The UFC heads back to Abu Dhabi this week and the spectacle is headlined by a UFC title fight between Illia Topuria and Max Holloway as well as a Co-Main Event between Aussie Rob Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev.
Illia Topuria may hold the UFC Featherweight belt but if he truly wants to be the best, he has to beat the best.
But is the best still Blessed?
We find out on Sunday!
The Georgian born Spaniard Illia Topuria is undefeated in 15 professional MMA fights, seven of which have been in the UFC.
At just 30 years of age he became the UFC Featherweight champion by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski in February of this year, the fifth stoppage win in his UFC career.
Max Holloway is just two years older than his opponent but he has spent over 10 years at the top of the UFC Featherweight division, first winning gold in 2016 and defending his title three times.
Incredibly he has just three losses in the division since 2014 and all three came at the hands of Alexander Volkanovski.
The Hawaiin legend has undoubtedly earned another shot at the title and this sentiment was further enhanced with his knockout win over Justin Gathje earlier this year especially considering he moved up to Lightweight to take the fight.
He has never been knocked out in 33 professional fights but he runs into a hungry, determined and extremely well rounded fighter in Illia Topuria.
The warrior that is Robert Whittaker returns to the octagon and continues his path back to a title shot.
Once a champion of the UFC Middleweight division, the Aussie legend has lost just three times since 2014.
Two of those were against his ANZAC rival Israel Adesanya and, more recently, against current champion Dricus Du Plessis.
Khamzat Chimaev is undefeated in 13 professional MMA fights and the hype around him went into overdrive when he won three fights in his first year in the promotion back in 2020.
His first real challenge came against Gilbert Burns and although he won a unanimous decision, it was an extremely close fight.
Kevin Holland simply wasn’t ready when he faced Chimaev at the last minute at UFC 279 and he then won a close majority decision against Kamaru Usman who is a welterweight.
Whittaker has been tested against the best of the division for a long time, is an absolute professional and is healthy.
Chimaev is exciting and has a huge amount of upside however he has had weight issues, injury concerns and serious illnesses in recent times.
It’s a mouth watering fight that could go either way but at this price, I simply have to be with the Aussie legend!
Magomed Ankalaev is undefeated in his last 12 professional MMA fights including wins over Thiago Santos, Johnny Walker and Anthony Smith.
He failed when fighting for the vacant title against Jan Blachowicz although the fight was judged as a split draw.
For a long time he has been talked about as an opponent for Light Heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and he can secure that fight with a win in this contest.
Aleksandar Rakic was also talked about in high regard as he made his way through the rankings, but a bad knee injury against Jan Blachowicz hampered his chances at a title shot.
After two years he returned to the octagon in April this year but was stopped in the second round via a TKO.
Ankalaev seems destined for another shot at UFC gold but he can be very calculated in his fights and Rakic is a worthy opponent who can last the three rounds.