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This weekend sees UFC 272 take place, and while this major pay-per-view has lost its initially planned co-headliner, it’s still an excellent card overall.
Most importantly, UFC 272 is packed with fights that could produce some genuine fireworks inside the octagon, meaning there are a number of potential Fight of the Night candidates.
Which two fighters are most likely to come away with a $50k bonus for the Fight of the Night? It’s hard to say, but there are certainly some likely possibilities.
Here are five contenders for the Fight of the Night award at UFC 272.
#5. Rafael dos Anjos vs. Renato Moicano – UFC catchweight bout
Given that Renato Moicano has taken this bout with Rafael dos Anjos on less than a week’s notice – necessitating the UFC to change it from a lightweight fight to a 160 lb catchweight one – there’s every chance that it could be over quickly.
Moicano could simply be too ill-prepared for an opponent of his compatriot's standard, or he could well catch ‘RDA’ unawares and take him out in the early going.
However, there’s also a chance that this co-headliner could produce something special. Both Brazilian fighters are aggressive to a fault, and given they both possess excellent submission games, neither man is likely to attempt to blanket the other on the ground.
In fact, dos Anjos and Moicano are likely aware that if this fight hits the deck, their grappling abilities will simply cancel each other out.
This means that we could be in for a brawl on the feet, something that both fighters have become accustomed to over the years. Furthermore, given Moicano’s late notice and the possibility that he might get tired, the fight could descend into a sloppy brawl. Things could become even more fun then.
So, while this fight isn’t as good as dos Anjos’ initially planned clash with Rafael Fiziev, there’s still a chance it will produce a Fight of the Night contender.
#4. Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Nicolae Negumereanu – UFC light heavyweight bout
UFC 272's preliminary card features a number of intriguing bouts, but one that seems almost guaranteed to produce fireworks is the light heavyweight clash between Kennedy Nzechukwu and Nicolae Negumereanu.
Sure, neither man is going to be challenging for the UFC light heavyweight title any time soon – from what they’ve shown in the octagon so far, they’re both far too limited overall – but these two hard hitters could definitely produce something special this weekend.
Both men largely prefer a standup brawl, and it’s safe to say that during their careers inside the octagon and prior to that, they’ve proved that they’re capable of producing the goods.
Negumereanu has 11 wins to his name, with just one of those fights going the distance. Most recently, he knocked out Ike Villanueva in pretty violent fashion.
Meanwhile, Nzechukwu has six wins via knockout or TKO. Two of those have come in the octagon, with the Nigerian dealing with Danilo Marques and Carlos Ulberg and claiming two $50k bonuses in the process.
Essentially, this fight isn’t likely to win any awards for technical ability. However, it’s likely to see both men exchange bombs until one goes down, meaning it should be a definite contender for the Fight of the Night award.
#3. Marina Rodriguez vs. Yan Xiaonan – UFC strawweight bout
Another preliminary bout on this weekend’s card that could produce excellent action inside the octagon pits Marina Rodriguez against Yan Xiaonan in a key strawweight clash.
Both of these women should be considered in firm contention for a UFC strawweight title shot, with a combined record inside the octagon of 11-2-2.
It’s odd for the promotion to match Rodriguez – who is on a three-fight win streak – against Xiaonan, who is coming off a loss. However, in other ways, it makes perfect sense.
Both women are strikers by trade and are amongst the better fighters in the division from a technical perspective. Given that Rodriguez is coming off a win over a high-level grappler in Mackenzie Dern, if she can overcome a high-caliber kickboxer in Xiaonan, she may cement a future title shot.
Most importantly, while neither woman should be classed as a ruthless finisher, the chances of them exchanging heavy strikes in the center of the octagon seem pretty high. Therefore, if they trade off at a high clip, they could well produce their best fight yet, and end up winning the Fight of the Night award.
#2. Edson Barboza vs. Bryce Mitchell – UFC featherweight bout
The featherweight bout between Edson Barboza and Bryce Mitchell is not only a classic match-up of striker vs. grappler, it also has the potential to produce some serious fireworks that could make it a contender for the Fight of the Night award.
Barboza has been with the UFC for well over a decade now, after debuting in the octagon in November 2010. Over the years, ‘Junior’ has not only unleashed some of the most memorable knockouts in the promotion’s history, but he’s also been involved in some classic bouts.
He’s won the Fight of the Night award on eight occasions in the past, most recently for his clash with Shane Burgos, and his loss to Tony Ferguson was one of the best fights of 2015, period.
Mitchell is newer to the UFC than his opponent this weekend, but he’s been no less exciting to watch thanks to his aggressive grappling style. Most memorably, ‘Thug Nasty’ was able to use the second twister in the promotion’s history to submit opponent Matt Sayles in 2019.
The chances of this fight going the distance seem pretty low, as not only are both men finishers, but they have limitations that could open the door for the other to succeed in their favored area.
Therefore, given their penchant for the spectacular, we should expect a wild clash here, and the chances of a Fight of the Night contender seem high.
#1. Kevin Holland vs. Alex Oliveira – UFC welterweight bout
While a win is unlikely to turn either man into a contender for the UFC welterweight title overnight, the main card bout between Kevin Holland and Alex Oliveira this weekend could definitely produce a Fight of the Night contender.
There are already plenty of variables that make this one interesting, most notably the fact that it’s Holland’s first fight at 170 lb since 2017. However, the obvious reason that it could be a great fight is that both men are devastating finishers.
‘Trailblazer’ went 5-0 as a middleweight during 2020, and just one of those fights went the distance, with the rest ending via TKO. In particular, Holland’s slam finish of Charlie Ontiveros was truly vicious.
Meanwhile, Oliveira has been responsible for a number of violent finishes in his own right over the years, most notably over the likes of Carlos Condit and Ryan LaFlare.
However, ‘Cowboy’ has been somewhat of a glass cannon recently, and he has fallen to defeat via submission in two of his last three visits to the octagon. That should give Holland hope, but he’ll also need to be careful.
To add to this, when you consider that neither man is likely to attempt to blanket the other and that both men have a somewhat porous defense, the chances of this contest being anything but a barnburner seem very slim.
