UFC Fight Nights have been delivering some really entertaining bouts as of late, but fight fans everywhere have really just been looking ahead to this. UFC 290 will bring the octagon back to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for an incredibly stacked card headlined by two championship contests.
After losing a shot at being a two division champion and his top pound-for-pound ranking the featherweight champ returns to 145 pounds to defend his crown against a very game and worthy interim champion. Plus, fresh off of possibly the most epic rivalry in UFC history, the flyweight champ will face off with an opponent who has beaten him in the past and a potential middleweight title eliminator will see a former champ meet a fast-riser in the class.
Middleweight bout: Robert Whittaker vs. Dricus Du Plessis
Here is as list of the men who have defeated Robert Whittaker in the past nine years: middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. That’s it. That’s the list. The former middleweight champion has proven again and again that he is one of the toughest and most skilled fighters in this sport today. At 24-6 with nine knockouts and five submissions, Whittaker has shown that he can finish opponents in a variety of ways. His trademark though is simply his warrior spirit and his ability to continue to push the pace deep in fights and wear down his opponents. Combine that with some great technical striking and there are simply not many ways to beat Whittaker.
Here is a list of men who have beaten Dricus Du Plessis in the octagon. That’s it. That’s the list. With a perfect 5-0 record since joining the UFC in 2020, Du Plessis has proven to be an absolute destroyer. In those five fights, he has secured two knockouts, one submission and one TKO via doctor stoppage in an absolute war with Derek Brunson back in March. Now the 29-year-old South African finds himself with a huge opportunity in front of him. If Du Plessis has shown any weakness in the past, it’s been his cardio. He tends to explode early in the fight and if his opponent can weather the storm, they can take advantage in the later rounds. And again, that’s exactly where Whittaker excels.
My pick: Whittaker via 3rd round knockout
Flyweight Championship bout: Brandon Moreno vs. Alexandre Pantoja
In May 2018, a then-24-year-old Brandon Moreno stepped into the octagon to face Alexandre Pantoja. The two fought to the final bell and Pantoja was awarded a unanimous decision victory. Since then, Moreno has gone 7-1-2. He has captured and recaptured the flyweight title in that time and he has face off with Deiveson Figueiredo a record four times. Long story short, this is not the same Brandon Moreno. Even over the course of his four-fight rivalry with Figueiredo, Moreno has show tremendous improvement, dominating their final matchup. In between those fights, he also dominated top contender Kai Kara-France en route to a knockout win. Moreno is going to be looking to accomplish three things with this fight: retain his title, avenge a loss and put forth a performance so dominant he will have to move up the pound-for-pound rankings.
Standing in his way though, is a a guy riding a three-fight winning streak and a guy who knows how to put opponents away. Pantoja sports a 25-5 record with eight knockouts and 10 submissions, including two in his most recent outings against top contenders Brandon Royval and Alex Perez. He has also never been stopped himself, despite being in the octagon with some of the very best in the class, including the aforementioned Figueiredo and of course Moreno. This is going to be a very interesting test to see just how much Moreno has advanced his game since their first meeting. I would expect the champ to strike from the outside and try to keep this fight on the feet.
My pick: Moreno via decision
Featherweight Championship bout: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Yair Rodriguez
As the longtime champ took the opportunity to move up to lightweight, the featherweight division became a bit complicated. Yair Rodriguez became the interim champ in February and contenders like Ilia Topuria have made a case to be next in line. Plus, former champ Max Holloway is still hovering around the top of the rankings. Thankfully, Alexander Volkanovski is back to restore some order.
For the past seven years in the UFC, fans could count on one thing: Volkanovski winning. The featherweight champion was a perfect 12-0 in the octagon. That changed when he decided to move up to try to claim the lightweight title from Islam Makhachev, who retained the belt with a decision win. It was an epic main event that could have gone either way, but as it stands, it’s the only blemish on Volkanovski’s UFC record. Now, he’s back at his natural 145 pounds and ready to remind everyone why he was the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
However, the man he’s facing has been crowned interim champion for a reason. Rodriguez earned this shot by submitting Josh Emmett in February and he stopped Brian Ortega before that. Now with a 15-3 record with five knockouts and four submissions, Rodriguez has built up a very impressive resume and at 30 years old, he’s still getting better each time out. If Rodriguez can work his creative striking and keep Volkanovski at a distance, he could pull off the upset here. On the other hand, if Volkanovski is able to control the pace and positioning of this fight, it could be a long night for Rodriguez. Or worse, a very short one.
My pick: Volkanovski via decision
UFC 290 will be held Saturday, July 8 at 10 PM ET. Fight fans can order the pay per view through ESPN+ and receive a special offer: $124.98 for UFC 290 and an ESPN+ annual plan. ESPN+ subscribers can order the pay per view for $79.99.