Which pugilist will emerge because the undisputed heavyweight champion when Francis Ngannou takes on interim champion Ciryl Gane?
Can Tijuana-bred flyweight champion Brandon Moreno hold Brazilian jiujitsu black belt Deiveson Figueiredo from night the rating?
The tandem of title fights highlights UFC 270 at Honda Middle in Anaheim and on ESPN+ pay-per-view Saturday evening. This would be the first UFC occasion within the Southland since UFC 241 on Aug. 17, 2019, when Stipe Miocic knocked out Daniel Cormier to regain the heavyweight championship.
Moreno (19-5-2) will face Figueiredo (20-2-1) in a trilogy battle that would generate essentially the most curiosity amongst Southland viewers due to Moreno’s recognition.
Moreno, Mexico’s first UFC champion, will battle Figueiredo for the third consecutive time. They fought to a majority attract 2020 in a fight-of-the-year contender, and in June, Moreno made positive there was no debate when he choked out Figueiredo to win the title.
Moreno has revived his profession after an uneven run from 2016 to 2019 resulted in his launch from the UFC. After successful a title in a special promotion in his lone battle outdoors UFC throughout his ouster, Moreno made it again, and hasn’t misplaced throughout a 4-0-2 run.
Moreno, whose household runs a piñata enterprise in Mexico that distributes its merchandise all through Southern California, is seeking to lean on his information of Figueiredo to ship one other beating.
“I simply wish to battle this Saturday, hold the battle with me and be prepared for the subsequent one,” Moreno mentioned. “However undoubtedly this a part of my life, this trilogy, will likely be one thing good in my legacy.”
The 28-year-old has loved the limelight that has come together with his 125-pound title.
Throughout Mexico’s 4-0 soccer win towards Nigeria final summer time, the “Murderer Child” was obtained warmly by followers on the Coliseum. He additionally visited boxing star Canelo Alvarez at his San Diego health club to get tips on preventing and dealing with fame.
The convivial Moreno smiled from ear-to-ear Thursday throughout a information convention, making coronary heart shapes together with his arms and swinging wisecracks on the irritated Figueiredo. The partisan crowd cheered for Moreno and booed the Brazilian.
“Brandon Moreno [is a] crybaby,” Figueiredo mentioned.
Moreno made noises into the microphone and supplied a retort whereas his crew blared music via a boombox.
“Why you strive so arduous, man? Simply cease,” Moreno mentioned. “Cash? Fame? I do know you’re a pleasant man, man. Simply cease.”
Moreno sang a extra critical tune away from the made-for-TV gathering.
“I really feel like the most important skill of Figueiredo is he’s large, he punches arduous, and he’s very intimidating,” he mentioned. “He tries to intimidate all his opponents within the octagon. So I’m anticipating the identical wild fighter, however slightly smarter on the similar time.”
The headline occasion also needs to be entertaining. The hard-hitting Ngannou — who knocked out Miocic in simply two rounds in March to win the crown — will face undefeated upstart and tour de power Gane, his former sparring companion now skilled by Fernand Lopez, who molded the uncooked French-Cameroonian Ngannou into the powerhouse he's at present earlier than separating.
The 35-year-old Ngannou (16-3) is coming into the battle going through a profession crossroads.
The 6-foot-4, 257-pound fighter is considering a part-time crossover into boxing and calling for a battle with WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. All of Ngannou’s MMA wins have come through stoppage, and he’s seeking to money in on his energy as a result of Saturday would be the final battle on his UFC contract.
Ought to Ngannou beat Gane, the UFC might faucet right into a champion’s clause and prolong his deal. If Ngannou loses, the UFC might match any rival supply inside a 90-day window.
Nevertheless, negotiations round a brand new deal have been so futile over the past yr that UFC president Dana White as a substitute opted to stage an interim title battle in August that includes Gane and Derrick Lewis. Gane (10-0) dominated the veteran Lewis, scoring a third-round technical knockout.
Ngannou is driving a five-fight successful streak, all through knockout, with wins over Curtis Blaydes, Cain Velasquez, Junior dos Santos, Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Miocic since 2018.
“My prediction is a knockout in two rounds,” Ngannou mentioned of the battle with Gane.
The 31-year-old, technically adept Gane is a slight betting favourite heading into the battle. Gane has loved a meteoric rise since becoming a member of UFC in 2019 after turning professional in 2018. His final 4 wins have come towards credible contenders Lewis, Dos Santos, Rozenstruik and Alexander Volkov.
“I’m mentally prepared. I’m snug. I’m assured,” Gane mentioned. “I’m extra technical than him, and I've energy additionally. Francis is without doubt one of the largest and strongest guys on this division. In order that’s why it was a fortunate probability to [spar] him just a few years in the past. It helped me for my profession to really feel what energy is.”
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