UFC Nashville: Elite strikers, big-hitting heavyweights... and a man who drilled his scrotum
After the drama of UFC London, the octagon travels to Nashville, Tennessee, for a UFC Fight Night event headlined by a crowd-pleasing clash of strikers as Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson and Anthony 'Showtime' Pettis face off.
The event features a card packed with rising prospects and a sprinkling of octagon veterans, but what should you be looking out for on fight night on Saturday night? RT Sport gives you the lowdown...
BATTLE OF STRIKERS
The main event looks set to be a superb matchup between two of the slickest strikers on the UFC roster.
Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson has twice challenged for the UFC welterweight title and remains one of the most tricky assignments for anyone at 170lbs. But that's a challenge former UFC lightweight world champion Anthony 'Showtime' Pettis has decided to take on.
The Milwaukee fighter has taken the decision to step up a weight class to welterweight to face Thompson in what on paper looks like a superb battle of striking styles.
It could be a little cagey early on, but with both men more than capable of producing the spectacular, it's a fight that fans can't afford to turn away from.
HEAVYWEIGHTS COLLIDE
The night's co-main event features a battle between two heavyweights looking to gatecrash the world title picture in the UFC's heaviest weight division.
Curtis Blaydes is almost there already, having surged towards the sharp end of the UFC's heavyweight rankings. The former NCAA wrestler has added improving striking to his prodigious wrestling base and is beginning to develop into a serious contender.
He'll face Justin 'Big Pretty' Willis, who will concede significant advantages in height and reach to Blaydes on fight night. But with a recent win over MMA legend Mark Hunt under his belt, 'Big Pretty' will be high on confidence heading into Saturday night's fight.
FLYWEIGHT CONTENDERS FACE OFF
Two of the UFC's best Brazilian flyweights go head to head on the main card as longtime fringe contender Jussier Formiga looks to push himself into the world title conversation with victory over undefeated contender Deiveson Figueiredo.
Formiga is riding a three-fight win streak, but Figueiredo is absolutely flying, with 15 wins from 15 fights, including 13 finishes.
It should be a fast-paced, exciting clash, with the winner moving one big step closer to potential world title contention.
'THUG NASTY' RETURNS
Former The Ultimate Fighter star Bryce 'Thug Nasty' Mitchell looked superb on his UFC debut at The Ultimate Fighter Finale last summer, but we haven't seen the American in action since that bout at International Fight Week because of an horrific injury involving DIY, a power drill and his testicles.
Despite sustaining one of the worst injuries imaginable, Mitchell made a full recovery and is ready to lay down a marker with a big performance against Bobby Moffett.
Expect a strong performance from 'Thug Nasty,' who was considered the top prospect on The Ultimate Fighter last year.
UFC NASHVILLE: FIGHT CARD
MAIN CARD
Stephen Thompson vs Anthony Pettis - welterweight
Curtis Blaydes vs Justin Willis - heavyweight
John Makdessi vs Jesus Pinedo - lightweight
Jussier Formiga vs Deiveson Figueiredo - flyweight
Luis Pena vs Steven Peterson - featherweight
Maycee Barber vs JJ Aldrich - women's flyweight
PRELIMINARY CARD
Bryce Mitchell vs Bobby Moffett - featherweight
Frankie Saenz vs Marlon Vera - bantamweight
Alexis Davis vs Jennifer Maia - women's flyweight
Randa Markos vs Angela Hill - women's strawweight
Ryan MacDonald vs Chris Gutierrez - bantamweight
Eric Shelton vs Jordan Espinosa - flyweight
