Get ready for an action-packed night of title fights and exciting matchups at UFC 290: Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez. Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski defends his title against Yair Rodriguez, while Brandon Moreno seeks redemption against Alexandre Pantoja. Don’t miss this thrilling event!
| Key Points |
|---|
| UFC 290 features a pair of title fights: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Yair Rodriguez and Brandon Moreno vs. Alexandre Pantoja. |
| Volkanovski aims to continue his dominant reign in the featherweight division, while Rodriguez looks to claim the title. |
| Moreno seeks redemption against Pantoja after their previous encounter in 2018. |
International Fight Week has landed once again in Las Vegas. The annual event, first featured on the UFC calendar in 2012, has delivered some iconic moments to the sport and has another loaded lineup set for Saturday with UFC 290 slated for the T-Mobile Arena. A pair of title fights tip the marquee as featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski looks to turn away interim titleholder Yair Rodriguez in the night’s main event.
Volkanovski is building one of the best resumes in the division’s history as he holds three wins over former champ Max Holloway and a big one over newly minted Hall of Famer Jose Aldo. Now, he looks to finish cleaning out the division with the last major test from his era in Rodriguez before he potentially looks to jump back up to lightweight for a rematch against Islam Makhachev. Rodriguez earned his shot at the title by stopping Josh Emmett for the interim strap.
The other title fight sees a rematch that was previously not at the title level. Flyweight champion Brandon Moreno will take on Alexandre Pantoja after Pantoja beat Moreno in their first official fight in 2018. The two also met during their season of "The Ultimate Fighter," which Pantoja also won by submission. Moreno enters as a sizable favorite to get the job done this time after coming out on top of the four-fight series with Deiveson Figueiredo. Pantoja, meanwhile, has won three in a row to earn his shot at the crown.
As is customary with International Fight Week, the entire card is loaded with rising contenders and stalwart veterans looking to close out their careers on a high note. Rising middleweight contender Dricus du Plessis gets his chance in the spotlight when he battles former champion Robert Whittaker on the main card. A win could slot "DDP" in line to face Israel Adesanya for the title later this year. Plus, former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler looks to close out his career on a high when he takes on veteran Niko Price in the preliminary main event.
UFC 290 Fight Card
| Fight | Odds |
|---|---|
| Alexander Volkanovski (c) vs. Yair Rodriguez (ic) | -370 vs. +290 |
| Brandon Moreno (c) vs. Alexandre Pantoja | -205 vs. +170 |
| Robert Whittaker vs. Dricus du Plessis | -360 vs. +280 |
| Jalin Turner vs. Dan Hooker | -280 vs. +230 |
| Bo Nickal vs. Valentine Woodburn | -2500 vs. +1100 |
| Niko Price vs. Robbie Lawler | -225 vs. +185 |
| Yazmin Jauregui vs. Denise Gomes | -380 vs. +300 |
| Jimmy Crute vs. Alonzo Menifield | -140 vs. +120 |
| Tatsuro Taira vs. Edgar Chairez | -1000 vs. +650 |
| Vitor Petrino vs. Marcin Prachino | -240 vs. +200 |
| Cameron Saaiman vs. Christian Rodriguez | -600 vs. +430 |
| Jesus Aguilar vs. Shannon Ross | -140 vs. +120 |
| Esteban Ribovics vs. Kamuela Kirk | -150 vs. +125 |
UFC 290 is set to take place on July 8 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card will start at 10 p.m. ET and can be watched on ESPN+ PPV for a price of $79.99 (with ESPN+ subscription).
Key Points
- UFC 290 features a pair of title fights: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Yair Rodriguez and Brandon Moreno vs. Alexandre Pantoja.
- Volkanovski aims to continue his dominant reign in the featherweight division, while Rodriguez looks to claim the title.
- Moreno seeks redemption against Pantoja after their previous encounter in 2018.
- Rising middleweight contender Dricus du Plessis faces former champion Robert Whittaker.
- Former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler takes on veteran Niko Price in a thrilling matchup.
Summary
UFC 290 is set to be an action-packed night of title fights and exciting matchups . Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski will defend his title against interim titleholder Yair Rodriguez in the main event. Another title fight sees flyweight champion Brandon Moreno seeking redemption against Alexandre Pantoja. The card also features rising middleweight contender Dricus du Plessis taking on former champion Robert Whittaker, and former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler facing off against Niko Price. Don’t miss this thrilling event!
