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It’s a vacation weekend. So why not see some fireworks?
OK, Independence Day cliches apart, it is not laborious to think about UFC 276 offering a sequence of aggressive explosions to get followers began on their Fourth of July revelry.
A 13-bout card is about for July 2 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and can characteristic a pair of championship matches up prime—one involving a titleholder who’s taken aside a weight class by way of his first 5 defenses, whereas the opposite supplies a uncommon glimpse at an MMA trilogy.
Israel Adesanya dangers his middleweight belt towards second-ranked contender Jared Cannonier in the primary occasion. The champion has by no means misplaced a struggle at 185 kilos, and the challenger is sort of as scorching, having received 5 of six since a two-bout skid between 2017 and ’18.
The co-main occasion options the third go-round between featherweight rivals Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway. Now a No. 1 challenger, Holloway was the king of the 145-pounders for 3 years earlier than dropping the belt by resolution to Volkanovski in 2019.
They met once more seven months later, and the Aussie with Greek roots retained the title, this time by a good nearer break up resolution that various of us thought Holloway deserved.
It’s the fifteenth trilogy in UFC historical past.
Meanwhile, the present’s different 11 bouts embrace up-and-comers, acquainted veterans and others hoping to spice up their profile for the subsequent time round. The B/R fight sports activities staff perused the general menu and recognized a number of of the tastier highlights.
UFC 276 Main Card (ESPN+. 10 p.m. ET)
Israel Adesanya vs. Jared Cannonier
Alexander Volkanovski vs. Max Holloway
Sean Strickland vs. Alex Pereira
Lauren Murphy vs. Miesha Tate
Pedro Munhoz vs. Sean O’Malley
UFC 276 Preliminary Card (ESPN2/ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)
Brad Riddell vs. Jalin Turner
Robbie Lawler vs. Bryan Barberena
Ian Garry vs. Gabriel Green
Jessica Eye vs. Maycee Barber
UFC 276 Early Prelims (UFC Fight Pass, 6 p.m. ET)
Uriah Hall vs. Andre Muniz
Jim Miller vs. Bobby Green
Brad Tavares vs. Dricus Du Plessis
Jessica-Rose Clark vs. Julija Stoliarenko