Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports
UFC 276 is the centerpiece of International Fight Week, and it is built around two title bouts.
In the main event, Israel Adesanya defends his middleweight title against Jared Cannonier. Eleven years into his career, this marks Cannonier’s first UFC title fight. Standing in his way is the great Israel Adesanya, a nearly unstoppable force who has won 11 of his 12 fights in the Octagon. Adesanya has never lost a middleweight bout throughout his career, and that is the puzzle to solve for Cannonier.
Alexander Volkanovski defends the featherweight championship against Max Holloway in the co-main. This is the third time they have squared off against one another, with Volkanovski claiming the first two. Holloway has run through all the top contenders in the division, except he has yet to find an answer for Volkanovski. If Volkanovski emerges victorious, look for him to make a run at the lightweight title in pursuit of becoming a double champion.
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The remainder of the 276 card is solid. Sean Strickland and Alex Pereira face off in the equivalent of a No. 1 contender’s bout for Adesanya’s middleweight title. Strickland has been inching closer and closer to a title shot, but Pereira—who already owns two wins against Adesanya from their kickboxing matchups—would make for a better story line if Adesanya retains his title.
Former welterweight champ Robbie Lawler against veteran Bryan Barberena, a chance for the 40-year-old Lawler to win his second in a row. And the opener is the entertaining Sean O’Malley facing his greatest test against No. 9 bantamweight Pedro Munhoz. If O’Malley leaves Vegas with a win, he will also finally crack the division’s top-10.
The buildup to the co-main event should be compelling, and 276 is set to close out with two appointment-viewing championship bouts.
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