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UFC 277 is fast approaching, bringing with it two title fights and a wealth of talent up and down the card. The main event of the card will see Julianna Peña defend her bantamweight title in a rematch with Amanda Nunes, while the co-main event will result in either Brandon Moreno or Kai Kara-France being named the interim flyweight title.
The top of the card is stacked, but there are plenty of other names to look for earlier in the night. From up-and-coming prospects to fighters in make-or-break situations, there are several high stakes match-ups for fans to look forward to.
Here are five fighters to keep an eye on at UFC 277:
#5. 'Blood Diamond' Mike Mathetha - UFC welterweight
Mike Mathetha is very much a new face on the UFC roster, having made his promotional debut earlier this year. There was plenty of hype surrounding Mathetha prior to his debut, and many expected the fighter, who is teammates with Israel Adesanya, to come in and have similar success in the octagon.
Things did not exactly go to plan, as 'Blood Diamond' suffered the first loss of his professional MMA career via first-round submission against Jeremiah Wells. The result cooled a lot of the excitement surrounding him and puts him in a very interesting position heading into his second bout inside the octagon.
At UFC 277, he will face 7-1 contender Orion Cosce, who also lost in his first bout for the promotion. Cosce earned his contract via Dana White's Contender Series, so he is a little more proven than his opponent. This is a huge fight for 'Blood Diamond' — a loss would likely eliminate the possibility that he achieves the same success as his teammate, Adesanya.
#4. Michael Morales - UFC welterweight
Michael Morales may be flying under-the-radar at the moment, but should he win another fight on Saturday, that will surely come to an end. The Ecuadorian fighter is 13-0, and at just 23-years-old, he is one of the best prospects currently signed to the UFC roster.
Michael Morales, who earned his contract on Dana White's Contender Series, made an emphatic debut earlier this year when finished Trevin Giles inside one round. On Saturday, he will face Adam Fugitt, who will be making his debut inside the octagon in the bout.
Unsurprisingly, Morales is a heavy favorite to win, and fans can expect to see him showcase just how talented he is on Saturday night. Anything less than a stoppage victory will be somewhat of a let-down, so it will be interesting to see if he can live up to the very high expectations.
#3. Matthew Semelsberger - UFC welterweight
MMA media may not be labeling Matthew Semelsberger as a future champion, but he does have a proven track-record of producing explosive fights. That was on full display in 2021, during which he had two of the three quickest finishes of the entire year.
Those 15 and 16 second knock-outs are reason enough to ensure you do not miss Semelsberger's bout this weekend. His opponent, Alex Morono, is riding a three-fight winning streak and has shared the octagon with legends like Anthony Pettis and Donald Cerrone.
For anyone looking for a measured, technical bout, this one may be a bit of a dud, but for anyone else, this fight is almost guaranteed to be one of the most entertaining on the entire card. Semelsberger clearly has incredible power in his hands, and should he produce another big finish on Saturday, he could be set for big things.
#2. Anthony Smith - UFC light heavyweight
Anthony Smith is not be a typical underdog — he is an established star that previously fought for the world title. He's also somewhat of a fan favorite these days, so plenty of his supporters will be tuning in to watch his fight against Magomed Ankalaev on Saturday.
Ankalaev is the heavy favorite heading into this bout, but Smith has stated that he is incredibly confident about the match-up. It has been reported that few other opponents were interested in taking a fight with the Russian; perhaps this means 'Lionheart' has seen something he feels he can exploit.
Ankalaev defeated Thiago Santos in his most recent performance, but he did not do so in particularly convincing fashion. In any case, it will be incredible to see what Smith is able to accomplish with a potential title shot hanging in the balance.
#1. Alexandre Pantoja - UFC flyweight
Alexandre Pantoja has found himself the odd man out in the flyweight division. He is clearly one of the five best fighters in the division, alongside Deiveson Figueiredo, Kai Kara-France, Brandon Moreno and Askar Askarov. On Saturday, he will be facing former title challenger Alex Perez.
Pantoja legitimately had a case to be involved in the interim title bout that is taking place in the co-main event, given he is on a two-fight winning streak and has previously beaten Brandon Moreno. Therefore, he will likely have a point to prove. That chip on his shoulder could potentially launch him into the title picture with a win over Perez.
Pantoja is a fun fighter to watch on any night given the number of ways he is able to finish fights. He has multiple KO, submission, and decision wins during his time in the octagon, so who knows what his approach will be on Saturday when he competes in the biggest fight of his life.
