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Another weekend is closing in, and another stacked UFC pay-per-view is almost upon us. This weekend's event will see the continuation of fans returning to arenas with the first sold-out Las Vegas crowd in well over a year.
The promotion will welcome an audience of 20,000+ to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event will mark the fourth to be held in front of a full crowd since the easing of restrictions following the Covid-19 outbreak.
The PPV is stacked from top to bottom. At the top of the card is a blockbuster trilogy fight between MMA's biggest star Conor McGregor and Louisiana's Dustin Poirier. With their rivalry level at one win apiece and with a shot at Charles Oliveira's lightweight title at stake, the headlining fight is set to be an absolute thriller.
With the likes of Stephen Thompson, Gilbert Burns, Sean O'Malley, Carlos Condit and Niko Price also in action, UFC 264 is expected to be one of the biggest PPV's of 2021.
With exciting bouts throughout, this weekend’s event could bring us more memorable moments, but who could be providing them?
Ahead of Saturday’s card, here are five names to look out for at UFC 264.
5) Dricus Du Plessis - UFC middleweight
I’m not sure if it comes from cricket’s Faf du Plessis or rugby’s Bismarck du Plessis, but something about "du Plessis" just makes me assume the person is good at their sport. 'Stillknocks' is MMA’s "du Plessis" success story. And he’s only just getting started.
Dricus du Plessis is one of South Africa’s top MMA stars. Before making his UFC debut on Fight Island last October, he had excelled elsewhere. He’s a former EFC double champion at middleweight and welterweight. He’s a former KSW welterweight champion. He’s a K-1 kickboxing champion. He’s a scary middleweight, and he’s arrived in the UFC.
Du Plessis, 27, stepped into the octagon for the first-time eight months ago. Against Markus Perez, the South African secured a first-round knockout. With nine of his 15 wins coming by submission, the Pretoria native boasts strong wrestling skills alongside his ever-improving striking.
Visa issues prevented him from facing Trevin Giles at UFC Vegas 22. With those problems resolved, 'Stillknocks' is set to return to the octagon in front of a sold-out Las Vegas crowd this weekend at UFC 264. On a stacked card, his re-arranged fight against Giles has gone under the radar in the lead up to the PPV. It certainly shouldn't and, for me, there isn't another fight I'm more excited for below the headlining trilogy bout.
4) Ilia Topuria - UFC featherweight
Not many fighters on the UFC roster under the age of 25 are as promising as Ilia Topuria. The leading man behind the prospect unit of the UFC's Georgian invasion, Topuria boasts a perfect 10-0 MMA record and is unbeaten in two walks to the octagon.
For his debut, 'El Matador' met fellow prospect Youssef Zalal. The Moroccan was riding a four-fight winning streak and had never tasted defeat in the UFC. Topuria changed that with an impressive performance. Topuria secured his first finish in the promotion in his most recent outing when he brutally slept Damon Jackson in the very first round of their clash at UFC Vegas 16.
Topuria, who is part-Spanish and part-Georgian, will look to continue his rise up the featherweight division when he faces the dangerous Ryan Hall at UFC 264 this weekend. 'The Wizard' has won eight fights in a row, including victories over Artem Lobov and B.J. Penn, but hasn't fought in two years.
With nine finishes in his unbeaten 10-fight career, an exciting prospect like Topuria is always one to keep an eye on, especially when they have the chance to truly show their skills against a top opponent like Hall. Prelim fights don't get much better than this.
3) Tai Tuivasa - UFC heavyweight
If there was ever a combination I'm excited to see again, it's a Tai Tuivasa fight and a full crowd. The Australian has devastating hands and it usually doesn't take him long to unleash them onto his opponents. Ask Stefan Struve, Harry Hunsucker, Cyril Asker, Rashad Coulter and just the six other names that 'Bam Bam' has dispatched of in the very first round.
Tuivasa will be looking to add Greg Hardy to that list this weekend. On the UFC 264 main card, the two behemoths will collide as they look to push for a place in the UFC's heavyweight rankings. Given how 'The Prince of War' crumbled under the pressure of Marcin Tybura's attack, Tuivasa will fancy his chances of finding a stoppage against the former American football defensive end.
Tuivasa is not only one to watch this weekend because of his devastating power, but if he secures the win, we're also likely to see the return of the infamous 'shoey' inside a packed T-Mobile Arena. Now who wouldn't want to see that?
2) Michel Pereira - UFC welterweight
You'd be hard-pressed to find a man more entertaining in the UFC right now than Michel Pereira. 'Demolidor' will always be one to watch when he's in action. His style simply lends itself to that. But alongside his eccentric attack and unique set of strikes is a talented and promising mixed martial artist.
The Brazilian arrived on MMA's biggest stage in style with a memorable knockout victory over Danny Roberts in 2019. Aside from a surprise defeat against Tristan Connelly on his second walk to the octagon, Pereira has been impressive. Despite the fight being recorded as a defeat, Pereira was dominant against veteran Diego Sanchez. It's always difficult to accuse someone of looking for an easy option out but when a fighter asks if they will win if the fight doesn't continue, it's never a good sign.
In his last two fights, Pereira has continued his rise at 170 pounds. A Performance of the Night submission victory over Zelim Imadaev brought him back to the win column, before an impressive performance over KO machine Khaos Williams boosted his stock even more. But his UFC 264 fight will be his toughest test yet.
In Las Vegas this weekend, Pereira will meet Niko 'The Hybrid' Price. The 31-year-old has been inconsistent since his early success in the UFC, but his threat remains clear. Alongside victories over the likes of James Vick, Alan Jouban, Randy Brown and Tim Means, Price has also fallen short against some of the division's top names, including Vicente Luque and Geoff Neal.
If you're looking to place an early bet for Fight of the Night, don't look past this blockbuster welterweight matchup, and don't look past Michel Pereira.
1) Sean O'Malley - UFC bantamweight
Love him or hate him, no one can deny Sean O'Malley's credentials as a legit prospect in the bantamweight division. Breaking into the UFC after one of the most memorable moments in DWCS history, O’Malley secured two UFC wins before being side-lined by USADA.
A win over Jose Alberto Quinonez, and one of the most rewatchable knockouts in history against Eddie Wineland, moved the 26-year-old to 4-0 in the UFC and brought his name firmly back into the bantamweight conversation.
Leg kicks and a diagnosis of a drop foot at the hands (or feet...) of Chito Vera handed 'Sugar' his first loss. Seven months later, O’Malley re-railed his hype train in about as impressive a fashion as he could have. There aren’t many superlatives that do justice for O’Malley’s performance at UFC 260. Against an undoubtedly tough opponent in Thomas Almeida, he displayed his speed, his power and his special style.
Despite being dominated for the whole fight, Almeida looked set to survive the 15 minutes. O'Malley had something to say about that. The American got his highlight finish in brutal fashion. Having dropped Almeida for a second time, O’Malley was forced to cancel his second attempt at a walk-off and connect with Almeida again, dropping a bomb as he fell onto the stricken Brazilian. It was clear he was as good as out before the right hand connected; there was no doubt after.
O'Malley will be looking for a second consecutive win this weekend when he faces UFC newcomer Kris Moutinho. 'Sugar' had been set to meet a more experienced opponent in Louis Smolka, however, 'Da Last Samurai' was forced to withdraw with a staph infection.
Whoever he's against, O'Malley is always one to watch. Although he's expected to secure the win relatively comfortably, the rising prospect always knows how to put on a show.
