He also scored a victory in the house over Fredy Serrano. Outside of those losses, he has beaten some of the best competition the division has to offer and has continually been near the top of the rankings. This event was held 1,961 day days ago and was the 322nd event in Ultimate Fighting Championship history, including pay-per-views, UFC Fight Nights, and The Ultimate Fighter season finales. He has just five professional fights but owns a black belt in taekwondo. I think that’s what we’ll see here. Melendez reigned over Strikeforce for many years and has twice fought for UFC gold, losing to Ben Henderson and Anthony Pettis. But he rebounded with a win over Alex White at UFC 181 in December. UFC 188 saw the promotions heavyweight titles unified as Fabricio Werdum choked out Cain Velasquez in the third round. He is a force of nature. Montano has competed professionally since 2008, and his only career loss came at the hands of burgeoning UFC star Sam Alvey in 2011. Shaq is really upset that Dwight Howard won a ring. He’s a slight betting favorite, and I think he has what it takes to edge Williams. Since that time, he has amassed a 10-1 record, including a big win over Sean Soriano in his last UFC bout with a nice D’Arce choke. This will be his second UFC bout; the first came in the finals of TUF: Latin America, when he beat show teammate Jose Alberto Quinonez at UFC 180. If she can’t get Hill there, she could be looking at a short night. ET. But he is also facing a man who is certainly on the downward slope of his career. How the Magic went from the Finals to the NBA’s worst team in 4 years. If Gastelum is the prospect everyone still believes him to be—despite the loss to Tyron Woodley following his weight-cut snafu—he should be able to dispatch Marquardt with ease. Heavyweight: Fabricio Werdum def. Brett Phillips drove in Randy Arozarena on one of the wildest game-winning runs in World Series history. Gastelum is undersized for the middleweight division. Pendred had previously fought only 28 days before the event, when he defeated Augusto Montaño at UFC 188. Fabricio Werdum has made improbable strides since his first go-around in the UFC, and today he is the second-best heavyweight on the planet. Want the latest MMA news and UFC rumors? He has finished every fight he’s ever won. Alvarez is an awesome fighter, but Melendez has more tools. ET and the main card should have a start time of about 10 p.m. That co-promotion never happened, and it was unfortunate, but at least we’re finally getting the fight. Announcer Joe Rogan criticized referee Dan Miragliotta for not stopping the fight sooner. The Vikings are terrible, and have no clear path forward. UFC 254 will take place at UFC Fight Island in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates this weekend.... You have entered an incorrect email address! Case is the heavy favorite here and for good reason. He has two UFC victories in two appearances, beating Kazuki Tokudome and Frankie Perez. Needless to say, the former U.S. Army sniper has the tools to grapple. The latest chapter in the beef is the lamest one yet. I hate using the term “warriors,” because I believe it is overused, but that’s the perfect description for both of these men. Drew Dober via submission (guillotine choke) at 0:54 of Round 1.Bantamweight Patrick Williams def. And he competed in a boxing fight at 197 pounds just three weeks ago. He is the toughest test of Cejudo’s career. Melendez and Alvarez have been circling each other for years, dating back to when Melendez was in Strikeforce and wanted a co-promoted bout with Alvarez, who was the reigning Bellator champion. Today's UFC takes place from Mexico City in Mexico, and has a scheduled start time for Early Prelims of 7 p.m.