The UFC returns to Las Vegas this weekend as some of the best fighters in the world will come to the APEX to put on a show. The impressive card features four ranked fighters and some matchups that should prove to be very memorable.
Two of the to ranked lightweights in the world will meet in a main event that not only provides a big opportunity for both of them, but also promises to be an interesting stylistic matchup. Plus, two of the top welterweights will look to impress and move up the rankings while two heavyweights with their backs against the wall will fight for survival..
Heavyweight bout: Josh Parisian vs. Alan Boudot
Sometimes it’s not the guys at the top of their game, but rather the guys who have been struggling and need a win as bad as ever that put on the most exciting fights. That is the cast here as Parisian has lost two of three since making his UFC debut in 2020. The 32-year-old still sports a 14-5 record with 10 knockouts, so you know he can end a fight at any moment. However, coming off of just his second career knockout loss might have him a bit more wary than normal.
Anything said about Parisian goes double for Boudot, who hasn’t won a fight since 2019. In fact, he is 0-2 in the UFC with one no contest, so he is desperately searching for his first victory in the octagon. At 34 years old, Boudot comes in with an 8-3 record and seven knockout wins. He needs to find his rhythm again and get back to whatever it was that allowed him to start his career at a perfect 6-0 before he finds himself outside of the UFC. Expect both of these guys to be looking for a big knockout here to really spark some momentum.
Welterweight bout: Neil Magny vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov
The welterweight division is as stacked as they come. That’s the only way you can explain someone as talented as Neil Magny being ranked as low as #10. Magny sports a 26-8 record and has won five of his last six. He has great hands but his real strength is his grappling, which has allowed him to grind out 16 decision victories. He has beaten some big names in this class, including Robbie Lawler, Carlos Condit and Johny Hendricks, so he is certainly no stranger to a big challenge.
And that is exactly what he’s going to get here as Rakhmonov finds himself with the #15 next to his name after just three bouts in the UFC. The 27-year-old is a perfect 15-0 and even more impressively, he boasts eight knockouts and seven submission wins. The well-rounded up and comer has scored two of those submissions and one knockout in his first three UFC contests, landing himself inside the welterweight rankings. A win here over a guy like Magny would certainly vault Rakhmonov up those rankings and he could find himself just another win or two away from a championship opportunity.
Lightweight bout: Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mateusz Gamrot
The UFC’s lightweight division has a long history of being loaded with tough contenders. That is certainly the case right now as guys like Conor McGregor and Tony Ferguson find themselves outside of the top eight. So obviously, it will be tough to crack that upper tier, but this main event features two guys who are going to try their very best.
Tsarukyan’s UFC career got off to a tough start when he ran into now-fourth-ranked Islam Makhachev and dropped a decision in his debut. Since then though, all he has done is won five in a row, including back-to-back knockouts and his last two outings. Now, at just 25 years old, Tsarukyan finds himself with an 18-2 record and all the momentum in the world. With seven knockouts and five submissions he’s proven he can end the fight anywhere, but he tends to stand and bang whenever he can.
The story is eerily similar for Gamrot. Since losing his UFC debut in 2020, he has won three in a row to bring his record to 20-1. The 31-year-old also has seven knockouts and five submissions on his record, just like Tsarukyan. His previous three fights have ended in stoppages (two knockouts and one submission). Now, Gamrot has a big opportunity to not just extend that streak but to beat a slightly higher ranked opponent and potentially crack that top tier in the division. It will be interesting to see who looks to take this fight to the ground first and where each guy has an advantage, if any.
UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs. Gamrot will be held Saturday, June 25 at 10 PM ET. Fight fans can watch live on ESPN+.