3 fights to look forward to and 2 that will likely disappoint at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze

Fight that will likely disappoint: Andre Petroski vs. Michael Gilmore (UFC middleweight)

UFC Vegas 35: Andre Petroski vs. Michael Gilmore [Photo via @andrepetroski on IG]

Andre Petroski will be given another opportunity to shine at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze despite failing to qualify for the TUF 29 finals. The 30-year-old was Brian Ortega's number one pick and the heavy favorite to win the most recent TUF season. However, the grappler was submitted by Bryan Battle in their semifinal matchup and eliminated in the process.

Prior to his TUF stint, Petroski had built a promising career in regional circuits. He scored five consecutive victories in his first five contests before suffering the first defeat of his career against Aaron Jeffery at LFA 93. Needless to say, Petroski will be hungry for a much-needed rebound win at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze.

Meanwhile, Michael Gilmore has made his way into TUF through sheer happenstance. He was selected as a replacement for Team Ortega's Miles Hunsinger, who suffered a knee injury while preparing for his quarterfinal bout.

It was a curious decision on the UFC's part to select Gilmore as Petroski's opponent, given that he wasn't even selected by the TUF 29 coaches to begin with. That said, it appears that the UFC is giving Petroski a freebie by booking him against an unproven opponent who he'll likely defeat with relative ease. With that in mind, this fight will likely disappoint.

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Fight to look forward to: Ricky Turcios vs. Brady Hiestand (TUF Finale)

Ricky Turcios vs Brady Hiestand [Photo via @rickyturcios on IG]

After spending weeks fighting for the same squad, Team Volkanovski members Ricky Turcios and Brady Hiestand will clash in the bantamweight finals of TUF 29 at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikaze.

Due to his eccentric personality and unwavering energy, Turcios was given the monicker 'the cult leader' by his fellow TUF contestants. But in the cage, Turcios has proven that he's all business.

Turcios won a pair of hard-fought battles to reach the final pairing, edging out Dan Argueta and Liudvik Sholinian to book a ticket to the finale. A veteran with 12-fights under his belt, Turcios will come in as the more experienced and more well-rounded fighter. Thanks to his high-octane striking, Turcios can put on an exciting show every time he fights.

Meanwhile, Hiestand will look to follow in the footsteps of Michael Chiesa and Julianna Pena as the third Sikjitsu member to win TUF. The 22-year-old edged his hometown friend and training partner Josh Rettinghouse in the quarterfinals before dominating Vince Murdock to secure a spot in the finale. Hiestand may be young and untested at this stage of his career, but his performance in TUF is a testament to his talent.