Jack Hermansson faces Sean Strickland in a meeting of top-10 middleweights in the main event of UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Las Vegas.
The fights at UFC Apex will be broadcast on ESPN+, with the main card starting at 7 p.m. ET and the prelims at 4 p.m.
Hermansson (22-6), who is No. 8 in the ESPN rankings at 185 pounds, is 2-2 since September 2019 after running off a four-fight winning streak. He last fought in May, when he won a unanimous decision over prospect Edmen Shahbazyan.
The 10th-ranked Strickland (24-3) has won five in a row, most recently a unanimous decision win over Uriah Hall in July.
The main card also features three undefeated fighters. In the co-main event, 7-0 middleweight Nick Maximov faces Punahele Soriano (8-1). Prior to that, 14-0 welterweight Shavkat Rakhmonov takes on Carlston Harris (17-4) and Tresean Gore, a 3-0 middleweight, makes his UFC debut against Bryan Battle (6-1). Those last two were scheduled to fight last August in the Season 29 finale of The Ultimate Fighter, but Gore withdrew because of an injury and Battle went on to win the season.
How to watch the fights
Stream all of the fights on ESPN+: Download the ESPN App
Don’t have ESPN+? Get it here.
There’s also FightCenter, which offers live updates for every UFC card.
Saturday’s fight card
ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET
Middleweight: Jack Hermansson vs. Sean Strickland
Middleweight: Punahele Soriano vs. Nick Maximov
Welterweight: Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Carlston Harris
Middleweight: Sam Alvey vs. Brendan Allen
Middleweight: Tresean Gore vs. Bryan Battle
Men’s featherweight: Julian Erosa vs. Steven Peterson
ESPN+, 4 p.m. ET
Men’s bantamweight: Miles Johns vs. John Castaneda
Men’s featherweight: Hakeem Dawodu vs. Michael Trizano
Middleweight: Chidi Njokuani vs. Marc-Andre Barriault
Welterweight: Jason Witt vs. Phil Rowe
Women’s bantamweight: Alexis Davis vs. Julija Stoliarenko
Light heavyweight: Jailton Almeida vs. Danilo Marques
Men’s flyweight: Malcolm Gordon vs. Denys Bondar
Ian Parker’s best bet
Tresean Gore vs. Bryan Battle: Their scheduled TUF finale was put on hold after Gore suffered an injury, and Battle instead took on Gilbert Urbina and won by second-round rear-naked choke. Battle was getting picked apart on the feet, but Urbina’s gas tank ran out and Battle capitalized. I don’t see the same thing happening for Battle in this fight. Gore has good cardio, solid hands with tremendous power, and a submission game. I don’t see Battle being able to come back the way he did against Urbina. If Battle struggles in the first round, Gore will finish him. He is the superior athlete. Gore should be a heavier favorite, but due to his inactivity, we are getting a lower price point. Prediction: Tresean Gore (-160) to win.
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UFC finalizing Jack Hermansson-Sean Strickland middleweight bout