5 barnburners to look forward to at UFC 276

Top-to-bottom, UFC 276 is arguably the most stacked card in MMA history. All the way from the early prelims to the main event, the upcoming blockbuster pay-per-view is loaded with fantastic matchups, most of which are real contenders for the 'Fight of the Night' bonus.

Israel Adesanya and Alexander Volkanovski are set to defend their respective middleweight and featherweight titles this weekend. 'The Last Stylebender' is slated to take on top contender Jared Cannonier after his teammate, Volkanovski, squares off against former champion Max Holloway for the third time.

Rising bantamweight star Sean O'Malley, surging Brazilian knockout artist Alex Pereira, Irish prospect Ian Garry and budding lightweight Jalin Turner are also set to feature at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, in addition to UFC veterans Robbie Lawler, Donald Cerrone and Jim Miller.

Here are five barnburners to look forward to at UFC 276.

---

#5. Brad Riddell vs. Jalin Turner

Last weekend's Fight Night headliner between Arman Tsarukyan and Mateusz Gamrot was a showcase for the future of the UFC lightweight division, as is the mouth-watering matchup between Brad Riddell and Jalin Turner, which will be underway on the preliminary card of UFC 276.

Brad Riddell is a former kickboxing champion like his teammate Israel Adesanya. The Kiwi currently occupies the No.14 spot in the lightweight rankings. In his last outing, Riddell was seemingly en route to a decision win over top contender Rafael Fiziev before he got caught with a spectacular spinning wheel-kick in the final round.

Despite the loss to Fiziev, the 30-year-old is still very highly regarded. At UFC 276, the Kiwi will take on surging American Jalin Turner, who is riding a four-fight win streak comprising just as many finishes. Turner boasts a 100% finishing rate, and at 6'3", all his opponents thus far have struggled against his towering frame.

'The Tarantula' has a real case for being the best unranked 155-pounder in the UFC and he will have a chance to break into the top 15 at lightweight this weekend. Both fighters clearly lean towards the striking arts, which should make for an enjoyable matchup.

#4. Israel Adesanya vs. Jared Cannonier – UFC 276 main event

Speaking of striker vs. striker matchups, the main event of UFC 276 pits the best striking specialist in the sport, Israel Adesanya, against hard-hitting middleweight contender Jared Cannonier.

While Adesanya is undoubtedly the better striker, Cannonier's toughness, aggression, and raw strength could prove to be hugely influential in this bout.

Adesanya vs. Cannonier Artist Series Poster [Image via @ufc on Twitter]

Jared Cannonier famously competed at both heavyweight and light heavyweight before eventually finding a home at 185 pounds. 'Tha Killa Gorilla' has carried his devastating power all the way from heavyweight to middleweight, evident in his chilling knockout victories in his current division.

However, Adesanya's overall experience in combat sports, comprising over 100 fights across kickboxing, boxing and MMA, will likely be a huge hurdle to overcome for the challenger.

'The Last Stylebender' has really been tested on just one occasion at middleweight, against Kelvin Gastelum, a bout which went on to win 2019's 'Fight of the Year' award.

If Cannonier is to emerge victorious, he will have to make this fight dirty, just as Gastelum did. If he sits just outside range, Adesanya will pick him apart as he did against Paulo Costa. The challenger has no option but to keep pressuring the champion and hope that he makes a mistake for him to capitalize on.

Essentially, this will likely go one of two ways, another striking clinic by Adesanya, or a war of attrition that could see either fighter emerge victorious.

---

#3. Sean O'Malley vs. Pedro Munhoz

Sean O'Malley is set to take on the toughest fight of his career thus far when he squares off against perennial bantamweight contender Pedro Munhoz this weekend.

'Sugar' has slow-played his career so far, and having recently signed a new contract, the popular bantamweight will be eyeing a shot at gold sooner rather than later.

A win against a durable and well-rounded veteran like Munhoz is the perfect litmus to determine whether O'Malley is a legitimate championship contender or not.

Munhoz vs. O'Malley fan-made poster [Image via @sugaseanmma on Instagram]

Pedro Munhoz has fought former champions like Cody Garbrandt, Frankie Edgar, Jose Aldo and Dominick Cruz in recent years. He even came very close to beating the current bantamweight titleholder, Aljamain Sterling. Over the course of his 26-fight professional career, 'The Young Punisher' has never been finished.

Meanwhile, Sean O'Malley is among the most dangerous knockout artists in the division. Out of 15 career wins so far, 11 have come via KO/TKO. 'Sugar' is currently riding a three-fight win streak, with all three bouts ending with a knockout. He will be looking to claim Munhoz's No.9 spot in the rankings when the duo lock horns at UFC 276.

Munhoz can boost his stock if he can derail the hype-train coming his way. On the flipside, a statement-making win for O'Malley will see his stardom reach new heights, especially if he can produce another viral knockout.

#2. Alexander Volkanovski vs. Max Holloway 3 – UFC 276 co-main event

Who is the best featherweight in the world right now?

Volkanovski vs. Holloway 3 Artist Series Poster [Image via @ufc on Twitter]

Presently, Alexander Volkanovski has cemented himself as the best 145-pounder on the planet with back-to-back wins over former champion Max Holloway, in addition to his last two dominant title defenses against Brian Ortega and Chan Sung Jung.

However, Volkanovski's second win over Holloway remains one of the most debated decisions ever. A significant portion of the MMA community is of the opinion that 'Blessed' deserved the judges' nod in the rematch.

An argument can be made for both fighters winning the second fight, and one thing is undeniably clear, they are so evenly matched.

Having spent 50 minutes opposite one another already, the adjustments they make going into their upcoming trilogy fight will play a pivotal role.

While Max Holloway is known for his volume and has set records with his striking output, he was outstruck by the reigning featherweight king over the course of their two previous clashes.

On the other hand, Alexander Volkanovski was dropped twice by Holloway in the rematch and struggled in the early stages of the fight.

This high stakes legacy fight has all the makings of an all-time classic and it could come down to the intangibles, rather than their equally dangerous skillsets. This bout has huge implications on the line, and such, could produce a title fight that will be remembered for a long time to come.

Volkanovski vs. Holloway 3 [Image via @DaredevilUFC on Twitter]

---

#1. Robbie Lawler vs. Bryan Barberena

Every single time Bryan Bareberena has competed inside the octagon, he has solidified his standing as one of the most entertaining fighters on the roster. 'Bam Bam' has endeared himself to UFC fans since signing with the promotion in 2014.

Barberena has already featured in four 'Fight of the Night' bouts in the UFC. His wars with Vicente Luque and Jason Witt were incredible sights to behold, and in his most recent outing, the veteran edged out a decision over Matt Brown, which blew the roof off the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, earlier this year.

At UFC 276, Bryan Barnerena will take on former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler, who is also no stranger to winning post-fight bonuses. Lawler has also won four 'Fight of the Night' bonuses, and his 2015 title defense against Rory MacDonald remains one of the greatest title fights in UFC history.

This matchup doesn't have the shine of the two championship fights atop the card, or the intrigue surrounding the Sean Strickland vs. Alex Pereira and Pedro Munhoz vs. Sean O'Malley bouts.

However, the clear frontrunner for the 'Fight of the Night' award is, without a doubt, the Lawler vs. Barberena fight, which is all but guaranteed to deliver the goods and has 'barnburner' written all over it.