4 UFC and Bellator Fights to look forward to from UFC 234 and Bellator Newcastle

The weekend has rolled around once again and it has brought two huge Mixed Martial Events in tow. This weekend will see both UFC and Bellator MMA tread international waters.

UFC 234 is set to take place in Melbourne, Australia, while Bellator will take place in Newcastle in the United Kingdom. Both shows are being headlined by top talent from the two MMA promotions, as their 2019 journey continues in February.

Bellator has long been focusing on expanding in the United Kingdom, with several shows taking place there, while UFC has been more focused on dominating the globe as a whole when it comes to spreading the word about Mixed Martial Arts.

It should be kept in mind that both the events will happen at almost the same time, with the Bellator main card being broadcast during the UFC preliminary card.

In this article, we will be taking a look at 4 fights from UFC 234: Whittaker vs Gastelum and Bellator Newcastle which fans should not miss out on.

Without further ado, let's get into it.

#4 Bellator Newcastle: Pitbull vs Ryan Scope

A fight which is hard to miss given that it is the main event for Bellator's show this weekend, Pitbull vs Ryan Scope promises to be a scorcher.

Pitbull is a veteran fighter in this regard, as he has made a name for himself during his time as one of the longest tenured fighters in UFC. Given his experience and his recent win streak, Pitbull is looking for a title shot soon as he aims to win the Lightweight Championship.

However, before he can get that far, he has an obstacle in his way in the form of the newcomer to the promotion, Ryan Scope. Scope is no green fighter and has a number of wins to his name.

This fight has all the makings of a young wolf challenging the pack leader. A win here would be huge for either fighter, as well as the Bellator Title picture, so it is definitely a fight that should not be missed.

#3 UFC 234: Whittaker vs Gastelum

Another headliner for the night, Robert Whittaker is finally about to defend his title when he faces Kelvin Gastelum in the main event of UFC 234.

Whittaker won the Middleweight Championship when he defeated Yoel Romero, and then went on to face Romero again in what was supposed to be his first defence. However, Romero missed weight and as a result it turned into a non-title bout.

Now, as he goes about defending his championship, Whittaker is faced with tough competition from one of the best fighters currently in the UFC. Whittaker's 9-fight win streak might be in danger when he steps into the Octagon with Kelvin Gastelum.

This fight is sure to steal the show at the end of the night. If there is currently one fighter who might defeat Whittaker and take the gold, it is Kelvin Gastelum.

#2 Bellator Newcastle: Fabian Edwards vs Lee Chadwick

In another fight in Bellator this weekend, a veteran of the sport is about to meet a comparative newcomer.

Fabian 'The Assassin' Edwards has gained all the headlines of late, and has proved himself to be an incredible force in the world of MMA. He has won every fight in his amateur career in MMA, and has also gone on to win every fight in his professional career as well.

In his professional career, Edwards has finished all of his fights, with only one of them going into the opening moments of the 2nd round.

His opponent, Lee 'The Butcher' Chadwick, has a record of 24-13 in his fight career. Chadwick has not yet fought in Bellator MMA, but his promotional debut could mark the 25th win in his career when he comes face to face with the young but deadly Assassin.

#1 UFC 234: Anderson Silva vs Israel Adesanya

The fight that everyone seems to have forgotten about is the one that is the co-main event of the night with Anderson Silva taking on Israel Adesanya at UFC 234.

Anderson Silva has not had the best time inside the Octagon of late. No longer fighting as regularly as he once used to, he has 4 losses from his last five fights, which has greatly tarnished his legacy. Also casting a shadow over his legacy are the drug tests which came back positive.

Now, though, following his win over Derek Brunson, he is looking to defeat an undefeated UFC fighter in an attempt to regain a measure of his former glory.

Israel Adesanya is 15-0 in his career, and he is looking to add a big name to that list when he takes on Silva.

A win for Adesanya here would see him catapult into the upper-echelons of UFC, and possibly a title fight as well.