UFC Fight Night Preview & Tips | Sunday 19 October

Things have been moving fast for Reinier de Ridder but that seems to be the way he prefers it. Now 4-0 in the UFC despite less than one full year in the organization, de Ridder is knocking on the door of a middleweight title shot.

A former two-division champion in ONE FC, de Ridder has enjoyed the ability to stay busy after sitting on the shelf in other organizations. He’s less than three months removed from a five round war with Robert Whittaker where his hand was raised after a split verdict.

A native of the Netherlands, de Ridder has quickly established himself as an offensive menace in the division. He’ll plod forward, winging long strikes and driving knees up the middle of anyone daring to interrupt his attacks.

Towering at 6’4” (193cm), de Ridder’s length is an advantage in every faucet of the bout. At range he will force his opposition to walk through hell, then he’ll batter his foe in tie-ups with brutal knees and consistent body work.

That isn’t to say he is unbreakable, but therein lies part of his mystique. de Ridder will absorb some heavy shots from his opposition and somehow keep ticking. At the end of the day, de Ridder’s offense is nearly overwhelming and it takes a specialist to compete with him anywhere.

All of that is to say nothing of his tremendous grappling ability. A true submission threat who hunts for the finish at all times, de Ridder is long, lanky, and dangerous every time he puts his hands on his foe. The Dutchman stands to have an explosive pairing with fellow well-rounded offensive juggernaut Brendan Allen.

Hailing from the United States but with a lineage tracing back to Canada, Allen got back to winning ways earlier this year when he took a unanimous decision over Marvin Vettori. A win that could be defined as “close but clear”, Allen stayed ahead thanks to well-timed takedowns but struggled to separate from the durable veteran.

13-4 overall since joining the UFC in 2019, Allen has evolved significantly in that time. He continues to be at his best when he can establish his grappling but credit is due for Allen picking up his striking to a very respectable point. Reasonably high volume is mixed with effective takedown attempts and sharp knees in tie-ups.

In many ways, Allen is cut from a similar cloth as de Ridder and that should make for volatile reactions here. But Allen still stands to have an uphill battle ahead as the smaller man with less finishing potential.

A grueling fight is almost assured to take place here, as both have shown a willingness to put their offense first and see what happens. But de Ridder has been here many times before and proved quite a lot in his effort over Robert Whittaker earlier this year.

If the bigger man isn’t worn down by his incredible pace of schedule, he should be able to get rolling downhill. Look for the Dutchman to close the night out with a big win, separating from Allen down the stretch and closing the show before the final bell.

Bet: de Ridder Head To Head @ $1.46

5-1 in the UFC and 2-0 since that singular defeat, Mike Malott has done well to rebound and quickly get back to winning ways. Most recently, Malott earned some new fans when he took out a brash Charles Radtke in two rounds.

A Canadian representative, Malott has proven himself a solid fighter with the ability to win minutes everywhere. He stumbled down the stretch against the classically tough Neil Magny but otherwise has shown versatility, mobility, and particularly upside on the mat.

He does his best work when actively seeking takedowns and establishing top position, but he has failed to secure a takedown in either of his last two bouts.

Malott has decent footwork that helps him stay out of danger but he can be lured into tiring exchanges. As his level of competition rises, one would hope for wrestling to be a bigger part of his game. That stands particularly true as he heads into a huge fight this weekend, taking on longtime veteran Kevin Holland.

An outspoken American with 27 fights in the UFC’s cage, Holland is once again vowing to right the ship after a disappointing outing. In action just shy of four months ago, Holland went to war with Daniel Rodriguez for 15 straight minutes.

The fight was entertaining but did little to impress as Holland ultimately lost a unanimous decision. A defeat is one thing but the performance itself showed a fighter waning even further in his infamous inconsistencies.

Holland is only in his early-30s but owns one of the most stacked resumes on the organization’s roster. His seven years in the Octagon have been conducted at a blistering pace and some of the scraps he’s been part of are simply amazing.

But going to war like that takes a toll and Holland seems to be showing it. His armor has been showing cracks and though he still remains a dangerous offensive threat, the holes in his game are simply too large to ignore at this stage of his career.

Holland has always been bolstered heavily by a deep gas tank and reliable chin; recent outings have called both into question. If this fight took place a few years ago, Holland would be a clear betting favorite and preferred by a swath of pundits.

Timing dictates much in this sport and this weekend is apt to spotlight that. Malott may still be struggling to pull all his skills together into a clean package, but he has what it takes to win the majority of minutes against a fading and vulnerable opponent.

If Malott paces himself appropriately, he should find opportunities to ground Holland and break up the rhythm of the bout. The latter stages could be dicey for Malott but I have confidence he will fare better against the veteran than he did last time.

Bet: Malott Head To Head @ $1.87

It’s been an unlikely run but fans and fighters alike are needing to take a serious look at Aiemann Zahabi. Winner of his last six, Zahabi’s last three bouts have been escalations in leaps as he tackled Javid Basharat, Pedro Munhoz, and most recently Jose Aldo.

The win over Aldo was not without its dramatic moments but Zahabi justifiably had his hand raised after 15 minutes. The younger brother of Tristar head coach Firas, game planning has predictably become a tenet for the team’s preparation and the attention to detail has paid dividends in multiple ways.

Durable, well-conditioned, and technically sound, Zahabi is hitting his peak as a competitor. He isn’t much of an offensive wrestler but has developed well on the defense front, enabling him to showcase his striking prowess and work rate more often than not.

At 37 years old, Zahabi is still continuing to improve every time he steps into the cage. Despite his successful stretch, Zahabi is still a bit of a dark horse in the division. That said, it shows how impressive his recent outings have been that he is the betting favorite over former title challenger Marlon Vera.

