5 fighters who could steal the show at UFC 286
This weekend, the octagon heads to London, England for a major pay-per-view in UFC 286.
Naturally, all eyes will be on the main event, which sees Leon Edwards defend his welterweight crown against former titleholder Kamaru Usman. That being said, UFC 286 is a very deep card overall.
That means that outside of the headliner, there are a number of fighters on display who have the potential to steal the show.
Whether they pull it off – or whether they slump to disappointing defeat – remains to be seen. They are, however, definitely worth watching.
Here are five fighters who could steal the show at UFC 286.
#5. Roman Dolidze – UFC middleweight contender
One fighter who has a major opportunity this weekend is middleweight contender Roman Dolidze. He’s been matched with former title challenger Marvin Vettori in what is almost certainly the biggest fight of his UFC career.
The Georgian has undoubtedly looked brilliant in his last few fights. He’s on a four-fight win streak and has finished his last three foes, including the highly ranked Jack Hermansson.
#UFCOrlandoDOLIDZE HAD HERMANSSON HELPLESS 😳 #UFCOrlando https://t.co/XKnCYlGOsG
‘The Caucasian’ is a big 185lber, hits like a truck, and he’s also a strong grappler who is tricky to take down and even more difficult to keep down.
Vettori, though, promises to test him like never before. ‘The Italian Dream’ is a tremendous fighter in all areas, has excellent technical striking, and loves to stifle his foes with his clinch game.
The area he struggles in, though, is finishing his foes. Dolidze, on the other hand, seems to only require a small opening to take someone out, making him very dangerous for Vettori.
If he does that, then he will instantly become a genuine middleweight title contender – and could steal the show on Saturday night.
#4. Gunnar Nelson – UFC welterweight contender
It’s probably fair to say that the hype around welterweight Gunnar Nelson evaporated some time ago.
Once considered one of the hottest 170lbs prospects in the UFC, ‘Gunni’ has only fought sporadically in recent years, and has lost two of his last three bouts.
However, at the age of 34, he’s still got time to make his mark in the octagon. Despite being around for a long time now – he debuted back in 2012 – he hasn’t taken all that much damage over the years.
This weekend sees Nelson faced with a relatively tricky opponent in the form of Bryan Barberena, a ridiculously tough fighter who has always proven difficult to finish.
However, ‘Bam Bam’ was submitted by Rafael Dos Anjos in his last bout, and Nelson is one of the very best grapplers in MMA, even if it’s been a while since he showed it in the octagon.
When you consider that ‘Gunni’ is also highly popular in the UK thanks to his friendship with Conor McGregor and his years of training there, it’s likely that if he wins, he could well steal the show this weekend.
It won’t be easy – a fight with Barberena never is – but if he can win impressively, the hype around him may not be done just yet.
#3. Casey O’Neill – UFC flyweight contender
One fighter set to compete at UFC 286 who is perhaps closer to a title shot than most is flyweight prospect Casey O’Neill.
‘King Casey’ is still unbeaten, both in MMA and in the octagon, with a record of 9-0. After her most recent win, over former title challenger Roxanne Modafferi, she seems to be on the fast track to both stardom and contender status.
"If you want me to be the bad guy, then I'll be the bad guy!"
🏴 @KingCaseyMMA is FIRED UP after that performance! #UFC271 https://t.co/G9mhtYjPP6
However, last year saw her derailed by a serious knee injury, and her fight with Jennifer Maia this weekend will be her first in just over a year.
Can ‘King Casey’ return with the same kind of form that she left off with? If she can, then she should be able to defeat another former title challenger in Brazil’s Maia, who is less dynamic and explosive than O’Neill.
Being Scottish-born, there is an off chance that O’Neill may not be as popular in London as some fans might expect. However, if she can stop Maia – something that nobody in the UFC has done before – then she could definitely steal the show this weekend.
#2. Muhammad Mokaev – UFC flyweight contender
UFC 286’s preliminary card doesn’t have many potential stars on display, but the exception to that is undoubtedly flyweight contender Muhammad Mokaev.
Put simply, the Dagestan-born, UK-based ‘Punisher’ is a genuine blue prospect, and given the form he’s shown thus far, it’s hard to imagine him not making it all the way to the top.
Despite plenty of experience with a 9-0 professional record and a 23-0 amateur record, Mokaev is still only 22 years old.
However, when he’s stepped into the octagon, he’s fought like a much older and wiser fighter, using his powerful grappling to bully his way through his last three opponents, two of whom he finished via submission.
The first finish of #UFC280 💪
Muhammad Mokaev gets the late submission over Malcolm Gordon https://t.co/jRbVXNsFVb
Mokaev is already ranked at #12 in the flyweight division. While a win over debutant Jafel Filho this weekend likely won’t move him up the ladder, if he can finish him impressively, then it’s likely that his hype train will pick up some serious speed.
As the biggest potential star on the preliminary card, Mokaev should have a big spotlight on him, and a strong win could see him steal the show.
#1. Justin Gaethje – UFC lightweight contender
There’s no doubt that if any fighter can steal the show at UFC 286 this weekend, it’s Justin 'The Highlight' Gaethje.
Even though Gaethje is in the event’s co-main event, few people are paying much attention to his clash with Rafael Fiziev given the prominence of the main event.
That’s likely to change on Saturday. Not only is this bout a stylistically explosive clash that pits two of the most exciting lightweights on the roster against one another, it's one that holds a ton of implications for how Gaethje will move forward.
Justin Gaethje: ‘I’m the most exciting fighter that has ever stepped in that octagon in the history of this sport’ (@DamonMartin) mmafighting.com/2023/3/15/2364… https://t.co/lVHbByaDCA
In just six years with the promotion, he’s entered the octagon on ten occasions. Remarkably, he’s gone the distance just once – his instant classic with Michael Chandler last year – and has somehow won a post-fight bonus in every one of his bouts.Given Fiziev’s penchant for putting on wild fights in his own right, fans can expect a barnburner.
However, of the two, Gaethje is both the bigger star and the more proven talent, making him the favorite to get his hand raised in London. Therefore, it’s very likely that he’ll steal the show yet again this weekend.