A lot can happen in a week and MMA is no different. Here are three big shows you won’t want to miss this week.
Miss the #UFC220 Countdown show?
Re-watch it in full here 🎥 https://t.co/XRrVkwbIzE pic.twitter.com/UYuqVJf7gg
— UFC (@ufc) January 16, 2018
January 20th: UFC 220: Miocic vs. Ngannou
This event needs no introduction. UFC 220 is headlined by two monsrously good title fights. First up, Daniel Cormier defends his light heavyweight championship against fast-rising Swiss striker Volkan Oezdemir. But it’s the headline act which has really set pulses racing.
Stipe Miocic, who is one win and title defence away from breaking the record number of UFC heavyweight title defences, squares off against Cameroonian-French destroyer Francis Ngannou in one of the most hotly-anticipated heavyweight MMA fights in years.
It’s certainly a top-heavy card as pay-per-views go, but this is a must-watch.
Full fight card
Main card (USA: Pay-Per-View, UK: BT Sport)
Stipe Miocic vs. Francis N’Gannou
Daniel Cormier vs. Volkan Oezdemir
Shane Burgos vs. Calvin Kattar
Gian Villante vs. Francimar Barroso
Thomas Almeida vs. Rob Font
Preliminary Card (USA: Fox Sports 1, UK: BT Sport)
Kyle Bochniak vs. Brandon Davis
Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Sabah Homasi
Dustin Ortiz vs. Alexandre Pantoja
Dan Ige vs. Julio Arce
Preliminary Card (UFC Fight Pass)
Matt Bessette vs. Enrique Barzola
Maryna Moroz vs. Jamie Moyle
Gleison Tibau vs. Islam Makhachev
One week from today, LIVE & FREE on @paramountnet from the @theforum in Los Angeles! #Bellator192 #BellatorWGP pic.twitter.com/5ZSU1elg9J
— Scott Coker (@ScottCoker) January 13, 2018
January 20th: Bellator 192
Actively competing against the UFC, Bellator’s offering on Saturday night throws up a number of fascinating fights.
Bellator 192, which takes place at The Forum in Inglewood, California, sees former UFC title contender Rory MacDonald face off against Bellator’s dominant-looking welterweight champion Douglas Lima for the promotion’s belt.
Meanwhile, the headline-stealing fight could well be the co-main event pitting Quinton “Rampage” Jackson against Chael Sonnen in the first round of Bellator’s Heavyweight World Grand Prix.
Elsewhere, the ever-exciting Michael Chandler takes on Goiti Yamauchi, while red-hot prospect Aaron Pico fights Shane Kruchten.
Full fight card
Main Card (USA: Paramount Network, UK: Repeats on Channel 5/Spike)
Quinton Jackson vs. Chael Sonnen
Douglas Lima vs. Rory MacDonald
Michael Chandler vs. Goiti Yamauchi
Georgi Karakhanyan vs. Henry Corrales
Aaron Pico vs. Shane Kruchten
Preliminary Card (Bellator.com/live)
Khonry Gracie vs. Devon Brock
Ivan Castillo vs. Guilherme Vasconcelos
Kyle Estrada vs. David Duran
Noah Tillis vs. Jalin Turner
Chris Padilla vs. Gabriel Green
Marlen Magee vs. Johnny Cisneros
James Barnes vs. Chad George
Jose Campos vs. Haim Gozali
Ian Butler vs. Joey Davis
Cooper Gibson vs. Andrew Lazo
Roosevelt Roberts vs. Tommy Aaron
Mike Segura vs. Arthur Estrázulas
Isaiah Culpepper vs. Jean-Paul Le-Bosnoyani
January 20th: ONE Championship: Kings of Courage
ONE Championship know how to put on a show.
Saturday sees the Asia-based promotion return to Jakarta, Indonesia, where hometown hero and emerging flyweight talent Stefer Rahardian faces Muhammad Imran in the co-main event.
With women’s MMA, namely Angela Lee, so often stealing the headlines at ONE Championship, it’s only right a WMMA title fight tops the bill. Singapore’s Tiffany Teo takes on Jing Nan Xiong of China in a fight to crown ONE Championship’s inaugural women’s strawweight champion.
Oh and Shinya Aoki is on the bill, taking on Russia’s Marat Gafurov in a grappling super-match.
Full fight card
Main Card (iPPV – ONEPPV.com / Fight Network (USA))
Tiffany Teo vs. Jingnan Xiong
Stefer Rahardian vs. Muhammad Imran
Vitaly Bigdash vs. Leandro Ataides
Shinya Aoki vs. Marat Gafurov – Grappling match
Sunoto Peringkat vs. Rin Saroth
Yusup Saadulaev vs. Masakazu Imanari
Victorio Senduk vs. Yohan Mulia Legowo
Preliminary Card (Facebook / Twitter)
Riski Umar vs. Arnol Batubara
Rene Catalan vs. Xuewen Peng
Hertati Lumban Gaol vs. Audreylaura Boniface