UFC 235: 5 things we know so far

UFC 235 is possibly one of the biggest upcoming pay-per-views in the coming year.

Set to take place on the 2nd of March, the pay-per-view event might be a huge step for the UFC as it will shape how the entire fight promotion looks heading into the next part of the year.

So far, it looks like a spectacular pay-per-view event. With the cancellation of UFC 233, UFC 235 has only been bolstered further, with a big fight added to the card.

Given that the show only seems to keep growing, here's what we know about UFC 235 so far.

#1 2 Championship Fights

At the moment the show appears like it could be hosting two specific Championship fights.

After Colby Covington defeated Rafael Dos Anjos to win the Interim Welterweight Championship, it was expected that he would be the fighter to face Tyron Woodley next for the Uniting fight for the Welterweight Championship.

However, he was not able to take part in the fight when the option came to face Tyron Woodley, as he was getting a nose surgery at the time and needed to recover from the process. Instead, Woodley faced Darren Till and defeated him, staking his rights to the title again.

Now Woodley is set to defend the title again, but instead of facing Covington, he will be facing Kamaru Usman at UFC 235. Covington is less than happy about the entire situation and has called out Dana White for the situation.

The other Championship fight possibly taking place at the pay-per-view is none other than the newest Champion of UFC defending his title against a challenger. The UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Jon Jones might be the next person to be defending his title at UFC 235, when he takes on the Number 1 contender, Anthony Smith.

Smith earned the opportunity when he defeated Volkan Oezdemir towards the end of 2018, and this will prove to be his test to see if he can defeat Jones for the title. Jones only recently won the title, after he was able to defeat Alexander Gustafsson when he returned to action.

#2 Debut of the year?

UFC 235 might be part of one of the debuts of the year.

'Mighty Mouse' Demetrious Johnson made the move to ONE Championship as UFC looked to exchange the former record-holding UFC Flyweight Champion with another fighter from ONE.

Making his way over to UFC in one of the biggest moves of 2018 was none other than Ben Askren.

If Ben Askren makes his debut in the Octagon, he could not be making his debut against a better opponent as he takes on a former UFC Champion, in Robbie Lawler.

The two were set to square off in the UFC 233 pay-per-view event that was supposed to take place in January, but the date for the fight was changed due to the fact that the pay-per-view itself was cancelled.

Askren's fight on the UFC 235 show will be a huge indication of what the company can expect from the fighter heading further into his career.

#3 A former Champion returning to contention?

Cody Garbrandt did not have the best run in either 2017 or 2018. He was faced by his former gym-mate, TJ Dillashaw at UFC 217.

Garbrandt had headed into 2017 as the UFC Bantamweight Champion, and there he faced TJ Dillashaw, a person with whom Garbrandt had a personal rivalry. The fact that the two were in the same gym for a while before Dillashaw changed his training process and place was not appreciated by Garbrandt.

So, when the two faced each other, it was much to his consternation that Dillashaw knocked him out in the second round of their fight. He could not accept it and for a full year, he waited for another opportunity to face TJ Dillashaw.

When he finally got it, it was to similar disappointment, as Garbrandt found himself losing to Dillashaw yet again in 2018 at UFC 227, and this time in the 1st round itself.

Now Cody Garbrandt is being rumoured to be returning to action at UFC 235, where he will be facing Pedro Munhoz in the event.

#4 The continued rise of Zabit

Zabit Magomedsharipov has proven to be one of the hottest young prospects to ever enter the UFC Octagon. With four wins on the drop at the moment, Magomedsharipov has dealt with every challenge that has come in front of him in short order. His abilities as a wrestler have proven to be enough for him to overcome any fighter who has come in front of him.

With three submissions in his four fights for the company, there does not seem to be a chance for any of his opponents to gain an advantage over him for the briefest of moments.

Now, he is ready for his fifth fight for the company now, with Zabit Magomedsharipov taking on a veteran of the Octagon at UFC 235, Jeremy Stephens.

Other than this fight, there is also a fight between two of the top women in the UFC, where Holly Holm will take on the undefeated Aspen Ladd. Whoever wins this fight will be doing their careers no harm at all, with possible title fights in their career.

#5 Possible last fight of Daniel Cormier

Daniel Cormier is one of the best fighters to ever enter the Octagon. Cormier has proved to be an incredible fighter, and 2018 was all about him.

Cormier proved to the world that he deserved the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship early in the year, defeating Volkan Oezdemir. He then went on to add to his legacy even further, by winning the UFC Heavyweight Title when he defeated Stipe Miocic at UFC 226.

Challenging Brock Lesnar to a fight there, he moved on and defended the Heavyweight Title once again, as he was able to defend the title in yet another title fight when he faced Derrick Lewis at UFC 230.

With three big wins to his name, and being the #3 on the rankings of top athletes in 2018, Cormier is looking to close off his career in style in 2019. Wanting to retire, he said that he wanted a fight in March.

Cormier could very well be headlining UFC 235 if his fight with Brock Lesnar at the pay-per-view event actually comes about.