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The UFC returns to the APEX this weekend for UFC Vegas 32, and in the main event, top bantamweights T.J. Dillashaw and Cory Sandhagen do battle.
The UFC’s series of shows in Las Vegas has been up and down when it comes to card quality, but UFC Vegas 32 looks like a genuinely excellent event on paper.
With major fights in various weight divisions, UFC Vegas 32 looks like a fascinating event for all UFC fans.
So with this considered, here are five reasons why you need to watch UFC Vegas 32: Cory Sandhagen vs. T.J. Dillashaw.
#5 Miranda Maverick and Maycee Barber face off in a battle of top UFC prospects
The UFC doesn’t always match high-level prospects against one another, preferring to build them up against more experienced fighters as they climb into UFC title contention. However, that isn’t the case at UFC Vegas 32.
This weekend’s event features a main card bout between flyweight prospects Miranda Maverick and Maycee Barber. And it’s arguable that this fight is more intriguing than any other on this show outside of the main event.
Barber comes into the event with her back to the wall in many ways. ‘The Future’ has been seen as a top prospect since her UFC debut in 2018, but after reeling off three victories in her first three octagon visits, she’s now on a two-fight losing streak.
However, both losses, against Roxanne Modafferi and Alexa Grasso, came against high-end opponents, and the Modafferi fight also saw her suffer a serious knee injury.
Maverick, meanwhile, has won her first two UFC bouts, showing excellent skill and outstanding athleticism in both. She looks like the kind of prospect who could easily develop into a title contender in the near future.
So will Maverick’s power, takedowns and grappling skills take her to a win this weekend, or will Barber be able to unleash the same heavy hands she used to take out the likes of JJ Aldrich and pick up her first win since 2019?
It’s hard to say, but either way, this is the kind of fight that could end up taking place again sometime in the future, but with the UFC flyweight title on the line. That makes it a must-see clash.
#4 Mickey Gall remains an intriguing prospect to watch
When Mickey Gall arrived in the UFC, he did so against arguably the lowest-level opponents possible in the form of Michael Jackson and CM Punk. But the way he won those fights still suggested that he could develop into a future star.
The years that have followed haven’t been quite as kind to the New Jersey native. Gall is now 5-2 in the UFC, and hasn’t won a fight since his 2019 win over Salim Touahri.
However, he’s still an intriguing prospect to watch, thanks to his slick grappling skills, raw athleticism and sheer toughness. Gall has also reportedly been working heavily on his stand-up, to the point where he’s suggested that he’ll be looking for a knockout this weekend against Jordan Williams.
And unlike some of his previous opponents, Williams looks like the kind of foe who Gall should at least be capable of beating. He’s got slightly more experience, but has only fought once in the UFC – a loss to Nassourdine Imavov last October.
Were Gall a fighter with less of a spotlight around him, this fight probably wouldn’t raise any eyebrows. But thanks to his win over CM Punk, Gall remains a recognizable name and one that could still become a semi-star for the UFC. And with a win this weekend, he could definitely get back on that trajectory.
#3 Kyler Phillips might be a special talent in the UFC’s bantamweight division
Thanks to the main event pitting T.J. Dillashaw against Cory Sandhagen, the UFC’s men’s bantamweight division has all the spotlight at UFC Vegas 32. But Dillashaw and Sandhagen won’t be the only 135lbers looking to make an impact. That’s because rising star Kyler Phillips is also fighting on the main card of the event, facing off with Brazilian grappler Raulian Paiva.
A former flyweight, Paiva’s record is a gaudy-looking one. He’s got 20 wins to his name with just three losses, but it’s worth noting that two of those losses came when he stepped up in competition in the UFC. Inside the octagon, he’s just 2-2.
This means that this could well be a chance for Phillips to really shine against what should be a very beatable opponent. ‘The Matrix’ is 3-0 in the UFC, but prior to his most recent fight, he was largely unheralded.
That changed when he showed some tremendous striking skill to outpoint the highly rated Song Yadong. The victory that moved him into the UFC’s top 15 at 135 pounds.
Given that Phillips’ initial reputation was for his grappling, it makes him a very interesting fighter to watch. ‘The Matrix’ didn’t bring a big record with him into the UFC, but he could be a special talent indeed.
If he can defeat Paiva at the weekend, and do it impressively, then not only might he move up the ladder, but he could definitely become a recognizable name too. His fight is almost definitely a must-see affair.
#2 Aspen Ladd might be the next title challenger in the UFC women's bantamweight division
When it comes to the UFC’s most dominant champion, Amanda Nunes is usually at the top of the list for most fans. The 'Lioness’ has held the UFC bantamweight title since 2016, and has destroyed every opponent the UFC has put in front of her, essentially cleaning out the division.
That means that any fighter who can put together a handful of strong wins will probably end up with a title shot at some point, and assuming Nunes deals with Julianna Pena next month, the next challenger on her list could be Aspen Ladd.
Seen as a top prospect for some time now, Ladd faces off with Macy Chiasson at UFC Vegas 32 this weekend. If she can defeat the TUF winner, and the styles of both fighters suggest she should, then she’ll take her overall UFC record to 5-1.
More interestingly though, Ladd brings a dangerous game to the octagon that is built around wrestling, athleticism and sheer aggression. She loves nothing more than to take her opponents down and smash them from the top, something she’s been able to do to the four foes she’s beaten in the UFC.
If Ladd can do that to Chiasson on Saturday, then the clamor for her to face Nunes will immediately get much louder. And with her style of fighting, she’d probably have as good a chance as any of ending the reign of the Brazilian. That means that her fight this weekend ought to be unmissable.
#1 Cory Sandhagen vs. T.J. Dillashaw should be one of the best fights of 2021
The biggest reason for UFC fans to watch UFC Vegas 32 this weekend is the incredible main event between bantamweight stars Cory Sandhagen and T.J. Dillashaw.
This fight should decide the next number one contender for the UFC bantamweight title, but in a parallel universe, it could easily be a UFC title fight in its own right. After all, both Dillashaw and Sandhagen definitely have the potential to hold the title.
In fact, Dillashaw can still boast that he never actually lost the UFC bantamweight title inside the octagon, as he was instead stripped following a positive test for the banned substance EPO.
Sandhagen, meanwhile, has just one loss in the UFC to his name, which came against current champ Aljamain Sterling. But he seems to have improved dramatically since then, picking up two huge wins by knockout in the year that’s followed.
Add in the fact that both men have an extremely exciting style to watch, largely based around hard-hitting combination striking, and this could well prove to be an instant classic.
Basically, this is the kind of fight that only the UFC can provide and that makes UFC Vegas 32 a must-see show.
