The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday will touch down at Madison Square Garden in New York with UFC 244 -- an event headlined by a hotly anticipated showdown between Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz. Stakes are high across the board.
WHO HAS THE MOST TO GAIN?
Darren Till: Just over a year ago, things looked much different for Till. However, after a failed welterweight title bid was followed by a stoppage loss to Jorge Masvidal, he decided to try to rebuild his reputation. He will get no warmup as he gets back in the saddle, as he draws former interim title challenger and “The Ultimate Fighter 17” winner Kelvin Gastelum in a dangerous matchup for a fighter riding a losing streak. If Till can get back to his winning ways, his future prospects at 185 pounds could be promising, but a third straight defeat would put him ever closer to being knocked out of title contention for good -- a far cry from the young striker who was not long ago dubbed one of the brightest young fighters in all of the UFC.
Vicente Luque: It has been a slow, steady and violent climb up the welterweight rankings for the Hard Knocks 365 standout, and after compiling 10 wins in the UFC, six of them consecutively, he has finally earned his opportunity to prove he belongs among the elite. Standing in his way: former welterweight title challenger Stephen Thompson. The key to this matchup for Luque is calculated aggression. “Wonderboy” makes his living capitalizing on sloppy entries from his opponents, so Luque must be calm and calculated as he looks for one of his signature knockout blows. Clean, crisp striking and patience can win “The Silent Assassin” this bout and move him closer to the title shot he desires.
Johnny Walker: It has not taken Walker long to climb through the light heavyweight trenches and land a Top 10 fight. After less than a full round of action across three UFC outings, Walker is already being propped up as a future threat to the throne. In what will likely be his toughest test to date, Walker has been slotted opposite a consummate professional. Corey Anderson is a five-year UFC vet who has seen more of his fights play out inside the Octagon than elsewhere, and he is as well-rounded as it gets. Anderson will not put himself in position to fall victim to one of Walker’s flashy early moves, and it will be interesting to see how the Brazilian’s cardio holds up if the fight goes past the first frame. If Walker looks as impressive in this fight as he has in previous appearances, expect talks of a title shot to heat up even more.
WHO HAS THE MOST TO LOSE?
Stephen Thompson: It has been a rough road for “Wonderboy” following back-to-back title fights with Tyron Woodley. Since those battles, Thompson has gone 1-2 and suffered his first stoppage loss to Anthony Pettis. Returning against a lesser-known but more-than-capable challenger in Luque can either put him back on track in emphatic fashion or derail his chance at regaining his spot among the division’s contenders. The most likely path to victory for Thompson is sticking to what made him a title challenger in the first place: looking to establish range with his kicking game and trying to capitalize on his opponent’s aggression in route to some well-timed counters. A third straight loss would likely serve as the nail in the coffin in regards to Thompson’s time as an elite fighter. At 36 years of age, the decorated former kickboxing champion is much closer to retirement than he is to his prime.
Derrick Lewis: “The Black Beast” has become a fan favorite over the years due to jaw-dropping knockout blows paired with witty post-fight interview quips and strategic social media practices. Against Blagoy Ivanov, the time has come for Lewis to put up or shut up if he ever wants to get back to being a contender. Back-to-back stoppage losses coupled with a nagging back injury have pushed Lewis to the backburner, but a spectacular finish in his return to the Octagon would instantly reignite his fighting career and put him in position to call his next shot. Lewis has been vocal about his desire to face Greg Hardy once UFC 244 is over, and a win over Ivanov would put him back in the driver’s seat with his fighting career.
Kevin Lee: Back down to his original weight class at 155 pounds, Lee looks to regain some of the momentum he has lost since his early 2018 beatdown of Edson Barboza -- his last win inside the Octagon. The UFC has done Lee no favors as far as matchmaking goes, as he draws undefeated wrestling standout Gregor Gillespie. This fight marks Lee’s first training camp with Tristar Gym in Montreal, and he has made the transition the talk of fight week. Lee is on record saying to expect a reinvented version of the fighter that was once on his way to taking the lightweight division by storm. If he succeeds, you can expect “The Motown Phenom” to be back in full-effect with his new team of coaches in tow.