UFC Fight Night 26 is just around the corner, and with 13 fights on the card there is a lot at stake. There are several fights with potential title implications, and a lot of divisional mess to sort through. In addition, some fighters will be fighting to keep their jobs. Here is a look, broken down by division, at what’s at stake this coming Saturday on Fox Sports 1.
What’s at stake at Bantamweight
The bantamweight division will see two big matchups at UFC Fight Night 26. First up will be Brad Pickett vs. Michael McDonald. They are ranked #5 and #3 respectively in the UFC’s internal rankings. The winner will put himself in a position to call for a title shot.
Also in action, #2-ranked Urijah Faber takes on the young hotshot Iuri Alcantara. Alcantara is not ranked in the UFC’s Top 10 yet, but he is undefeated at 135 pounds, and is one of the brightest prospects in the UFC today. A win for Alcantara would catapault him up the rankings. For Faber, this is his chance to potentially secure another title shot.
Both fights have big implications in the division, which is why bantamweight will be the division to watch on Saturday.
What’s at stake at Featherweight
Four featherweight tilts are scheduled for Saturday, but none feature a fighter ranked in the UFC’s Top 10. However, that is not to say there isn’t anything at stake heading in to the card.
On the Facebook preliminary card, Manny Gamburyan will take on Cole Miller. Both fighters are coming off of recent wins, and each Ultimate Fighter alum will be looking for a second straight. The winner will likely get a significant fight next time out, while the loser will hit the back of the bread line.
On the Fox Sports 1 preliminary card, Diego Brandao and Daniel Pineda get things started. Brandao is a TUF winner that can move up in a big way with an impressive victory. Pineda is merely trying to stop that from happening. If he wins, not much changes. Neither will move up to a top 10 ranking, but Brandao will be a lot closer than Pineda.
Steven Siler and Mike Brown go at it as well on the Fox Sports 1 prelims. Even with its higher card placement, there is less at stake in this fight. Brown has had a career resurgence, but a win over Siler won’t move him up the rankings in a big way. For Siler, a win will move his UFC record to 5-1. However, these two will just be looking for wins to keep themselves relevant.
The most anticipated featherweight clash is between Max Holloway and Conor McGregor. In spite of McGregor’s 1-0 UFC record, he is one of the hottest names in the featherweight division. Holloway comes in replacing Andy Ogle. Holloway can stop the hype train and make a name for himself, but McGregor will most likely enter the promotion’s Top 10 with an impressive win.
These are three exciting fights that will help shuffle the middle of the featherweight pack.
What’s at stake at Lightweight
Kicking off the card will be Ramsey Nijem vs. James Vick. Nijem is coming off a loss, and Vick makes his official UFC debut. It is unlikely that either man will get cut with a loss, but it is not out of the question. Their performance has to light the Boston card on fire, as they will set the tone for the night.
The first fight on the main card will be Joe Lauzon vs. Michael Johnson. While neither are ranked in the UFC Top 10 at lightweight, Lauzon is the hometown favorite with a deep history in the company. A win for Lauzon puts him right back in the mix, and a bonus award would make him one of the most successful in that prized UFC category.
Johnson could exit the organization with a loss. He started off 2012 red hot with three straight wins, but has since lost two in a row. A third straight loss is never a good sign for one’s UFC career.
What’s at stake at Welterweight
There is only one 170-pound fight on the card, and it is a doozy. Matt Brown and Mike Pyle will exchange in what could be a sleeper for Fight of the Night.
A position in the UFC’s welterweight top 10 is likely at stake. It will be hard to deny either man that honor with an impressive win.
Brown has won five straight with four finishes. That includes taking care of two prized prospects in Stephen Thompson and Jordan Mein, and ruining Mike Swick‘s return to the cage. For Pyle, he has four straight wins with three finishes.
This is one of the most significant fights on the card, and all of the welterweight division will be tuned in.
What’s at stake at Middleweight
The lone middleweight scrap will be on the main card, but not too much is at stake. It holds the position because of Uriah Hall‘s status post-TUF.
The loser of this fight could be on the chopping block. John Howard has won several in a row to get back to the UFC, but he lost his last three in the Octagon. This could be his last chance. For Hall, a loss could ruin all the hype surrounding him.
This fight is all about Hall’s future. An impressive performance will see him move back to being one of the company’s best prospects, but a loss could see him gone altogether.
What’s at stake at Light Heavyweight
There are two light heavyweight bouts on the card, and they are at the complete opposite ends of the spectrum.
First up, Cody Donovan vs. Ovince St. Preux. Both men won their UFC debuts, but neither is on the radar of the upper echelon of the division. OSP looked good in several Strikeforce outings, but his UFC debut left a lot to be desired. A loss for either probably won’t see them cut from the roster, but they will want to avoid it.
In the main event, two of the brightest stars of the sport square off. “Shogun” Rua and Chael Sonnen meet in a main event that is drawing a lot of interest without much being on the line.
The winner of the fight is not getting a title shot, but the winner of the fight remains relevant to the title picture. That is what is at stake. Neither aging fighter can afford another loss in that regard. It will ruin that man’s hopes of a run toward another title shot. However, neither fighter will be in danger of falling out of significant fights in the future, merely the championship picture.
What’s at stake at Heavyweight
There is one heavyweight fight on the card, and it features the #5 and #8 ranked UFC heavyweights Alistair Overeem and Travis Browne.
Both men have been knocked out by “Bigfoot” Silva, but Browne rebounded with a KO win over Gabriel Gonzaga. This is Overeem’s chance to return to form.
The winner will move back into a position to have a #1 contendership fight, and the loser will have a lot of ground to make up. A KO loss by Overeem could see his position with the company come in to question, as his stock dropped drastically after the loss to Bigfoot. Regardless, there are big implications for the co-main event.
Though not every fight has pressing divisional implications, each fight does offer its unique set of stakes, and to varying degrees, a compelling reason to watch. When the night is over, we’ll see who capitalized on their opportunities, and who will need to pick up the pieces.
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UFC Fight Night 26: Shogun vs. Sonnen is due to take place on August 17, 2013 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.
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