*Jean Silva lands a crushing right hand on the chin of Drew Dober. Credit: MMA Mania.*

The UFC heads to the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, with a fantastic card. From start to finish, there are plenty of exciting matchups and outstanding fighters all looking to put on a show in the cage this Saturday. In the co-main event, Flyweight legend Brandon Moreno will square off against the quickly rising Joseph Morales. In the main event, we’ll see devastating marauder Jean Silva go toe-to-toe with a dangerous boxer, Jose Miguel Delgado. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

#7 David Martínez vs. Dan Ige

*David Martínez tags Marlon Vera with a stiff right hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Bantamweight Bout

David Martínez: 14-1-0, 10 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Dan Ige: 19-11-0, 7 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.

Martínez is on a ten-fight win streak and holds UFC victories over Rob Font (22-10-0), Marlon Vera (23-12-1), and Saimon Oliveira (18-7-0). He is a lifelong karate practitioner who constantly unloads powerful kicks and always remains elusive. He’s in constant motion, typically floating along the outside, looking to counterstrike and catch his opponent when they enter the pocket. Martínez favors power over volume, often blitzing forward to unload bombs and kicks, but he remains technical throughout and won’t get sloppy. Training at Bonebreakers MMA, he’s exceptionally quick on his feet and with his hands, and he varies his attacks well, constantly blasting his opponents with leg kicks at range. He’s unlikely to initiate grappling exchanges, but he has shown solid takedown defense and ability in the clinch. Martínez has an impressive arsenal of flashy kicks and will regularly throw them while relentlessly pursuing a knockout.

*Dan Ige stuns Diego Lopes with a heavy right hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Ige has won one of his last five fights and has UFC wins over Edson Barboza (24-15-0), Andre Fili (25-14-0), and Sean Woodson (14-2-1). He is a brawler with serious power in the pocket and excellent technical boxing skills. He has great footwork, regularly switching stances and varying his entries into the pocket before letting his hands go. Ige has a solid kicking game to back up his boxing, with particularly damaging leg kicks he lands regularly. Training at Xtreme Couture, he has one-shot knockout power and favors power over volume, regularly firing heavy overhands or looping hooks before returning to range. He has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and is willing to grapple, landing at least one takedown in more than half of his UFC victories. Ige is exceptionally durable and is always willing to throw down with anyone.

#7 Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. #11 Curtis Blaydes

*Waldo Cortes-Acosta clips Derrick Lewis with a straight right hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Heavyweight Bout

Waldo Cortes-Acosta: 17-3-0, 9 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Curtis Blaydes: 19-6-0, 13 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Acosta has won three of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over #13-ranked Heavyweight Serghei Spivac (18-7-0), #15-ranked Heavyweight Shamil Gaziev (15-3-0), and Derrick Lewis (29-14-0). He is a heavy-handed brawler with excellent boxing and a dangerous right hand. He has strong counterstriking and is comfortable fighting on his back foot, regularly slipping big shots before returning with offense of his own. Training at UKF Gym, Acosta is light on his feet for a Heavyweight and moves in and out of the pocket quickly, rarely absorbing much damage. He favors power over volume and remains patient throughout, fighting behind his jab and looking for openings to land the knockout blow. While he won’t usually initiate grappling exchanges, he has demonstrated a solid ability to return to his feet. Acosta is always willing to exchange inside the pocket and have a wild brawl, and has earned two Performance of the Night bonuses in his last four UFC appearances.

*Curtis Blaydes lands a stinging jab on the chin of Josh Hokit. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Blaydes has won two of his last five outings and holds UFC victories over #2-ranked Heavyweight Alexander Volkov (40-11-0), #5-ranked Heavyweight Rizvan Kuniev (14-3-1), and Jairzinho Rozenstruik (15-6-0). A dominant wrestler, he’s constantly looking to take the fight to the mat and control the pace. He’s averaging over five takedowns per fifteen minutes in the UFC and secures them quickly, both in open space and along the fence. Blaydes favors power over volume, throwing straight, tight shots and constantly moving, feinting, and switching stances. He fights behind his jab, remaining technical and composed while throwing every shot with fight-ending power. Training with Elevation Fight Team, he looks to smother his opponent and drag them into deep waters, not necessarily forcing a finish. Blaydes holds the UFC Heavyweight records for most takedowns landed (66) and most control time (1:27:41), making grappling an inevitability when he’s inside the cage.

