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Next weekend will see the biggest MMA show of 2024 take place, as UFC 300 goes down in Las Vegas.
UFC 300 is arguably the deepest card in the history of the promotion, so naturally, there are plenty of undercard fighters ready to steal the spotlight. With former champions, hot prospects, and longtime veterans in action, any one of these fighters could easily outshine the title bouts on offer next weekend.
Here are five undercard fighters who could steal the show at UFC 300.
#5. Kayla Harrison - UFC bantamweight
There's always something special about the octagon debut of a big-name fighter from a rival promotion, and the arrival of Kayla Harrison at UFC 300 is no exception.
A two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo, Harrison was a two-time PFL lightweight champion. Due to her usually competing at 155 pounds, she was never expected to come to the octagon.
However, when Dana White announced her signing earlier this year, it was hard not to get excited. Sure, there are plenty of questions around her - namely how she'll make the 135-pound bantamweight limit - but her debut should still be fascinating.
Most importantly, she is set to face a very tricky opponent in the form of former titleholder Holly Holm, meaning the stakes are high. If Harrison can overcome 'The Preacher's Daughter', she could not only claim a bantamweight title shot, but she could re-energise a tired division.
The pressure is on the judoka, but if she can display the skills that saw her dominate in the PFL, she could well steal the show on the biggest stage of them all.
#4. Bo Nickal - UFC middleweight
Some eyebrows were raised when the card order for UFC 300 was announced, namely because of the fact that the middleweight bout between Bo Nickal and Cody Brundage was selected to open the main card.
With many fans feeling that he's been given preferential treatment by the promotion, then, this fight is Nickal's chance to not only steal the show, but prove his worth too.
Sure, Brundage isn't a ranked fighter at 185 pounds, but with four octagon wins to his name, he's clearly the toughest test that 'The Allen Assassin' has faced yet. If Nickal can deal with him with the same ease that he dispatched Jamie Pickett and Val Woodburn, it'll be hard not to view him as on a path to the top.
Admittedly, the standout wrestler is the biggest betting favorite on the card, meaning nobody is expecting him to lose. Despite this, with a huge win and the right callout afterwards, he could still steal the show next weekend.
#3. Aljamain Sterling - former UFC bantamweight champion
One fighter set to compete on UFC 300's undercard who is used to stealing the show is former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling.
'Funk Master' climbed to the top at 135 pounds, defeating the likes of Petr Yan, TJ Dillashaw and Henry Cejudo along the way.
Now, though, after losing his title to Sean O'Malley last year, Sterling has decided on a new challenge. He's set to move to 145 pounds, with his first opponent at featherweight being the No. 8-ranked Calvin Kattar.
If 'Funk Master' can get past Kattar - which is not a guarantee given Kattar's striking skills - then he'd instantly be seen as a title contender in his new division.
If he can finish Kattar, meanwhile, a feat nobody has really managed since 2008, it'd be hard not to get very excited over his featherweight prospects. Do that, and Sterling could definitely steal the show.
#2. Deiveson Figueiredo - former UFC flyweight champion
UFC 300's card is so deep that even the opening bout of the night could probably be considered a high-end Fight Night headliner.
That opening bout will pit former bantamweight kingpin Cody Garbrandt against another former titleholder in ex-flyweight champ Deiveson Figueiredo.
This fight is likely to be a wild slugfest with both men swinging for the bleachers, but it seems more likely that of the two, Figueiredo has the ability to steal the show.
'Deus Da Guerra' carries brutal power in his punches and has a savage killer instinct, and whether Garbrandt's chin can hold up against his onslaught is a fair question to ask.
So why could Figueiredo steal the show with a win? Firstly, because more than any other fight on the card, it feels like this one is likely to end in a violent knockout.
Secondly, the Brazilian, who beat Rob Font in his bantamweight debut last year, could enter title contention with a big win. More than any other 135-pound fighter right now, he's flying under the radar as a threat to reigning champ Sean O'Malley.
Therefore, a big win for Figueiredo could not only steal the show in Las Vegas, but it could also vault him directly into the deep title picture at 135 pounds.
#1. Jiri Prochazka - former UFC light heavyweight champion
Of all of the fighters competing on UFC 300's stacked undercard, the one most likely to steal the show has to be former light heavyweight champ Jiri Prochazka.
Despite only competing in the octagon on four occasions to date, 'BJP' has already established himself as one of the most exciting fighters to emerge in recent memory.
With only two of his 34 career bouts going the distance, Prochazka is the definition of a kill-or-be-killed fighter. His finishes of Dominick Reyes and Glover Teixeira were as memorable as any others in the last couple of years.
If this wasn't enough, 'Denisa' has a point to prove next weekend. His last fight saw him defeated by Alex Pereira in a bout for the vacant 205-pound title, but the finish was semi-controversial as many fans felt Prochazka could've continued.
If the native of Czechia can defeat opponent Aleksandar Rakic in his usual explosive style, then it's highly likely he'll be granted another shot at the title, potentially against Pereira.
With that kind of redemption on his mind, Prochazka could definitely produce one of his best showings to date. If he can do that, there's no doubt he could steal the show, too.
