Five fighters who cannot afford to lose at UFC 304
The UFC returns to the UK this weekend for a major pay-per-view card. With titles on the line, this event is set to be a big one.
There are a number of fighters competing at UFC 304, though, that seemingly cannot afford to lose their bout.
In some cases, that's because a loss could lose them their roster spot, while in others, it's because the promotion is likely to shove them down the ladder with a defeat.
Put simply, these fighters need to win more than most this weekend. Here, then, are five fighters who cannot afford to lose at UFC 304.
#5. Modestas Bukauskas - UFC light-heavyweight contender
Given that, a lot of the fighters competing at UFC 304 are either in the early part of their octagon tenure or considered semi-big stars, few of them are likely to be on the chopping block with a loss.
However, that might not be the case for light-heavyweight Modestas Bukauskas, who is set to face Marcin Prachnio on the preliminary card this weekend.
'The Baltic Gladiator' is already on his second stint with the promotion, after being released following three straight octagon defeats from 2020 to 2021.
The Lithuanian returned to the octagon in 2023 and won two straight fights, but his most recent outing saw him knocked out by Vitor Petrino in a pretty nasty fashion.
Not only did this loss end any hopes Bukauskas might've had of climbing the ladder, but it put him on unsure footing coming into this weekend's fight with Prachnio.
More than any other fighter on this card, the Lithuanian is in danger of losing his spot on the roster altogether, particularly if he suffers a loss via stoppage. Therefore, 'The Baltic Gladiator' cannot afford to lose in Manchester.
#4. Muhammad Mokaev - UFC flyweight contender
Currently ranked at No. 6 in the UFC's flyweight division, Muhammad Mokaev holds an unbeaten 12-0 record, including six wins in the octagon.
If 'The Punisher' can defeat Manel Kape this weekend in his adopted country of the UK, he should be in line for a shot at flyweight champ Alexandre Pantoja. Despite this, there's a very real argument that he cannot afford to lose in Manchester.
Why is this? Firstly, his fight with Kape has already been shrouded in controversy this week. Initially pegged to be the main card opener, the flyweight tilt has now been shifted down to the early prelims.
Initially, fans feared that the clash was about to be canceled altogether, but that doesn't seem to be the case.
Instead, Mokaev himself has reasoned that the UFC brass don't necessarily like his fighting style. The same interview also saw him reveal that the fight will be the final one on his current contract.
While 'The Punisher' says he wants to fight for the title and is desperate to re-sign with the promotion, Dana White and company have historically looked to avoid showcasing a fighter who could leave on the back of a big win.
That probably won't be the case here as it's unlikely a rival would want to poach Mokaev. However, if he were to lose, not only would any chance of a title shot be out of the window, but if his fears about the promotion not liking his style were true, he could be left out in the cold entirely.
With that considered, 'The Punisher' has essentially gambled on himself to win this weekend, and that means he cannot afford to lose.
#3. Giga Chikadze - UFC featherweight contender
During the COVID-19 pandemic, few fighters in the UFC became quite as hot as featherweight contender Giga Chikadze.
'Ninja' won six bouts in a row between March 2020 and August 2021, culminating in back-to-back wins over veterans Cub Swanson and Edson Barboza.
The Georgian sat on the cusp of genuine title contention at 145 pounds, but unfortunately, a lopsided decision loss to Calvin Kattar at the start of 2022 completely wrecked his momentum.
Since then, Chikadze has just fought once, a win over Alex Caceres last summer. In the meantime, he's seen numerous fights canceled, suffering various injuries along the way, and has slipped from view in the eyes of most fans.
A win over No.6 ranked featherweight Arnold Allen this weekend, though, would propel the Georgian right back into full contendership.
A defeat wouldn't end his octagon career by any means, but it would be a huge setback. At the age of 35, Chikadze may not have long left at the top, and a record of 1-2 since the start of 2022 isn't a good metric for any fighter.
With that considered, then, 'Ninja' is one fighter who can't afford to lose this weekend.
#2. Paddy Pimblett - UFC lightweight contender
Arguably, Paddy Pimblett is one of the most divisive fighters on the UFC roster right now.
On one hand, 'The Baddy' is hugely popular with fans, particularly in his native UK. He's also 5-0 in the octagon, with his most recent win coming over a former lightweight titleholder Tony Ferguson.
On the other hand, many fans have accused Dana White and the company of protecting the Liverpool-based prospect by giving him easy fights. Thanks to a controversial win over Jared Gordon in 2022, these fans also seem to doubt that Pimblett can ever reach the top fifteen at 155 pounds.
'The Baddy' has the chance to prove them wrong this weekend, but, arguably, his bout with Bobby Green is almost a no-win situation for him.
Green is currently ranked at No. 15 in the division and is 3-1 in his last four bouts. However, he's also 37 years old, and many observers have suggested he's past his prime.
A win would probably propel Pimblett into the top 15, but it'd probably still allow his doubters to question him. A loss, on the other hand, would arguably prove those doubters correct. From there, it'd be hard for 'The Baddy' to climb back up to the position he finds himself in now.
Essentially, then, everything is on the line for Pimblett this weekend. If the Liverpool native has his eyes on title contention, he cannot afford to lose this bout.
#1. Belal Muhammad - UFC welterweight contender
The UFC always looks to present itself as a meritocracy of sorts, with the best fighters always rising to the top. However, that isn't necessarily true.
Some fighters have to work far harder than others to reach the top, largely due to issues with either their marketability or their fighting style.
Over the years, we've seen several fighters with a perceived dull fighting style or a less-than-marketable personality who had to win a crazy number of fights before earning a title shot. The latest in this list is Belal Muhammad.
'Remember the Name' is set to challenge Leon Edwards for the welterweight title this weekend, but it's been a long road for him to get there. Muhammad is currently riding an unbeaten streak of ten fights, dating back to 2019.
However, since he's only finished two of those fights, it's been hard for fans to get excited about his shot at the gold.
With that considered, while he's got the toughest task of any fighter competing in Manchester this weekend, Muhammad cannot afford to lose.
The UFC isn't likely to cut him if he's defeated by 'Rocky', but the chances of him finding his way into the spotlight again would be very slim. Instead, he'd probably be pushed down the ladder at a far quicker rate than it took him to climb it.
A fighter as good as Muhammad will always be relevant from a sporting perspective, but it seems unlikely that the promotion will want him in more headline bouts if he loses this weekend.
Therefore, if he wants to remain in a position where he can earn the most money, 'Remember the Name' needs to win this weekend.