level, winning three of his last four fights. He is coming off of a loss though and more often than not, Miller tends to bounce back after dropping a fight.
This matchup is anything but an easy win though as Butler comes into this meeting with a 12-4 record and riding a five-fight win streak into his UFC debut. With eight submission wins under his belt, Butler is a talented grappler, which matches up very well with Miller’s skillset. It will be interesting to see if Butler is willing to go to the ground with Miller and if he can score a win in this one, it would be a huge feather in his cap in his first trip to the octagon.
Featherweight Alex Caceres vs. Daniel Pineda
This one has some serious ‘Fight of the Night’ potential. Caceres has been a very popular and exciting fighter ever since his appearance on The Ultimate Fighter. A creative striker, Caceres comes into this bout with a 20-13 record, with seven submissions and four knockouts. After a shaky start to his UFC career (9-10 in his first 19 fights), Caceres has found a way to right the ship, winning six of his last seven. He’s dangerous whether the fight is on the feet or on the floor, which makes him quite a headache for opponents to deal with.
Now you take all of those talents of Caceres and you throw in the stick of dynamite that is Daniel Pineda. With a 28-14 record, he boasts nine knockouts and an astounding 19 submissions. If you’re keeping score at home, those finishes account for all 28 of his wins. And in his 14 losses, only five fights have gone the distance. Bottom line: Daniel Pineda doesn’t go the full 15. The combination of talent and flair for the finish in this fight makes it probably the most exciting on the card.
Flyweight bout: Kai Kara-France vs. Amir Albazi
Now that the Moreno-Figueiredo war is finally over, there is once again room for others in the UFC’s flyweight division to step up for a shot at the crown. Alexandre Pantoja is up first with his title shot scheduled for July 8th at UFC 290, but the winner of this main event could make a very good case for being next in line.
Kara-France comes into the fight the third-ranked contender in the class, sporting a 24-10 record. Since debuting in the octagon in 2018, Kara-France has lost just three times, making a very strong case for him to receive a championship opportunity. Hurting his case though, is the fact that two of those losses came to current champion Brandon Moreno. Still, Kara-France is an explosive athlete and one of the most powerful strikers in the division, making him a threat against any opponent.
But while that ‘3’ next to Kara-France’s name is a bit more impressive than the ‘7’ next to Albazi’s, the resumes and momentum favor the latter. The 29-year-old boasts a 16-1 record and is riding a five-fight winning streak. He’s also a perfect 4-0 since making his UFC debut in 2020. With five knockouts and nine submissions, Albazi has proven he can end a fight in a lot of ways. Whether or not he chooses to strike with Kara-France will be interesting to see.
UFC Fight Night: Kara-France vs. Albazi will be held Saturday, June 3 at 9:00 PM ET. Fight fans can watch live on ABC.