5 under-the-radar fighters to watch out for at UFC 276
This weekend sees UFC 276 take place in Las Vegas. While all the focus is on the big title bouts at the top of the card, this event is a remarkably deep one.
Essentially, UFC 276 has so many great fights on tap that the preliminary card alone could stand as a Fight Night event. That means a number of great fighters are flying under the radar.
With former champions and red-hot prospects in action, every fight this weekend is probably worth watching, even if not all of them are garnering that much attention.
With that in mind, here are five under-the-radar fighters to watch out for at UFC 276.
#5. Maycee Barber – UFC women's flyweight
If you rewind a couple of years back, it’s safe to say that there were few hotter prospects on the UFC’s roster than flyweight Maycee Barber.
‘The Future’ debuted in the octagon at the age of just 20, and when she took out Hannah Cifers in brutal fashion, it was hard not to get excited. Not only could Barber clearly fight, but she had high hopes for her future, too. She outright stated that her aim was to become the youngest champion in the promotion’s history.
The Future is bright for @MayceeBarber!!
What a finish! #UFCBoston https://t.co/0yt59JK7lm
Unfortunately, while she took out another two opponents following her debut win, the wheels came off when she faced veteran Roxanne Modafferi in early 2020. Barber was widely favored to defeat ‘The Happy Warrior’, but not only did she fall to defeat, she severely injured her knee in the process.
‘The Future’ has gone 2-1 in the octagon since her return in 2021, but hasn’t looked quite as explosive as she did prior to her injury. However, this weekend marks a major opportunity for her.
Barber is set to face former title challenger Jessica Eye. If she can win, she’ll probably crack the flyweight top ten for the first time.
Given her recent form, it’s understandable that she’s lost some of her hype, but if she can bring back the violence she showed in her early octagon days, ‘The Future’ is unlikely to be flying under the radar for much longer.
#4. Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone – UFC welterweight
Given that he’s been one of the UFC’s most recognizable stars for over a decade now, headlining a number of big events, including a pay-per-view against Conor McGregor, it’s bizarre to think that Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone could be flying under the radar right now.
However, in this case, it’s largely understandable. After seeing his bout with Joe Lauzon go down the toilet for the second time a couple of weeks ago, Cerrone accepted a clash with Jim Miller this weekend on late notice, stepping in to replace the injured Bobby Green.
It’s a mark of the depth of UFC 276 that the Cerrone vs. Miller bout is not only part of the preliminary card, but is also largely going ignored, too. Remarkably, it’s actually a rematch of a fight that headlined an event in its own right eight years ago.
Sure, neither Miller nor ‘Cowboy’ are as good as they were back then, but they’re both still talented, exciting fighters to watch, and there’s a lot on the line here.
Cerrone, in particular, probably needs to win. He hasn’t tasted victory since May 2019 and has lost five of his last six bouts. But the truth is that the UFC will likely never cut him.
However, given that he’s flying under the radar for practically the first time in his octagon career coming into this bout, a win could be just what he needs to reignite his fading career.
#3. Jalin Turner – UFC lightweight
Given the packed nature of the UFC’s lightweight roster, it’s difficult for any up-and-comer to really penetrate the consciousness of the fans unless they pull off something extremely special. However, based on his recent form, one under-the-radar fighter capable of pulling off something special this weekend is Jalin Turner.
‘The Tarantula’ doesn’t have the greatest record on the roster right now. He’s 12-5 overall and has suffered two losses since arriving in the octagon in 2018. But he’s currently on an outstanding run of four wins in a row.
More to the point, he’s finished his last three victories in dominant fashion, submitting Brok Weaver and Uros Medic before dispatching Jamie Mullarkey with a series of nasty punches in the second round.
What makes Turner such an intriguing prospect is his sheer physicality. ‘The Tarantula’ is a huge lightweight, standing at 6’3” and boasting a 77” reach. That gives him a major advantage over his opponent, Brad Riddell, this weekend.
Given that ‘Quake’ is ranked at No.14 in the division, then, if Turner can find a way to defeat him, it’s likely he’ll jump into the top 15 in his own right.
Basically, the spotlight is on ‘The Tarantula’ like never before. In that sense, it might be a good thing that he’s under the radar. It could put less pressure on him coming into this opportunity.
#2. Robbie Lawler – former UFC welterweight champion
It’s always difficult to see a legendary former champion begin to slide down the ladder towards the end of their careers, but it’s rare to see one end up flying under the radar quite like Robbie Lawler is coming into UFC 276.
The former welterweight kingpin has definitely fallen on hard times in recent years. He’s lost four of his last five bouts, being largely dominated by the likes of Neil Magny and Colby Covington.
However, curiously enough, Lawler’s last visit to the octagon saw him come out on top in a huge fight. He overcame old rival Nick Diaz in one of 2021’s most talked-about clashes.
Therefore, quite how he’s ended up in an under-the-radar bout with Bryan Barberena this weekend is anyone’s guess. Sure, ‘Bam Bam’ is a tough fighter, but Lawler could perhaps have expected a higher-profile fight here.
Regardless, this is an important one for Lawler, even if he is under the radar. If ‘Ruthless’ can come out on top, then there’s a chance that he could manage to end his octagon career on a high. If he loses, it’d be a surefire sign he ought to step away for good.
Overall, then, this should be a must-see fight, even if nobody is really talking about it.
#1. Andre Muniz – UFC middleweight
It’s probably fair to say that the fighter competing on the preliminary card this weekend who is closest to a title bout is middleweight grappling ace Andre Muniz.
The Brazilian remains unbeaten in his UFC career, having gone 4-0 since picking up two wins on Dana White’s Contender Series. More to the point, those four victories have hardly been over low-level opponents.
2021 saw him become the first fighter to ever submit the legendary Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza in MMA. Most recently, he tapped out the tough Eryk Anders with an armbar, becoming the first man to submit him, too.
André Muniz SUBMITS Ronaldo Souza in the first round! 👏
#UFC262 https://t.co/0WkHWwgklt
When you consider that current middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is primarily a striker whose grappling game is still a bit of a question mark, there’s definitely an argument that Muniz, who is ranked at No.13 right now, could be the most dangerous foe out there for ‘The Last Stylebender’.
A win over Uriah Hall this weekend probably won’t net the Brazilian a title shot outright, but it’d definitely move him into the top 10, and one more win could put him in that position.
Therefore, while he seems to be flying under the radar right now, it’s fair to say that every UFC fan should keep a close eye on Muniz’s fight this weekend.