Ultimate Up to date on 8 Apr 2022 3:11 am (UK Time)
On Saturday, April ninth, the premier blended marts group on the earth returns with UFC 273 from Jacksonville Florida. The primary match of the night time options reigning featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski as opposed to a challenger with a cult-like following recognized merely as The Korean Zombie. Whilst this matchup on my own is sufficient to get lovers at the edge in their seats, it’s not the one championship bout of the evening. Reigning bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling will put his belt at the line in opposition to Petr Yan within the co-main match of the night time. There’s so much to unpack right here. With out additional ado, let’s get into it!
Volkanovski vs. The Zombie
UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski has collected an astonishing win streak of 20 consecutive fights. The lone defeat of his profession happened in December of 2013, greater than 8 years in the past. Since that point, he’s no longer most effective turn into probably the most feared featherweight within the greatest blended martial arts group on the earth, he’s additionally turn into widely known as some of the highest pound-for-pound warring parties in all of the recreation. With nice abilities, come nice expectancies; Volkanovski is easily acutely aware of this. His adventure as a lifelong athlete led him to turn into a qualified rugby participant in his local nation of Australia previous to focusing only on battle sports activities. On Saturday, April ninth, he’ll put his belt at the line in opposition to a meriting opponent. Fanatics will likely be ready with baited breath to peer if he can upload some other win to his unbeaten streak.
Chan Sung Jung has such a huge following that almost all of his lovers most effective know him through his moniker, The Korean Zombie. On Saturday, he’ll get the second one shot on the UFC Featherweight Championship of his profession. His first alternative got here in opposition to José Aldo in August of 2013. Whilst The Zombie didn’t emerge victorious that evening, he has long gone directly to construct an excellent resume for himself over time; no person disputes whether or not or no longer he merits some other shot on the belt. He’s a perilous guy within the octagon. He possesses Black belts in Hapkido, Taekwondo, Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. On Saturday he’ll get his likelihood to make use of the ones abilities to turn into champion of the sector.
Sterling vs. Yan
Aljamain Sterling is in all probability probably the most arguable champion in UFC historical past. In March of final 12 months, he gained the group’s bantamweight championship by means of disqualification when Petr Yan used to be disqualified for an unlawful intentional knee within the fourth spherical. The win would had been arguable if the 2 warring parties had been vying for a vacant identify. On the other hand, the truth that Yan used to be the reigning champion and his belt used to be in impact stripped because of a judgment name through the officers, rubbed a large number of lovers the incorrect approach. The existing belief is that Sterling should beat Yan within the rematch to be known as the actual champion.
Petr Yan has overtly said that he nonetheless considers himself the UFC’s bantamweight champion. He believes {that a} win on Saturday is inevitable and when the belt is again round his waist, it’ll in essence be returned to its rightful proprietor. Since their combat over a 12 months in the past, Sterling has long gone via neck surgical procedure and restoration. He states that he’s in the most efficient form of his lifestyles and is ready to shield his crown. Fanatics have desired this combat with nice anticipation for over a 12 months. The wait is over; the day of reckoning is in any case right here!
Burns vs. Chimaev
Welterweight challenger, Gilbert Burns, is without doubt one of the highest submission artists in all the UFC. Hailing from Brazil, he took house the Bronze medal on the International Grappling Championship in 2015. He additionally gained the Gold medal within the International Jiu-Jitsu event in 2010, 2011 and 2013. To mention he’s multi-talented can be a gross understatement. But for all of his achievements, there’s one award that has controlled to allude Burns all over his profession: the UFC Welterweight championship. He were given his shot on the identify in February of final 12 months however used to be knocked out through reigning champion Kamaru Usman within the 3rd spherical. If he needs to climb his as far back as the highest of the divisional scores, he’ll have to begin with an excellent efficiency on Saturday evening.
There was a large number of speak about Khamzat Chimaev over the process the previous few months. There have been rumors swirling that he is also fascinated by a catchweight bout with the mythical Nate Diaz, however that unraveled when Diaz introduced he can be strolling clear of the UFC. Chimaev’s recognition soared like a rocket in 2020. He made his organizational debut, and briefly went undefeated in 3 bouts that calendar 12 months. Ultimate October, he used to be spectacular in a primary spherical submission victory at UFC 267. He’s slightly new to the group and could have an extended method to move earlier than he will get a identify shot; however his title popularity is rising each time he steps foot within the octagon.
Dern vs. Torres
Girls’s strawweight challenger Mackenzie Dern has collected seven Gold medals in Jiu-Jitsu in an excellent profession outdoor of the octagon. Those victories have come on the International Cup, the Pan-American Video games, and the Asian Video games. She has traveled the sector showing her skills and has turn into known around the world as some of the highest competition within the recreation. She’s no slouch in blended martial arts both. She is lately ranked fifth within the department and used to be on a four-fight win streak previous to her disappointed defeat by the hands of Marina Rodriguez in October of final 12 months. She is a fierce competitor; combat lovers are in for a deal with each time she steps foot within the octagon.
Tecia Torres is a Black belt in karate who fights for the notorious American Most sensible Workforce. Through the years, she has confirmed to be resilient. In 2017 and 2018, she misplaced 4 consecutive fights and used to be in peril of dropping her spot at the UFC’s roster. On the other hand, she were given her act in combination in 2020 and 2021, and is now on a 3 combat win streak. If she needs to convey her consecutive victories quantity as much as 4, she has her fingers complete on Saturday; beating a motivated Mackenzie Dern might not be a very simple job. That is one bout combat lovers is not going to wish to omit!
Pichel vs. Madsen
Light-weight challenger Vinc Pichel will flip 40-years-old this calendar 12 months. He made his UFC debut ten years in the past in 2012, and to begin with labored as a roadside assistant for AAA in-between coaching for his fights within the group. Ultimately, he determined that changing into a licensed electrician used to be a greater long-term purpose. Regardless, no person can accuse Pichel of missing a piece ethic or of giving up on his desires. His subsequent opponent, Mark Madsen, gained the Silver medal in wrestling on the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. He’s now undefeated in 11 skilled fights in blended martial arts. Their bout on Saturday will function two of probably the most made up our minds males within the recreation. This must be a just right one!
Gastelum vs. Du Plessis
Even if middleweight challenger Kelvin Gastelum has misplaced every of his final two fights, it should be famous that his warring parties had been Robert Whitaker and Jared Cannonier. Whitaker is a former middleweight champion, and Cannonier is the person who many really feel merits the following shot at reigning champion, Israel Adesanya. The truth that Gastelum used to be positioned within the octagon with warring parties in their caliber speaks volumes about how the group feels about his talent set. Gastelum continues to be ranked tenth within the department and he’s nonetheless a perilous opponent for any fighter.
Gastelum’s subsequent opponent, Nassourdine Imavov, used to be as soon as the Thunderstrike Struggle League’s Welterweight champion. On the other hand, since becoming a member of the UFC, he has all the time competed within the middleweight department. He has but to stand a marquee title like Kelvin Gastelum; giving him a possibility to compete at the leading card at UFC 273 is the group’s approach of seeing if Imavov has what it takes to make it at the giant degree.
How you can watch
UFC 273 is to be had by means of pay-per-view on BT Game in the UK and on ESPN Plus in the US. As all the time, we’ll have the entire newest updates in regards to the results of the fights in addition to extensive research to be had proper right here at International in Game!
