The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s relentless march on the calendar will reach a crescendo with UFC 300 this Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. A rare one-week respite will follow. Now, Sin City braces for the festivities associated with this historic milestone event, which showcases a legion of the most skilled, renowned and top-ranked competitors in the organization. One would be hard-pressed to recall a previous instance when so many champions, past or present, and upper-echelon contenders assembled under the same roof. While the fighters will be keen to leave an indelible print on a grand stage like UFC 300, they are also vying for supremacy in Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings.
Alex Pereira vs. Jamahal Hill
Hill never lost the light heavyweight championship, at least not in competition. He was forced to relinquish the title, which he won against Glover Teixeira, after he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in July. During his absence, Periera took over the reins, defeating Jiri Prochazka by second-round stoppage at UFC 295. In a mere seven fights in the Las Vegas-based promotion, Pereira has managed to ascend to the top of two weight classes and etched his name in history as the UFC’s only 185- and 205-pound champion. Hill, meanwhile, banks on the strength of a four-fight winning streak that includes three finishes. As far as their rankings are concerned, “Poatan” occupies the No. 5 spot in Sherdog’s Pound-for-Pound Top 10 Rankings and is ranked second in the light heavyweight division. Hill, meanwhile, is ranked No. 4 at 205 pounds and currently remains unranked on the pound-for-pound list.
Weili Zhang vs. Xiaonan Yan
UFC 300 marks a historic milestone for Chinese martial arts heritage, as Zhang will put her strawweight title on the line against Yan in the first all-Chinese championship fight in UFC history. “Magnum” became a two-time 115-pound queen following her victory over Carla Esparza and defended the title against Amanda Lemos in a record-setting one-sided beatdown. Yan, on the other hand, rides the momentum of a two-fight winning streak that includes a knockout victory over former champ Jessica Andrade at UFC 288. Zhang occupies the No. 4 spot on the women’s pound-for-pound list and remains the top-ranked combatant on the strawweight ladder. At No. 11 on the pound-for-pound list, Yan will attempt to take a significant leap on the ladder, as well as improve her current No. 3 rank at 115 pounds.
Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway
This fight could easily headline any massive pay-per-view on any given day. The obvious early pick for “Fight of the night,” Gaethje-Holloway has all the right ingredients for a classic barnburner. On top of that, Gaethje’s BMF championship—he captured it at UFC 291 with a head kick knockout victory over Dustin Poirier—will also be on the line. Holloway, meanwhile, makes his second trip to the lightweight division after falling short in a bid to seize the interim 155-pound strap against Poirier at UFC 236 in 2019. He banks on the momentum of a two-fight winning streak going into the clash. Gaethje holds the No. 8 spot on the pound-for-pound list and the No. 3 ranking on the lightweight ladder. While he remains unranked in the lightweight division, Holloway holds his spot at No. 14 on the pound-for-pound rankings and would almost certainly enter the lightweight mix with a victory over Gaethje.
Charles Oliveira vs. Arman Tsarukyan
A former 155-pound champion, Oliveira embraces the challenge of facing contender Tsarukyan in the final non-title fight on the card. Both fighters are coming off victories over Beneil Dariush and have issued challenges with a sting. This fight could very well determine the next challenger in line or set the stage for a future title showdown. Oliveira ranks No. 7 on the pound-for-pound list and No. 2 in the lightweight rankings. The No. 5-ranked lightweight, Tsarukyan has yet to make his mark on the pound-for-pound list. That could change with a victory over his Brazilian adversary.
Jiri Prochazka vs. Aleksandar Rakic
The final fight on the preliminary card features Rakic’s first appearance in nearly two years, as he goes against the former 205-pound kingpin. Much like Hill, Prochazka never lost the belt in competition but returned to take on Pereira for the vacant throne in a losing effort at UFC 295. Rakic was last seen inside the Octagon against Jan Blachowicz in a fight he lost via third-round TKO, his defeat the result of a torn ACL. As far as their rankings on the light heavyweight ladder are concerned, Prochazka is ranked at No. 3, while Rakic occupies the ninth spot.
Calvin Kattar vs. Aljamain Sterling
Sterling, the former bantamweight champion, makes his featherweight debut against a perennial contender in Kattar, who boasts a 7-5 record in the UFC. Sterling, having dropped the 135-pound crown to Sean O’Malley, aims to make the featherweight division his new home. His first step towards that goal begins with this encounter with Kattar. Despite the loss to O’Malley, Sterling is ranked No. 12 on the pound-for-pound list, while Kattar stamps his place in the No. 10 slot in the featherweight rankings.
Holly Holm vs. Kayla Harrison
Holm welcomes the decorated Octagon debutant to the UFC in this featured women’s bantamweight prelim. Harrison, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and Professional Fighters League tournament winner, has chirped at the UFC women’s roster for some time and now has the opportunity to invest in her assertions with a victory over the former divisional queen. Currently unranked on the women’s bantamweight list, Harrison can expect to change her standing with a victory over the No. 5-ranked Holm.
Jalin Turner vs. Renato Carneiro
Turner and Carneiro will engage in a strategic battle for positioning in the densely packed ranks of the UFC lightweight division. Turner is coming off a statement win over Bobby Green in his last Octagon assignment, while Carneiro rides the force of a victory over Drew Dober earlier this year. Turner’s No. 11 spot in the lightweight rankings is seemingly at stake, as Carneiro will be keen on making his own mark at 155 pounds.
Jessica Andrade vs. Marina Rodriguez
Coming off a TKO victory over Mackenzie Dern, Andrade takes on a fellow Brazilian in Rodriguez in this featured 115-pound collision. This pivotal clash between Top 10 standouts makes for an exciting encounter since Andrade and Rodriguez’s No. 5 and No. 8 spots in the women’s strawweight rankings are also at stake.
Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Cody Garbrandt
Another clash with the potential to headline a UFC Fight Night card will serve as the UFC 300 opener. In this bout, Figueiredo, the former flyweight champion, will make his sophomore appearance at bantamweight when he squares off with Garbrandt, the ex-titleholder at 135 pounds. The Brazilian is ranked No. 11 on the bantamweight ladder, while Garbrandt is currently unranked.