UFC 273
Event Preview

This is a big one! The UFC returns to Jacksonville for a big PPV. 2 title fights, and the potential emergence of a superstar with abilities we have not seen before.

There has been an interesting theme developing for UFC 273 – the betting lines for the 3 big fights are becoming insane. All 3 are rightful favourites, but they have all been blown up to such an extreme degree! There are big potential fall outs when that that happens. You’ll have a lot of bettors who have thrown these guys into chalk parlays, and then a bunch who have thrown fliers on the dogs. These lines put a whole new context on these fights. New expectations get set with these lines. Very interesting..

UFC 273 also features some other notable prospects and some really fun fights!

Lets dive in!

Julio Arce vs Daniel Santos
Bantamweight – 135 pounds

This is a fun fight to kick off the card.

I really like Julio Arce at 135. This dude has some high level skills. He is one of those guys that has had some tough luck to start his UFC career. He has 2 split decision losses against 2 really solid guys, and he ran into one of the fastest rising prospects in the UFC in his last fight against Song Yadong.

But despite how highly skilled he may be, Julio Arce needs to execute and get a win. Especially fighting a UFC newcomer in Daniel Willycat Santos.

It is tough to find tape on Willycat, but he looks to be an aggressive finisher. Will be interesting to see how he looks against a legit UFC caliber opponent.

Mickey Gall vs Mike Malott
Welterweight – 170 pounds

This is a fun one. Mike Malott could be someone to watch.

Mike Malott has a weird record. He first debuted as a pro in 2011, as a featherweight! And was off and on up until 2017. Right around this time, he became the striking coach at Team Alpha male and was training to enter ADCC grappling tournaments as a black belt!

But in 2020, the 29 year old decided to take these skills and put them back on display in the cage. And he earned this UFC debut with a 39 second first round submission win on DWCS.

Malott has some high level well rounded skills, and is a very athletic fighter. If he is able to tie it all together and stay the course, he could make some waves at 170.

Mikey Gall is best known for his win over pro wrestling star CM Punk. Mikey Gall has stuck around for a few years after that fight, trading wins and losses. But he has yet to truly prove he is a UFC caliber fighter. The wins he does have in the UFC are all against guys who have since been released by the promotion. And I believe he is in tough here against Malott.

Ian Garry vs Darian Weeks
Welterweight – 170 pounds

Ian ”The Future” Garry! The next Irish MMA phenom, or so he says.

Ian Garry is ’24 years of age’, 8-0 in his pro MMA career, and is the former Cage Warriors Welterweight champ. And he is 1-0 in the UFC, winning his debut at MSG via 1st round KO.

Garry has generated some solid buzz for himself. He talks well, he is good looking, and he exudes the confidence of a championship fighter. But does he have the skills and the will to actually make that climb? It is a tall task. But Ian does have a lot of physical gifts, he is a long welterweight and has some knockout power.

Ian is the sizeable betting favourite against Darian Weeks. Weeks is 5-1 in his pro MMA career, and 15-4 as an amateur! He also has some pro boxing experience on his record.

Weeks made his UFC debut on short notice against Bryan Barberena, and he showed well! He took the second round on all judges scorecards, and it was a tough fight against a legit UFC vet. Barberena is far tougher than anyone Ian Garry has fought, and Weeks did it on short notice.

Darien Weeks is being over looked here, he isnt just a can for Ian Garry. He is a tough style matchup for Ian. He is without a doubt the toughest test of Ian Garys career. We got a fight with this one.

Mackenzie Dern vs Tecia Torres
Strawweight – 115 pounds

This fight is a great example why 115 is the best division in womens MMA. Both these fighters are really good. And both have had issues breaking into the top of the division.

Tecia Torres has been around since the beginning of the strawweight division as a competitor on TUF 20, the season that introduced the weight class in the UFC. She has traded wins and losses over her UFC career, but she has only lost to the very best in the division and she has never been finished. Tecia Torres has quick striking, good pressure and is not easy to keep on the ground. Tecia is a tough out for anyone in the division.

