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#4. Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards II - UFC 278
The one pay-per-view in August will be headlined by a UFC welterweight championship bout between Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards. The fight is actually a rematch as the pair competed against one another earlier in their careers when neither man was nearly as big a name as they are today.
On that occasion, Usman dominated with his grappling and picked up a unanimous decision victory. However, both men have clearly improved by leaps and bounds since that encounter, so it will be very interesting to see how the rematch will play out.
The reason this fight does not rank higher is that Usman is a significant favorite, and many are predicting the rematch to follow a similar pattern to the first bout. Perhaps Edwards can make the necessary changes and utilize his superior striking to win the title, but it's worth noting that Usman has significantly improved his stand-up since linking up with Trevor Wittman in 2020.
#3. Marlon Vera vs. Dominick Cruz - UFC on ESPN 41
A UFC Fight will take place in San Diego this August, and it is set to be headlined by a bantamweight match-up between Marlon 'Chito' Vera and Dominick Cruz. The bantamweight division could very well be the best in all of MMA at the moment, so it will be fascinating to see who comes out victorious in this top 10 clash.
Stylistically, this match-up seems destined to deliver. Cruz's unique footwork always produces interesting scenarios, and Vera is not an opponent who is simply going to look for a takedown. The stand-up battle fams are likely to get will be incredibly high-level, so it's tough to predict how it will play out.
There's also somewhat of a rivalry between the pair, as Vera has claimed Cruz has repeatedly turned down a fight with him in the past. When you add on both fighters' entertaining personalities, expect this to be a match-up that keeps you entertained all weekend long.
