The UFC's annual trip to New York City is more important this year than any other. It will be a full year since heavyweight champion Jon Jones was set to defend his belt against Stipe Miocic, a matchup that will finally come to fruition in the same venue that it was first booked for. In that year, Jones has hemorrhaged fans because of his inactivity. As a result, the UFC shot-callers will load the UFC MSG card from top to bottom to help bring those fans back into the fray for the fighter Dana White believes is the best in the world.
Main Card
(C) Jon Jones vs. (6) Stipe Miocic
This is the unquestioned headliner of the card. All of the controversy swirling around Jones in recent months will likely make this the biggest event of the year. The return of the greatest UFC heavyweight of all time is not something to be taken lightly, either. Rumor has it that this is signed and in the books already. Whether it's done at this point or not, these two will finally headline in New York, barring another late pullout.
(C) Zhang Weili vs. (1) Tatiana Suarez
A card of this magnitude deserves a second title fight. With every male champion preoccupied with other cards and Alexa Grasso defending in September, Weili gets the call by process of elimination. That isn't to say she doesn't deserve it. The champion has had an excellent run of victories, and she's one of the most exciting female fighters to ever be on the UFC roster. Weili has cleaned out the division, so Suarez will have to serve as her opponent in New York.
(3) Jamahal Hill vs. (5) Aleksander Rakic
Similarly to Jones, Jamahal Hill has racked up a legion of online haters following his defeat against Alex Pereira at UFC 300. Plenty of people will tune in to root against him in what should be an excellent stylistic battle between Hill and Aleksander Rakic. Both of these guys competed in April, and both were knocked out badly. They're close in the rankings and need a marquee win to really place themselves into title contention. Each should be eager to take this matchup and the pay-per-view points that come with it.
Bo Nickal vs. Rodolfo Vieira
It seems that Nickal has a permanent spot on numbered cards, and what better way to showcase him than the biggest yearly event on American soil? The phenom is 3-0 already, and a big step up from Cody Brundage is finally necessary. Rumors surrounding the matchup with Vieira have been circulating for weeks now, and if they're true, we're in for an excellent fight. Both men prefer to grapple, and both do it at an insanely high level. Nickal hasn't faced a truly high-level fighter in his UFC run yet, but this test with Vieira will either prove him to be a legitimate middleweight threat or just another prospect.
(2) Brandon Moreno vs. Kai Asakura
The UFC is looking for an opportunity to introduce former RIZIN champion Kai Asakura to an American audience. This card provides an excellent chance to not only introduce him but also put him on the fast track to title contention should he come out victorious. Moreno seems to be ready for an end-of-year matchup, and with two straight losses, an opportunity to turn things around against one of the biggest UFC signings in recent memory should be cherished. This fight also helps the flyweight title picture, a scene that is always in need of contenders.
Prelims
(8) Rafael Fiziev vs. (13) Jalin Turner
At first glance, this isn't exactly a match made in heaven. Turner is coming off of a loss, something that usually disqualifies a fighter from a higher-ranked opponent. However, Fiziev is so desperate to get back into the action at lightweight that he's said multiple times that he doesn't care who he fights. He just wants to get back in the octagon. Stylistically, this is a beautiful one. Both guys love striking, and the pairing of Turner's physical advantages with Fiziev's technical prowess feels destined to result in an instant classic.
Kelvin Gastelum vs. Roman Kopylov
This fight is the exact type of matchmaking that almost ensures fans tune into the prelims. Gastelum's weight debacles will almost certainly force him back into the middleweight division while preventing him from any shot at returning to the rankings. The UFC will likely lean on his name and striking-heavy style to make fun matchups, and Kopylov is an excellent dance partner. The Russian needs at least one more win before thinking about a big jump, one over a higher-level fighter than Josh Fremd or Cesar Almeida. Gastelum will be a good litmus test that allows both guys to boost their popularity through a kickboxing bloodbath.
(13) Ariane Da Silva vs. Luana Santos
While this isn't likely to get fans super excited, this matchup is a showcase of one of the best prospects in women's MMA right now. Luana Santos is 3-0 in the UFC and 8-1 overall. Normally, with the lack of depth in every women's division, that would mean a ranking at the very least. It seems that she'll need one more win on the record to achieve that, and Da Silva presents a fine opportunity to do so. She's coming off of a loss that evened her promotional record to 6-6. Gatekeeping a prospect as good as Santos could mark a major turning point in her career.
Alexander Hernandez vs. Fernando Padilla
Finding the right matchup to open the prelims is a delicate thing. It needs to be a fun fight, but it's too far down the card for high-level ranked fighters. These two guys fit the criteria perfectly. Hernandez has been in the UFC for ages, and his fights typically follow the same formula: a torrid first round of action, and if there is a second, he either finishes or gets finished because of a lack of cardio. Fernando Padilla has finished fights twice as much as reaching the scorecards, so he'll be happy to engage with Hernandez early. Padilla should be a substantial favorite, allowing the UFC to build up an excellent prospect and give the fans a banger to open the prelims.
Early Prelims
Jean Matsumoto vs. Brad Katona
This is a matchup of two fighters at completely opposite points in their careers. Katona, despite winning The Ultimate Fighter twice, has shown that he is a mid-level bantamweight at his best. There will be no climbing of the rankings for him. It's best to either feed Katona other bantamweights ranked below him or ask him to gatekeep some of the many divisional prospects. Matsumoto on the other hand, has the makings of a future champion. He is technically excellent in every part of the fight game. The Brazilian is only one fight into his UFC career, so a serious run at the top 25 is a long ways away. Delivering a beating to a recognizable name like Katona would boost his stock massively, and the exposure from such a massive card would help in a similar manner.
Rodolfo Bellato vs. Ion Cutelaba
Admittedly, it's a bit ambitious to ask for this matchup. Cutelaba is a veteran of 16 UFC fights, so it seems unlikely that he gets relegated to the early prelims. On the other hand, he's 1-4 in his last five, which gives the impression that Cutelaba will take what he can get. A matchup with the wrecking ball that is Rodolfo Bellato isn't enviable, but it puts both men in Fight of the Night contention immediately. Bellato is reckless, violent, and tough, but he's certainly beatable. Book it as one of the best early prelim fights of the entire year.
Mickey Gall vs. Billy Goff
Opening the card with this fight is almost as good as putting a ranked matchup in this slot. Gall and Goff both fit the same bill: mediocre fighters who can absorb and dish out inhuman amounts of punishment. You won't see much elite technique or fight IQ here. You will see heart, talent, and a stained canvas at the end of fifteen minutes. There's no better way to open a card.
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