New York City may not sleep all week in anticipation of one of the greatest fights we have seen in the UFC in quite some time this weekend.
Madison Square Garden will play host to a battle between the greatest UFC fighter of all time defending his Heavyweight strap for the first time against the most accomplished heavyweight of all time in Stipe Miocic.
It has been a long time coming but UFC fans will not wait much longer and on Sunday afternoon we will settle this debate for good.
The Co-Main Event will see Michael Chandler releasing himself from the shackles of Conor McGregor to return to the octagon against a man that has already defeated him in former UFC LIghtweight champion Charles Oliveira.
It is a cracking card full of anticipated match ups and we have offered our thoughts and betting plays below.
The greatest UFC athlete of all time returns this weekend to again attempt to create history by becoming the first man to successfully defend two belts in two separate divisions inside the octagon.
Of course he joined the two division champion club by defeating Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 via submission after a decade at the top in the Light Heavyweight division.
He was the youngest UFC champion in history in 2009 and has remained undefeated since, showing an array of skill sets in all facets of mixed martial arts that has been unrivaled.
Stipe Miocic has forged his own piece of history during his career and it’s hard to argue that there has ever been a better heavyweight in the history of the UFC.
In a division full of athletes that can shut your lights out with one strike, Miocic has just four losses in his 24 professional fight career.
The latest of which came via a Francis Ngannou punch in March of 2021.
An underrated part of Stipe Miocic’s game is his fight IQ and in order to find some value in this contest I’m backing him to survive the early rounds of this fight.
These two first faced off in 2021 in a fast paced and frenetic contest that ultimately ended with a TKO victory to Oliveria, handing him the vacant Lightweight title.
At the end of the first round in that bout, the bell saved Oliveira from the result being flipped.
The Brazilian went on to defeat Justin Gaethje and Dustin Porier after that win but he eventually lost the belt to Islam Makhachev ending a 12 fight win streak.
Former Bellator champion Michael Chandler has a record of 2-3 in the biggest promotion in the sport but he has put on a show in every one of his fights.
There may not be a more dedicated and professional athlete on the UFC roster, the opposite of the man who has kept him out of the limelight for so long in Conor McGregor.
Both of these men are extremely dangerous wherever the fight goes but considering Chandler was seconds away from winning their first encounter, I simply have to take him at the current price.
There may not be a more exciting prospect in the entire UFC than Bo Nickal.
A fighter comes along every couple of years that seems destined to be fighting for a title at some stage and right now that fighter is Nickal.
He is undefeated in six professional MMA fights and he has looked like a guy that is ready to fight the best that the division has to offer right now.
The UFC has been patient with him and he takes on a veteran grappler this weekend in the shape of Paul Craig.
It’s been a tough period for Scotsman Craig who has lost four of his last five fights leading into this challenge but there is no doubting he is a threat to anyone especially if the fight goes to the canvas.
Just ask Magomed Ankalaev, who’s only loss came via a late triangle from Craig, or former UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill who had his arm snapped by the Scot.
Bo Nickal has proven his fight IQ is high in his short career so far and if he avoids using his dominant wrestle heavy style, and keeps the fight standing, can get the knockout at some stage in the fight.