The UFC returns May 9 for the first of three events in a one-week stretch in Jacksonville, Fla. There are two title fights atop the bill. But below those championship bouts are some great other matchups.
So which one of those fights is the most appealing? MMA Junkie’s Farah Hannoun, Nolan King and Danny Segura give their opinions in the latest edition of Triple Take.
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Farah Hannoun: Francis Ngannou vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
There is no doubt that this is the No. 1 contender fight at heavyweight, and the stakes are very high.
Francis Ngannou has been chomping at the bit to get another crack at the title, having knocked out his last three opponents in the first round. He’s had a tough time finding opponents, but undefeated prospect Jairzinho Rozenstruik has stepped up.
Rozenstruik is coming off an incredible comeback win over Alistair Overeem and finds himself with a massive opportunity to knock off the top-ranked Ngannou and leapfrog the rest of the division for a title shot.
With nearly a 100 percent finish rate between them, it’s likely that one of them will go down in a matchup that pits two of the hardest hitters in the division.
The trilogy bout between champion Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier is yet to be booked, prompting both Ngannou and Rozenstruik to request that their fight be for the interim title. But the UFC was not on board.
Either way, the next title challenger will most definitely emerge from this fight.
Next page – Nolan King: Calvin Kattar vs. Jeremy Stephens