5 undercard fighters who could steal the show at UFC 311 feat. Payton Talbott and Renato Moicano
This weekend sees the UFC visit Inglewood, California for the first pay-per-view of 2025. Unsurprisingly, it's a loaded card.
A lot of the focus at UFC 311: Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan 2 will be on the title fights, but it's safe to say that there's plenty more to look forward to.
So with numerous talented fighters up and down the card, there are a number of potential showstealers on offer.
Here are five undercard fighters who could steal the show at UFC 311: Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan 2.
#5. Rinya Nakamura - UFC bantamweight
It's likely that few fans will have heard of him at this point, but bantamweight prospect Rinya Nakamura is absolutely a man to watch at UFC 311.
The Japanese fighter will face off with the experienced Muin Gafarov on this weekend's preliminary card, and it's likely the fight will be his trickiest test yet. There's no reason to believe that Nakamura can't pull through with another impressive win, though.
A former standout amateur wrestler who likely would've competed in the 2020 Olympics were it not for the COVID-19 postponement, 'Hybrid' is already 9-0 in MMA. Three of those wins have come in the octagon, including a brutal knockout of Toshiomi Kazama that earned him a $50k performance bonus.
On such a loaded card, Nakamura will have to do something special to steal his part of the spotlight, but he's certainly capable, particularly if he can finish an opponent who's never been knocked out.
One of the best athletes in the 135-pound division, 2025 could be the year that Nakamura climbs up into contention. If he can win big at UFC 311, this weekend could be the beginning of that rise.
#4. Reinier de Ridder - UFC middleweight
While his UFC debut win over Gerald Meerschaert was derided as "sloppy" by a number of fans online, it's safe to say that Reinier de Ridder still made some noise in his first octagon visit.
'The Dutch Knight' finished off 'GM3' with a third round rear-naked choke, and admittedly, both men were exhausted once the fight ended. However, it's likely that de Ridder will perform better the second time around, and if he brings his best, he could well steal the show.
The Dutchman is 16-2 overall in his career, with his only two losses coming to the same fighter - ONE Championship standout Anatoly Malykhin. While de Ridder is not the best striker, his grappling is truly fantastic once he gets going, with some smooth transitions and dangerous submission ability.
This weekend will see him face Kevin Holland, a fighter who is well used to stealing the show with an exciting fight. If de Ridder can match his pace, avoid his dangerous striking and take him to the ground and win, then, 'The Dutch Knight' could be the man everyone talks about next week.
#3. Jailton Almeida - UFC heavyweight
While his loss to Curtis Blaydes last year derailed his hype train, it's safe to say that heavyweight contender Jailton Almeida is still a very dangerous fighter.
'Malhadinho' boasts an impressive record of 21-3, including seven wins in the octagon. More to the point, he hasn't been beating scrubs, as he holds wins over Derrick Lewis, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, and Alexandr Romanov.
Almeida's safety-first win over Lewis garnered him some criticism. However, outside of that fight, he's been a straight killer to watch in the UFC, finishing all of his other foes via submission or TKO.
Basically, if the Brazilian can get an opponent to the ground, they're in big trouble and will usually wind up being finished.
Given Almeida's potential to climb back into title contention, he could easily steal the show with a big win over Sergei Spivak this weekend.
The UFC loves to push heavyweights, and 'Malhadinho' is still one of the brightest prospects in the division right now. Therefore, with a big win, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him awarded with a bonus, and to steal the show too.
#2. Renato Moicano - UFC lightweight
One fighter who is no stranger to stealing the show in recent months is lightweight veteran Renato Moicano.
Suddenly deciding to embrace his more charismatic side, 'Money Moicano' has become a master on the microphone, drawing fans towards him. Thankfully, he's also performed brilliantly in the octagon, too.
The Brazilian is currently on the best run of his UFC career - which dates back to 2014 - with four big wins in a row. His most recent victory, a stoppage of Benoit Saint Denis, saw him rise into the top ten at 155 pounds.
This weekend sees Moicano face his toughest opponent in some time. It isn't all that long ago that Beneil Dariush was hunting a title fight in his own right, putting together an eight-fight win streak.
However, since then, the Iranian has been knocked out twice, and has also suffered a serious knee injury. This, coupled with Moicano's excellent form, should give the Brazilian a lot of confidence.
If 'Money Moicano' pulls off another huge win, then, all it'll take is another wild post-fight promo, and he could absolutely steal the show this weekend.
#1. Payton Talbott - UFC bantamweight
Based on his performances in 2024, the fighter most likely to steal the show at UFC 311 this weekend is bantamweight prospect Payton Talbott.
Talbott earned his contract with the promotion after a win on Dana White's Contender Series in 2023. His languid striking style quickly earned him comparisons to former bantamweight champ Sean O'Malley, and it's hard to say he hasn't lived up to the billing.
After submitting Nick Aguirre to start his octagon career in 2023, Talbott delivered two of the most memorable knockouts of 2024 to take his overall record to 9-0.
First, he dropped fellow prospect Cameron Saaiman face-first in the opening seconds of the second round in their clash. Next, he needed just 19 seconds in total to dispatch Yanis Ghemmouri.
Both showings earned the prospect a $50k bonus, and marked him out as a fighter to watch.
This weekend will see Talbott take another step up as he faces Raoni Barcelos. If Talbott can produce another thrilling knockout, then, not only will he continue to follow the path laid by 'Sugar', but he could also steal the show, too.