5 reasons to watch UFC Fight Night: Thiago Santos vs. Johnny Walker
This weekend sees the UFC present its latest Fight Night event. While the card is unsurprisingly not as star-studded as last weekend’s UFC 266 pay-per-view, it still looks like an interesting one to watch.
UFC Fight Night: Thiago Santos vs. Johnny Walker features high-level contenders, hot prospects and exciting action fighters competing across multiple weight divisions.
This battle between Brazilian LHWs promises to bring the fireworks 🇧🇷
[ @TMarretaMMA | @JohnnyWalker | #UFCVegas38 | THIS SATURDAY | Live on #ESPNPlus ] https://t.co/gLx2Il6obZ
So with plenty on the line and some of the UFC’s wildest fighters in action, this should be an event that UFC fans won’t want to miss.
With that considered, here are five reasons to watch UFC Fight Night: Thiago Santos vs. Johnny Walker.
#5. Aspen Ladd could be a future threat to UFC women's bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes
One intriguing main card clash set for this weekend's UFC main card will see Aspen Ladd take on Macy Chiasson in a women's bantamweight clash. While Chiasson is a decent prospect in her own right, the spotlight will likely be on Ladd when it comes to fight time.
That’s because Ladd is one of the few fighters on the UFC’s roster who looks capable of becoming a threat to current bantamweight queen Amanda Nunes at some point in the future. Ladd is 9-1 in MMA overall, although she does have an extensive amateur record to add to that professional ledger. In the UFC, she’s 4-1, with her only loss coming against Germaine de Randamie in 2019 in a fight that saw a somewhat questionable referee stoppage.
Her major strength is on the ground. She looks to take her opponents down and maul them once she gets them there. For the most part, she’s been able to do just that, unleashing truly ferocious ground-and-pound like few other fighters have demonstrated in the division.
JOB DONE 👊
@AspenLaddMMA turns it ON in the third!
➡️ Watch the card on @ESPN! #UFCDC https://t.co/Q8y4jKOApV
Ladd hasn’t fought since December 2019. So, whether she’ll be at her best this weekend is a fair question to ask. However, if she comes in as good as new, then Chiasson is likely to be in trouble.
A big win here could move Ladd directly into title contention, particularly given the thin nature of the women's bantamweight division. That means this weekend’s show might act as a spotlight for this prospect. Therefore, this fight is a can’t miss for UFC fans.