UFC 277: Pena vs. Nunes 2 fight week schedule, full card, predictions, and betting odds
After a successful Fight Night card in London, the UFC returns to the United States with a heavily stacked pay-per-view event set to cap off its July schedule. UFC 277 is set to take place at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, on July 30.
The event will be headlined by a highly-anticipated women's bantamweight duel between reigning champion Julianna Pena and former champion Amanda Nunes. 'The Venezuelan Vixen' shocked the world by defeating the seemingly invincible Nunes via submission at UFC 269 last year, dethroning the long time champion.
Nunes will be looking to exact revenge when they lock horns in a highly anticipated rematch this weekend. The co-main event features an interim flyweight title clash between Brandon Moreno and Kai Kara-France. Moreno and Kara-France met each other at UFC 245 in the past when the Mexican emerged victorious via unanimous decision.
With the interim flyweight title on the line, it will be interesting to see who emerges victorious in the rematch.
Check out the pre-fight press conference and weigh-ins schedule for the event below:
Pre-fight press conference
The pre-fight press conference is likely to take place on Thursday, July 28 and can be watched live on the promotion's official website, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch accounts.
Official and ceremonial weigh-ins
The official and ceremonial weigh-ins will take place on Friday, July 29, and can be seen live on the platforms mentioned above.
NOTE: The dates are estimated based on the usual schedule for UFC events and are subject to change as they are yet to be officially confirmed.
UFC 277 main card
Check out the full card and betting odds for UFC 277 below:
(Women's Bantamweight) Julianna Peña +230 vs. Amanda Nunes -275 [favorite]
(Flyweight) Brandon Moreno -200 [favorite] vs. Kai Kara-France +170
(Heavyweight) Derrick Lewis -120 [favorite] vs. Sergei Pavlovich +100
(Flyweight) Alexandre Pantoja -155 [favorite] vs. Alex Perez +135
(Light Heavyweight) Anthony Smith +350 vs. Magomed Ankalaev -435 [favorite]
UFC 277 Preliminary card
(Welterweight) Alex Morono +145 vs. Matthew Semelsberger -170 [favorite]
(Lightweight) Drew Dober -225 [favorite] vs. Rafael Alves +190
(Heavyweight) Hamdi Abdelwahab -120 [favorite] vs. Don'Tale Mayes +100
(Lightweight) Rafa Garcia +160 vs. Drakkar Klose -185 [favorite]
UFC 277 Early preliminary card
(Welterweight) Ramiz Brahimaj +240 vs. Michael Morales -300 [favorite]
(Women's flyweight) Ji Yeon Kim +105 vs. Joselyne Edwards -125 [favorite]
(Light Heavyweight) Nicolae Negumereanu -155 [favorite] vs. Ihor Potieria +135
(Welterweight) Orion Cosce -165 [favorite] vs. Mike Mathetha +140
#UFC277 next week. https://t.co/ZJ7N5RzbT1
Main card predictions for UFC 277
Anthony Smith vs. Magomed Ankalaev
Magomed Ankalaev has the opportunity to establish himself as a potential title challenger by beating Anthony Smith this weekend. Currently ranked No. 4 in the light heavyweight division, Ankalaev is on an incredible eight-fight winning streak inside the octagon.
Smith, however, will be a tough opponent for Ankalaev to get past. Although 'Lionheart' has lost two out of his last five fights, he has picked up a hat-trick of first-round wins in his last three outings.
Although Smith will likely prove to be a tougher test for Ankalaev than any of his opponents thus far, it is unlikely that the 33-year-old will be able to bring his Dagestani counterpart's juggernaut streak to a halt this weekend.
Verdict: Magomed Ankalaev (winner)
Alexandre Pantoja vs. Alex Perez
This could be a closely contested fight. Pantoja has three wins in his last five fights and the two losses came against Askar Askarov, who has lost just one fight in his entire career, and reigning flyweight champ Deiveson Figueiredo.
Perez, on the other hand, was on a three-fight winning streak before losing to Figueiredo back in 2020.
It has been almost two years since Perez last stepped inside the octagon and ring rust could play a role in this fight. Having been away from the fight game for two years on the back of a disappointing loss could affect Perez's mentality his heading into this fight.
He may be reluctant to take risks and that might cost him a three-round fight. Although this one is too close to call, we're going with the favorite, Pantoja.
Verdict: Alexandre Pantoja (winner)
Derrick Lewis vs. Sergei Pavlovich
Surging heavyweight contender Sergei Pavlovich is slowly coming into his own in the UFC. He is currently on a three-fight winning streak inside the octagon and a win against Lewis this weekend will see him make a big jump and potentially break into the top five of the division and establish himself as a legitimate contender.
Lewis has hit a bit of a rough patch recently, having lost two out of his last three fights. Having said that, 'The Black Beast' requires just one well-timed strike to put his opponents to sleep and Pavlovich has to be wary of the power in Lewis' hands.
This will be the biggest matchup of Pavlovich's career thus far and he has everything to gain from the fight with Lewis. However, it would be foolish to underestimate a veteran fighter like Lewis, who has time and again proved that he is at his best with his back against the wall.
Expect fireworks from 'The Black Beast' this weekend.
Verdict: Derrick Lewis (winner)
Brandon Moreno vs. Kai Kara-France
This fight has fireworks written all over it. Both Moreno and Kara-France have vastly improved since their first meeting at UFC 245 and the rematch is likely to be a barnburner. Moreno needs to be wary of Kara-France's prolific striking inside the octagon.
The Kiwi fighter trains with some of the biggest names in the UFC at City Kickboxing and Moreno has to be prepared to deal with various aspects of the fight to beat the 29-year-old. The Mexican, however, has proven to have a championship heart and a strong chin on him.
Having been a former champion, Moreno is used to fighting under the spotlight and with his well-rounded style to back up his confidence, he is likely to beat Kara-France and set up a fourth fight with Deiveson Figueiredo.
Verdict: Brandon Moreno (winner)
Julianna Pena vs. Amanda Nunes
#UFC277
One week til the rematch ♥️ #UFC277 https://t.co/AMZY2tLH0V
After watching their first fight, one could argue that Pena has Nunes' number. Heading into the fight, she said she was going to put pressure on the former champ, forcing her to break and did exactly that during the fight.
For Nunes, mentally, it was a jarring defeat. As much as she needs to make some stylistic adjustments, the Brazilian also needs to avoid letting flashbacks of what went down in the first fight affect her.
Although Pena won convincingly the first time around, she is yet again an underdog heading into the rematch. This is a testament to how dominant Nunes has been through the years. This time, however, it seems like she has a lot of hurdles to overcome to achieve success.
It will be interesting to see if after everything she's already achieved, Nunes still has the motivation and hunger to overturn the loss this weekend. Pena is likely to cause yet another upset at UFC 277.
Verdict: Julianna Pena (winner)