5 things that might happen at UFC 286

UFC 286 is days away. The pay-per-view will be headlined by a trilogy bout between newly crowned welterweight king Leon Edwards and former divisional titleholder Kamaru Usman. The event features a strong card, with lightweight standouts Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev serving as the co-main event attraction.

A wide variety of predictions have been made by fans, fighters and analysts. Some wonder if 'Rocky' can repeat his UFC 278 success and score another knockout against Usman. Others, however, are certain that 'The Nigerian Nightmare' will emerge victorious with a typically dominant performance.

Other things are likely to take place throughout the event, whether during the preliminary portion or the main card. This list takes a look at five potentially noteworthy things that could happen come fight night this Saturday.

#5. Joanne Wood retires from MMA

The UFC women's flyweight division has never been the deepest of its kind in the promotion. It has always dealt with accusations of being shallow at best and being propped up as a showcase for Valentina Shevchenko in a vein similar to Cris Cyborg's former reign in the UFC featherweight division.

While things are different now and there are standout performers at 125 pounds, there was a time when there weren't many notable names. Among the division's original stars, however, was Joanne Wood (née Calderwood).

In the past, she was known as a scrappy Scotswoman with an endearing, soft-spoken demeanor.

Unfortunately, she never reached the heights expected of her.

She is currently 37 and riding a three-fight losing streak. She's also unranked with five losses in her last seven fights. At UFC 286, she will face Luana Carolina. If she loses with her 38th birthday coming up later this year, she may very well call it a career and retire.

#4. Muhammad Mokaev injects new life into the UFC flyweight division

Undefeated fighters are always special attractions in all forms of combat sports. Fans are eager to watch them either extend their unbeaten streaks or witness their first defeat.

The UFC flyweight division isn't known for having the best PPV draws. Besides Brandon Moreno and Kai Kara-France, there aren't many known fighters. After Deiveson Figueiredo announced his departure from the division, there were almost no other notable names.

Muhammad Mokaev, however, could break the mold.

One of the biggest prospects in MMA, flyweight Muhammad Mokaev (8-0) returns at #UFC286 this Saturday.

He puts his top-fifteen ranking & undefeated record on the line against UFC newcomer, DWCS winner Jafel Filho (14-2).

#UFC #MMA https://t.co/WRYdQ4IhWU

He is currently undefeated with a breadth of finishes on his record. His powerful wrestling style and Dagestani origins have already drawn attention.

Fans are eager to see if he will be another phenom in a long line of Dagestani fighters taking over the UFC. At UFC 286, he will face Jafel Filho.

If he emerges victorious in dominant fashion, he'll become a name that fans could be eager to see rise up the rankings of a division that could use recognizable faces.

#3. Rafael Fiziev emerges as the next UFC lightweight title contender

Rafael Fiziev has been calling for a bout against Justin Gaethje for some time now. He represents a new generation of 155lbers who have been challenging established stars in the lightweight division to no avail.

Arman Tsarukyan is another who recently challenged Michael Chandler to a bout without success.

Fortunately, 'Ataman' secured a matchup with 'The Highlight'. The pair will square off in the co-main event bout this weekend.

We are gonna see some bruised calves this weekend 💥🦵#MMA #UFC #UFC286 #MuayThai | @Justin_Gaethje @RafaelFiziev @ufc https://t.co/XJstAgX5ks

Thus far, the Muay Thai star is on a six-fight win streak, with his latest win coming against former lightweight titleholder Rafael dos Anjos.

If he defeats former interim champion and two-time undisputed title challenger Justin Gaethje this coming Saturday, he'll emerge as a clear title contender for reigning divisional kingpin Islam Makhachev.

#2. Kamaru Usman proves Leon Edwards' doubters right

When Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards first locked horns, the Nigerian juggernaut outwrestled him en route to a dominant unanimous decision win.

Years later, the pair crossed swords in a rematch at UFC 278. Besides the first round, 'The Nigerian Nightmare' spent most of the bout in complete control.

He applied endless pressure and thoroughly outwrestled 'Rocky' in such a lopsided manner that the Englishman looked mentally broken in the fifth round. But as fate would have it, Edwards pulled a rabbit out of the hat and flattened his foe with a thunderous head kick to capture the divisional throne.

Many of the Englishman's detractors have branded his win a fluke due to how helpless he looked prior as well as the bout's similarities to their first encounter. If Kamaru Usman defeats 'Rocky' this Saturday, he'll prove his foe's doubters right.

Champion Leon Edwards opens as the underdog in a potential third fight against Kamaru Usman 📊 https://t.co/al28JU2VJb

#1. Leon Edwards will prove his doubters wrong and retire Kamaru Usman

Leon Edwards' camp argued that his concerning performance prior to scoring a knockout at UFC 278 was due to the high-altitude demands of Salt Lake City. Their evidence is that 'Rocky' won the first round. Not only did he win it, but he also became the first fighter in UFC history to take Kamaru Usman down.

Unfortunately, as the fight progressed, he tired under the rising pressure of Usman's advance. He became too exhausted to mount much resistance. In the fifth round, however, he shocked the world by landing a head kick that punished Usman's tendency to slip his head in an exaggerated fashion.

Given Usman's tendencies and the fact that the trilogy bout won't take place at elevation, Edwards is adamant that he won't gas out.

Meanwhile, Usman recently had a broken hand and may not be the same after such a brutal KO. If he suffers another loss, he may very well retire with his 36th birthday coming in May.

If he finds himself unable to reclaim his title after suffering back-to-back defeats to the same man and the damage he's accumulated over the years, it's possible —even if unlikely — that he calls it a career.