In January, Jean Silva recovered in the UFC by defeating Arnold Allen , impressed in the octagon and reached sixth place in the featherweight rankings (up to 65,8 kg). Excited, the always vocal Brazilian took the opportunity to start his campaign to challenge champion Alexander Volkanovski for the title and, in fact, is expected to challenge him. However, the main event of UFC Vegas 116, which takes place this Saturday (25) and features Aljamain Sterling , former king of the bantamweight division (up to 61,2 kg), and the promising Youssef Zalal , could spoil the bad boy's plans.
Just like Jean, the duo leading the fight are prominent in the featherweight division, and naturally, the winner of the bout will gain momentum to jump the queue, which has Movsar Evloev as the first option to face Volkanovski. Sterling enters the duel ranked fifth and coming off a dominant victory over Brian Ortega . Zalal, in his second stint in the UFC, is experiencing a magical moment, as he is undefeated in the octagon, riding a five-fight winning streak. Thus, the athlete has consolidated his seventh place in the rankings.
Sterling promotes UFC event. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC
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Another point that also worries Jean and highlights the competition is the desire of champion Volkanovski. The Australian has already made it clear that, in his view, the athlete from the 'Fighting Nerds' academy has not yet earned a title shot. Furthermore, 'The Great', who has already expressed interest in facing Evloev, has also shown himself open to a fight with Sterling, since the time when Sterling was dominant in the bantamweight division.
Zalal makes weight and confirms fight in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC
Therefore, since they headline UFC Vegas 116 and know that Volkanovski will be watching the fight closely, Sterling and Zalal will give their all to ensure the winner is seen as the number one contender. On one side, the American, a grappling specialist, possesses a pragmatic game and an unusual but effective striking style. On the other, the Moroccan fights and lets fight, being aggressive both standing and on the ground. With this scenario, if Jean wants to stay in the title race, he will have to be more vocal than ever to disrupt the hype surrounding whoever wins.
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Full fight card for UFC Vegas 116
MAIN CARD (21pm Brasília time)
Featherweight (up to 65,8 kg): Aljamain Sterling x Youssef Zalal
Bantamweight (up to 61,2 kg): Norma Dumont x Joselyne Edwards
Lightweight (up to 70,3 kg): Rafa García vs. Alexander Hernandez
Bantamweight (up to 61,2 kg): Davey Grant x Adrián Luna Martinetti
Bantamweight (up to 61,2 kg): Montel Jackson vs. Raoni Barcelos
Heavyweight (up to 120,2 kg): Marcus Buchecha vs. Ryan Spann
PRELIMINARY CARD (18pm Brasília time)
Average weight (up to 83,9 kg): Rodolfo Vieira vs. Eric McConico
Bantamweight (up to 61,2 kg): Mayra Sheetara vs. Michelle Montague
Average weight (up to 83,9 kg): Jackson McVey x Sedriques Dumas
Bantamweight (up to 61,2 kg): Jafel Pastor vs. Cody Durden
Lightweight (up to 70,3 kg): Francis Marshall vs. Lucas Brennan
Welterweight (up to 77,1 kg): Max Griffin vs. Victor Valenzuela
Strawweight (up to 52,2 kg): Talita Alencar x Julia Polastri
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