5 contenders for the Fight of the Night award at UFC 273

#4. UFC bantamweight bout: Julio Arce vs. Daniel Santos

Could Julio Arce produce another exciting fight when he faces Daniel Santos this weekend?

Given all of the star power at the top of the card, it’s hardly a surprise that UFC 273’s opening fight between bantamweights Julio Arce and Daniel Santos is flying completely under the radar.

However, given that the promotion does tend to enjoy financially rewarding its lesser-known talents if they put on a show, there’s every chance that this clash will produce something special, netting both men an extra $50k this weekend.

Arce has been with the promotion for a relatively long period now, as he debuted in the octagon back in 2018. While he hasn’t quite reached the heights that some observers would’ve hoped, he has delivered some wild fights over that four-year period.

His bloodbath with Sheymon Moraes, for instance, was one of 2018’s most underrated fights, while his stoppages of Julian Erosa and Andre Ewell were also excellent. Quite how he hasn’t won a post-fight bonus already is a mystery.

Santos, meanwhile, looks like the kind of fighter to get the best out of Arce. ‘Willycat’ has not fought in the octagon before, but holds a record of 8-1 and holds three knockout wins with spinning attacks.

Based on his highlight reel, it’s definitely likely that he’ll come to take the fight to Arce this weekend. Based on what we’ve seen from the New York native, Arce is likely to oblige him in a firefight. Therefore, it’s unlikely this one will go the distance, boosting its hopes of winning the Fight of the Night award.

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#3. UFC bantamweight title: Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan

The bad blood between Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan could produce some fireworks this weekend

Given the controversial way their first fight ended, it’s hardly surprising that the UFC bantamweight title rematch between Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan is filled with bad blood.

While ‘Funk Master’ and ‘No Mercy’ have been largely respectful coming into this bout, it’s safe to say that they don’t like each other at all. So, it’s their staredown that most fans are looking forward to in the event’s press conference and weigh-in this week.

Could this bad blood translate into an excellent fight come Saturday night? There’s every chance it might.

Sterling’s first bout with Yan back in March 2021 was an excellent one. While it didn’t win any post-fight awards, it’s probably fair to suggest that the reason was the controversial ending that saw ‘No Mercy’ disqualified.

However, if Sterling can make the correct adjustments to allow him to take the fight to the Russian this time around, then we could be in for a very special fight indeed. After all, Yan is perhaps the division’s most explosive striker, while Sterling is the most dangerous grappler at 135 pounds.

Add in the fact that over five rounds, we could be in for numerous twists and turns, and this bantamweight title bout could well prove to be a contender for the Fight of the Night award.