UFC 290 judges and referees revealed - Sal D'Amato to be present for Alexander Volkanovski-Yair Rodriguez matchup

The stage is set for UFC 290 and the Nevada Athletic Commission has finalized the judges and referees for the highly anticipated championship bouts. Taking place at the T-Mobile Arena on July 8th, this event promises to deliver thrilling action as two world title fights take center stage.

Check out UFC 290's fight line-up below:

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In the featherweight title fight between Alexander Volkanovski and Yair Rodriguez, Herb Dean has been assigned as the referee. The judges selected for this bout are Mike Bell, Ron McCarthy, and finally, the controversial Sal D'Amato.

D'Amato's judging history includes a recent headline-grabbing incident during the Kai Kara-France versus Amir Albazi clash at UFC Vegas 74. Despite Kara-France's superior performance in terms of significant strikes, D'Amato's scorecard favored Albazi, resulting in a split-decision victory for the Iraqi fighter.

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For the flyweight title fight featuring Brandon Moreno and Alexandre Pantoja, Jason Herzog will serve as the referee. The judges assigned to this matchup are Ben Cartlidge, Junichiro Kamijo, and Derek Cleary.

These experienced officials will play a crucial role in ensuring fairness and maintaining a competitive environment throughout the fight.

With Sal D'Amato cleared to judge a championship bout once again, all eyes will be on him to see if he can avoid any further controversies. Officiating and scoring a fight of this magnitude carries significant scrutiny, and D'Amato will undoubtedly feel the pressure.

Nate Landwehr predicts the upcoming Alexander Volkanovski vs.Yair Rodriguez title fight at UFC 290

Nate Landwehr, in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda MMA, shared his insights on the highly anticipated featherweight title fight between Alexander Volkanovski and Yair Rodriguez at UFC 290.

According to Landwehr, Rodriguez's dynamic striking style could potentially pose a threat to 'The Great's reign.

In analyzing the upcoming bout, 'The Train' acknowledged the unpredictable nature of the fight game, emphasizing that anything can happen inside the Octagon.

He specifically pointed out Rodriguez's tricky and elusive fighting style, describing it as having a touch of "razzle-dazzle." Drawing on a metaphor, Landwehr likened facing a tamed cat to an easier task compared to going up against a wild cat:

"I mean, it's the fight game. Anything can happen. [Yair Rodriguez is] real tricky. He got a little razzle-dazzle... I was talking with my boxing coach, a tame cat is easy. A wild cat is a little bit more difficult to prepare for and Yair got that wild cat about him. So, we're gonna see".

Check out Nate Landwehr's prediction of UFC 290 main event: [6:29 mark]: