For the first time since 2019 the UFC heads back to Chicago for a pay-per-view (can we say that anymore) card and one of the most anticipated title fights in recent memory.
Dricus Du Plessis is in search of another middleweight title defence when he takes on the bogeyman of the division Khamzat Chimaev in the main event.
As always, the card is stacked full of quality fights and we have offered our thoughts and betting plays below.
It’s always a much anticipated fight when two undefeated contenders clash for a world title belt and this match up has MMA fans mouths watering.
Dricus Du Plessis is undefeated since making his UFC debut in 2020 and his well rounded and powerful fighting style has made him a force in the Middleweight division since.
Wins over Sean Strickland (twice) Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker have been highlights and he possesses both excellent wrestling prowess and heavy hands that can finish the fight with one punch.
At one point in time there was a question mark on the South African’s gas tank and fitness but, now he has his breathing issues sorted out, it no longer plagues him.
There have been many rumours of fighters refusing to fight Khamzat Chimaev, especially when he was a welterweight where there are a lot of inactive fighters, and with the evidence he has shown I can’t blame them.
He was dominant when starting out his UFC career but close fights against Gilbert Burns and Kamaru Usman in recent times has proven he is human afterall.
Khamzat can look devastatingly brilliant at times, dominating his opponents especially with his high level wrestling, and evidence of this came in his last fight when he essentially broke the face of Robert Whittaker.
He has not been active in the last couple of years, and the fact that he has never seen a fourth round, has me siding with the champion especially considering the price.
The UFC has long dominated the market share of mixed martial arts fighters and fans but this has only increased in recent years.
A host of professional fighters from other promotions have made the switch to the UFC for mixed success.
Aaron Pico is the latest to come over to the UFC from Bellator and he brings a 12-4 record with him.
Lerone Murphy is undefeated in 17 professional MMA fights including an eight fight wins streak in the UFC since 2020.
He beat former title challenger Josh Emmett in April to put himself right in the picture for a title shot and a win over Pico would surely secure that chance.
It’s not easy coming over to the UFC, especially from Bellator, and we have a number of examples of those fighters failing when they arrive.
The fact we are getting a better price for the established, experienced fighter who is on a winning streak is appealing.
Geoff Neal made his UFC debut back in 2017 and has gone 8-4 since, which on paper seems an average record.
But when you consider he has wins over Belal Muhammad, Vicente Luque and Rafael dos Anjos it looks far better.
Compare that to Carlos Prates, who is an exciting fighter with exceptional skills, and this price disparity in the head to head market seems a little skewed.
Prates is a BJJ black belt but it is his striking ability that has been his main weapon and 16 of his 21 pro MMA wins have been via KO/TKO.
The fighting nerds have been building momentum and a bigger fan base at a fast rate but Prates was somewhat found out against Ian Garry in his last fight.
He is more than capable of winning this fight for sure, but at the price I’m siding with Neal.