The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is headed to Sao Paulo, Brazil with UFC Fight Night 119: Machida vs Brunson. The 1- fight card gets going with preliminary action on UFC Fight Pass at 7 p.m. ET. Prelims will continue on FOX Sports 2 at 8 p.m. and the main card will kick off on FOX Sports 1 at 10 p.m. If interested in wagering on any bouts for this fight card, all betting lines are made available at Several Bookmakers.
These are my fighters to watch at UFC Fight Night 119 in Brazil:
Lyoto Machida
“The Dragon” has completed a two-year USADA drug suspension and is ready to return to the Octagon, where he has not seen victory since a 2014 first round knockout of CB Dolloway. He is on a two-fight losing skid with losses to Luke Rockhold and Yoel Romero, and he will be looking to get back into the win column with a win over Brunson this Saturday night. This is an important match to keep an eye on, as it could determine whether Machida is still in the upper echelon of the UFC’s 185-pound division or if he has truly fallen off. He is the betting underdog heading into the contest, so the odds are already against him.
Colby Covington
Covington finally gets what he’s been begging for; a big fight! He gets Demian Maia following the Brazilian’s failed bid for the UFC’s 170-pound title, where he lost a unanimous decision to Tyron Woodley. This fight is a chance for Covington to prove himself, and we will get to see whether he is a potential title challenger or not. This is undoubtedly the stiffest test of Covington’s professional mixed martial arts career and it will be interesting to see how he does. He is the betting favorite in this welterweight matchup, so the odds are in his favor going in.
Niko Price
Price is undefeated in eleven professional bouts and three inside the Octagon. He has finished all three UFC opponents inside the distance and will be looking to do the same in Brazil this Saturday night when he takes on the Brazilian Vicente Luque. This is an excellent matchup in the UFC’s 170-pound division and yet another tough test for Price, who has past all three so far in the UFC. He again finds himself playing the role of underdog, and I am very much interested in seeing if he comes out on top one more time, managing to keep his unbeaten record intact.