Accustomed to competing at elite levels, Vera has has struggle to recapture the momentum he had from 2020-2022. He enters the weekend on a two-fight skid, having been handily out-hustled by Sean O’Malley and Deiveson Figueiredo alike across 2024.

One of the few Ecuadorian representatives in the organization, Vera is a fan favorite but has failed to meaningfully develop as a fighter in recent years. Vera is in his 11th year with the UFC and it would be fair to say he is much the same fighter he was five years ago.

There is substance to Vera no matter what – his durability and persistence cause problems for even the best in the division – but the blueprint to game planning against him is public knowledge and he seems to not mind.

One can reliably assume Vera will march forward and absorb damage but how much he outputs is another question entirely. Infamously suited for five round bouts, Vera will only have three with Zahabi and once again that stands to work against him.

The slicker, quicker fighter, Zahabi should be able to win minutes and stay out of the majority of danger in this one. Vera is apt to have his best success when Zahabi runs out of space against the cage, but otherwise may get stuck chasing an elusive target.

Finishing the tough-as-leather Ecuadorian is unlikely, but Zahabi should have no trouble staying ahead of Vera throughout. Canada has an unlikely emerging contender to support and UFC Fight Night 263 seems the right time for Zahabi to break out with a clear win over another recognizable veteran.

Bet: Zahabi Wins By Decision @ $2.05

An unsuccessful title bid five months ago has not dissuaded France’s Manon Fiorot from seeking another opportunity. Though she failed to get her hand raised over divisional great Valentina Shevchenko, the performance was solid enough to establish Fiorot as the betting favorite this weekend.

Having already taken out names like Namajunas and Blanchfield, the French representative has established herself a top contender while amassing a solid 7-1 record in the UFC. Strong, physical, and technically adept, Fiorot is one of the country’s best female fighters.

But it wasn’t enough to take the title. Some considered it a particularly close bout but Fiorot struggled handily with the mobility and timing of the champion. In response, Fiorot found success as the stronger woman in tie-ups, bullying Shevchenko for stretches and racking up control time.

At the end of the day it’s hard not to be impressed with Fiorot’s progress as a fighter, but she still remains a target with vulnerabilities. Fiorot does her best work when allowed to fight at her pace, dictating things with blitzes and stifling work at close range.

What she lacks in mobility and finesse she makes up for with raw physicality. One of the strongest in the division, Fiorot has proven remarkably difficult to ground on a consistent basis. However, her willingness to engage in the clinch will also open a window for Jasmine Jasudavicius to force the bout into her preferred realm.

It doesn’t take an expert to see that this bout will end up being a binary one. While both women have made significant strides rounding out their skills, Fiorot will be looking to avoid grappling at least as much as Jasudavicius seeks to avoid a kickboxing match.

A burgeoning Canadian star, Jasudavicius has enjoyed a meteoric rise through the UFC across ten bouts and three years. Notably, she turned a corner since a 2023 defeat to Tracy Cortez and hasn’t lost since. Jasudavicius most recently submitted former champion Jessica Andrade in a single round, putting the entire division on notice.

The 36-year-old may still be considered a bit of dark horse even despite her impressive run of success. A physically fit fighter who pushes a solid pace from the opening bell, Jasudavicius has worked hard to develop a cohesive style that flows effectively.

While she still does her best work when bullying fighters in tie-ups and from top position, Jasudavicius is happy to output volume and pressure on the feet. With a sturdy gas tank that has held up to some high paces, I expect Jasudavicius to start fast and only ramp things up from there.

This is a fascinating clash of styles that should allow both to showcase some of their best skills, but ultimately I suspect Jasudavicius will get her way. Both are physically staunch but Jasudavicius has a tendency to work a bit harder, a bit more often and that may pay off well in this contest.

With only three rounds to work, every minute will be valuable. Jasudavicius has the skills and the gas tank to score points anywhere and it’s fair to expect she will dominate if top position can be consolidated. Look for the Canadian to get the local crowd jumping as she cements herself as a top contender and pulls her win streak to six.

Bet: Jasudavicius Head To Head @ $2.85

At 38-years-old and on his second stint in the UFC, one would be forgiven for expecting Cody Gibson to slow down but that has failed to entirely come to fruition. 2-2 in his last four, Gibson has fared quite well since winning The Ultimate Fighter 31.

Despite having over 30 fights under his belt, Gibson is still a fairly explosive and determined wrestler inside the cage. He can be trusted to shoot early and often, a departure from most lifelong wrestlers as they approach their 40s.

Naturally, Gibson does his best work when he’s able to get his takedowns flowing. His offensive striking works with his wrestling well but ultimately he tends to absorb a bit too much damage to safely out-strike his opposition.

Fortunately, he game plans well and typically tries to play to his strengths. That fight IQ will go a long way when he takes on Mongolian power puncher Aoriqileng. The betting underdog this weekend, Aoriqileng is looking for his first victory since 2023.

Out of action for the past year, Aoriqileng was last seen being outworked and outwrestled by young spark plug Raul Rosas Jr. The older fighter managed to survive the distance but spent over seven minutes on his back after giving up three takedowns.

Defensive grappling has been an issue for Aoriqileng in the past and while he has made some progress on the front, it still stands clear as his greatest flaw. Aoriqileng is a competent striker with power in both hands but recent outings have seen him outworked, grounded, and suppressed one way or another.

In a pure kickboxing match Aoriqileng would make a fine account of himself but it seems unlikely he will stay on his feet for the majority of this contest. Look for the American to set the pace early, dragging Aoriqileng to the ground repeatedly and piling up the points.

Bet: Gibson Head To Head @ $1.57