Her opponent, Mackenzie Dern debuted in the UFC in 2018 to much fanfare as she was one of the best BJJ players in the world, previously winning the ADCC world championships and was ranked #1 ranked the world.

She has since gone 6-2 in the UFC and will be looking to establish herself as true top 5 fighter in the UFC.

This is a big fight for 115. Tecia has won 3 straight and will be hungry for her first 4 fight UFC win streak, and Dern will want to get back into the win column to begin her own win streak and get closer to the title.

Gilbert Burns vs Khamzat Chimaev
Welterweight – 170 pounds

Oh boy. This is the unofficial main event. This feels like a big fight. A really big fight. I have wrote an entire piece on Khamzat and the this fight, Id strongly recommend heading over to “The Degenerate Marks Remarks” and check it out.

There is a lot to digest here with this fight.

Gilbert Burns is #2 at welterweight, and is one of the best P4P fighters in the world. He has, one would assume, the perfect style to matchup against the heavy wrestling style Khamzat brings. And he has only lost the champ at this weight! But it is Khamzat that is the 6-1 favourite!

The hype and intrigue surrounding Khamzat is hard to describe and summarize. He really does have the championship aura to him already. But is almost more than that? It is the unknown of how good he may truly be. What if he runs through Gilbert? Are we really just going to assume he is going to then do the same against the #1 P4P fighter in the world!? But what evidence would we have that would say otherwise?! And then do we turn our sights on to 185!? Where is Khamzats ceiling!?

We will find out a lot about Borz on Saturday, but I suspect we will learn what many already, including myself, believe to be true. Khamzat Chimaev is here to take over. So get ready..

Aljamain Sterling vs Petr Yan
Bantamweight – 135 pounds
Championship Fight

The rematch! We get to run back one if the most controversial title fights in UFC history as Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling are set to meet in a rematch of their contest from a little over a year ago.

Aljo has not fought since, and Petr Yan got a win over Cory Sandhagen to win the interim title in one of the best fights of 2021.

Aljo’s inactivity, and the way the momentum began to shift in Yans favour in their last contest is really playing into the lines with this one.

But regardless of what the betting lines are saying, this is a supremely interesting fight. This MMA at its absolute best. The two best in the world imposing their will

Alexander Volkanovski vs Chan Sung Jung
Featherweight – 145 pounds
Championship Fight

Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski returns for his 3rd title defence against the fan favourite, Korean Zombie.

Alex won the title in a tightly contested bout with Max Holloway. And his first defence came against the same person and the fight was won in the same fashion, a very close decision win.

And after 10 rounds between Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway, it was Alex who left as the champion – but fans were not convinced. Many, including myself, felt the best in the world was still Max Holloway. So Alex was technically the “undisputed” champ, but fans were not ready to give him that same recognition. It was still very much disputed.

However, that tone has now shifted after Alex successfully defended his title in an all time classic against Brian Ortega. Regardless of how we feel about the decision between Max and Alex, there is absolutely no doubt who the undisputed Featherweight Champion is.

Alexander ”The Great” Volkanovski’s title reign is officially underway, and he is quickly establishing himself as one of the very best fighters in the world.

Alex and his go forward style will have a very fun style matchup against the fan favourite and action fighter, Chan Sung Jung, aka The Korean Zombie. The Korean Zombie earned his nickname being an absolute wild man. But to be an effective ”wild man” in the UFC, you need to also be a talented fighter. Which The Korean Zombie absolutely is. He has a really well rounded game, and despite what the betting lines may tell you, he will be a danger on the feet. And he can threaten you with submissions.

Volk is obviously the rightful favourite here. And it is unlikely that Zombie can win a decision. But he will he a threat the whole fight to pull out a finish.

if you do not know, now you do know