Five Under-The-Radar Storylines For UFC Fight Night: Walker vs. Hill
UFC Vegas 48
After a successful second pay-per-view event with UFC 271, the UFC returns to the Apex with UFC Vegas 48. Top 15 light heavyweights take center stage on short notice after the original main event got moved to UFC 272 in March. No. 10 ranked Johnny Walker defends his spot against No. 12 Jamahal Hill. This is Walker’s second straight main event, while Hill gets ready for his first. However, if you look past the main event, there are some under-the-radar storylines.
Retirement fight
Chas Skelly makes the walk for his last time this weekend. The 11-fight veteran will be returning from a very long layoff, last fighting September 2019. He has had numerous fight cancelations in the past three years, with the most infamous one being when he was already in the octagon. Last February, he was scheduled to face Jamall Emmers, and on fight night, while he was already in the cage, Emmers suffered a back spasm which forced him out of the fight. Skelly faces Mark Striegl in his retirement fight. Skelly holds the record for fastest submission in UFC featherweight history at 18 seconds.
Banger of the week
Ooooooh, we got a good one this week, just pure violence. This week’s banger of the week is Joaquin Buckley vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan. Someone will be going to sleep, guaranteed. Alhassan holds a 100% finish rate and snapped his losing streak in his last outing. Buckley holds ten knockouts in his 13 wins and has either knocked out everyone in his five UFC fights, or he has been knocked out. Both guys are part of the ‘head kick curse.’ Buckley started it when he knocked out Impa Kasangany with a head kick, then he got knocked out by Alessio Di Chirico, and then Di Chirico got knocked out by an Alhassan head kick. Don’t miss this fight.
Jim Miller
Jim Miller returns for his 39th UFC fight this weekend. The 38-year-old already holds the record for the most fights in the promotion with 38. In his last fight, he got his first knockout in the UFC when he knocked out Erick Gonzalez at UFC Fight Night: Ladd vs. Dumont. (Yes, he has TKO wins, but this is his first pure knockout). Miller has said he wants to compete on UFC 300. He competed on UFC 100 and UFC 200. Miller welcomes Nikolas Motta to the UFC. They were scheduled to fight last September; however, the fight was scrapped.
David Onama
David Onama returns for his second UFC fight this weekend. The Glory MMA product impressed in his UFC debut when he went toe-to-toe with fellow prospect Mason Jones. Onama returns to his proper weight class, featherweight. The first-ever Ugandan UFC fighter holds a 100% finish rate with five first-round finishes. He faces Gabriel Benítez this weekend in what should be an absolute war. This could easily be our banger of the week.
Four UFC debuts at UFC Vegas 48
There are four fighters that are making their UFC debut this weekend.
Nikolas Motta – Motta finally makes his anticipated debut. He has had terrible luck with fight cancelations. The Brazilian competed and won a UFC contract on season four of Dana White’s Contender Series where he defeated Joesph Lowry. He is a former CFFC lightweight champion and a former competitor on The Ultimate Fighter. He has a chance to make a big impression by taking out UFC legend Jim Miller.
Christian Rodriguez – Rodriguez should have received a contract last season of Dana White’s Contender Series; however, he missed weight when he defeated Junior Cortez. His win on the series was the first time he has gone to a decision. He holds three submission wins and three TKOs. Rodriguez faces Jonathan Pearce on short notice.
Chad Anheliger – Canada’s Anheliger also fought last season of Dana White’s Contender Series where he defeated Muin Gafurov via split decision. One of the big reasons the 35-year-old got the contract was because he was a heavy underdog. Most of his wins have come by way of stoppage. He faces Jesse Strader.
Jay Perrin – Also stepping up on short notice is Perrin. The Cage Titans, Bellator, and CES veteran has been grinding for years on the regional scene and finally gets his shot. He is riding a two-fight win streak and finished Josh Smith at CES 64 last September. He faces Mario Bautista.
