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The UFC is all set to put up a blockbuster event this weekend featuring two title fights in the main and co-main event.
After a somewhat lackluster fight night event last week headlined by Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Augusto Sakai, UFC 263, set to go down on Saturday, June 12, 2021, at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona, promises to be quite the firecracker.
This will be the second event hosted by the UFC at this venue, after UFC on FOX: Poirier vs. Gaethje in April 2018.
Also read: What channel is UFC 263 on tonight?
UFC 263 - Israel Adesanya vs. Marvin Vettori
UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya will defend his belt for the third time since dethroning Robert Whittaker at UFC 243. He will be challenged by 'The Italian Dream' Marvin Vettori, who is currently on a five-fight winning streak. The two have engaged in enough heated back-and-forth over the past few weeks and especially in the press conference earlier on Thursday to give this fight the fuel it needs to sell.
The co-main event will see UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo fight Brandon Moreno in a rematch of their UFC 256 clash that ended in a Majority Draw. Deiveson Figueiredo retained his belt the last time, but will look to take home a win on Saturday. From their press conference face-off, 'Deus Da Guerra' looked prepared to kill, while his opponent, 'The Assassin Baby,' looked as calm and collected as ever.
Despite not being the main or co-main event, the five-round non-title fight between a returning Nate Diaz and no.3-ranked welterweight Leon Edwards is one of the biggest draws of the night. Nate Diaz made his presence felt at the press conference, where he said very few words, smoked marijuana while Israel Adesanya and Marvin Vettori engaged in verbal battles, and walked away as the star of the night.
Also read: 4 times Nate Diaz 'lit up' a UFC event
Here's the full card for UFC 263 set to go down Saturday night.
Main Card
Israel Adesanya vs. Marvin Vettori (Men's middleweight) - Main Event
Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno (Men's flyweight) - Co-main Event
Leon Edwards vs. Nate Diaz (Men's welterweight)
Demian Maia vs. Belal Muhammad (Men's welterweight)
Paul Craig vs. Jamahal Hill (Men's light heavyweight)
Preliminary Card
Drew Dober vs. Brad Riddell (Men's lightweight)
Eryk Anders vs. Darren Stewart (Men's light heavyweight)
Lauren Murphy vs. Joanne Calderwood (Women's flyweight)
Movsar Evloev vs. Hakeem Dawodu (Men's featherweight)
Early Prelims
Pannie Kianzad vs. Alexis Davis (Women's bantamweight)
Matt Frevola vs. Terrance McKinney (Men's lightweight)
Chase Hooper vs. Steven Peterson (Men's featherweight)
Fares Ziam vs. Luigi Vendramini (Men's lightweight)
Carlos Felipe vs. Jake Collier (Men's heavyweight)
Also read: 5 outstanding undercard fighters to keep an eye on at UFC 263
Watch the UFC 263 official cold open below.