#2 Manon Fiorot vs. #3 Alexa Grasso

*Manon Fiorot fires a powerful kick to the head of Erin Blanchfield. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Women’s Flyweight Bout

Manon Fiorot: 13-2-0, 7 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Alexa Grasso: 17-5-1, 5 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Fiorot has won four of her last five fights and has UFC wins over #4-ranked Flyweight Erin Blanchfield (14-2-0), #7-ranked Flyweight Jasmine Jasudavicius (15-4-0), and #8-ranked Flyweight Rose Namajunas (15-8-0). She is an efficient, technical striker who always fights at a high pace. She fights behind her jab and has very clean hands, tending to headhunt without loading up or telegraphing her attacks. Fiorot has excellent distance management and footwork, regularly stepping out of the way of shots and catching her opponent with clean counters. Training with the Boxing Squad, she’s averaging over one takedown per fifteen minutes and is a BJJ black belt. She has powerful takedowns, can elevate her opponents for slams, and has outstanding reversals, often ending up in top position even when taken down. Fiorot throws with unbelievable output, averaging about 208 total strikes thrown per UFC fight.

*Alexa Grasso viciously chokes out Maycee Barber after dropping her with a left hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Grasso has won two of her last five bouts, with one draw, and holds UFC victories over Flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko (26-4-1), #9-ranked Flyweight Maycee Barber (15-3-0), and Viviane Araújo (14-8-0). She is an excellent technical boxer who throws everything purposefully and in combination. She has very clean hands, never loading up and always using her outstanding timing and accuracy to damage her opponents. Grasso has a solid chin and is willing to exchange in the pocket, but she’s also defensively sound, having successfully defended 58% of significant strikes attempted on her in the UFC. Training at Lobo Gym MMA, she varies her targets well and regularly adds heavy kicks to the end of her combinations, particularly to the legs. She holds a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and is always working from top position, looking to posture up and land ground and pound while threatening submissions. Grasso has proven impressively durable and always pushes a heavy pace, never backing down from a scrap.

Tommy McMillen vs. Marwan Rahiki

*Tommy McMillen cracks Alberto Montes with a heavy right hand. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Featherweight Bout

Tommy McMillen: 11-0-0, 5 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.

Marwan Rahiki: 9-0-0, 8 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

McMillen is undefeated and has UFC victories over Alberto Montes (12-2-0) and Manolo Zecchini (11-5-0). He’s a dangerous submission ace who loves to brawl. He’s a lengthy striker but will regularly look to close the distance, dipping his head before firing looping shots and lunging straights. McMillen is willing to eat a shot to land one and heats up as the fight continues, letting his hands go more often and taking more risks. Training at Red Hawk Academy, he’s a relentless grappler who will regularly look to clinch up and bring the fight to the mat. He has excellent scrambles and reversals to secure top position, where he’ll immediately pursue submissions, typically chokes. McMillen pushes a heavy pace from the opening bell, having left the first round only twice in his career, and can secure chokes very quickly, even while standing.

*Marwan Rahiki lands a vicious elbow to the head of Harry Hardwick. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Rahiki is undefeated and holds UFC wins over Harry Hardwick (13-5-1) and Ollie Schmid (4-3-0). He’s a dangerous, wild striker who loves flashy attacks and is always pursuing a knockout. He has solid head movement, often relying on it while fighting with his hands down, keeping him unpredictable at all times. Rahiki regularly throws heavy, naked kicks from range and constantly attempts spinning attacks, typically pulling his opponent in before throwing a spinning kick or elbow. Training at Lion’s Den Academy, he won’t usually pursue takedowns, but he has a purple belt in BJJ and is highly aggressive in top position, immediately posturing up and raining down ground-and-pound. He throws every shot with maximum power, usually in combinations, and greatly favors hooks and overhands over straight shots. Rahiki has not been to a decision in his professional career and pushes a heavy pace from the opening bell.

#10 Brandon Moreno vs. Joseph Morales

*Brandon Moreno blasts Brandon Royval with a right hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Flyweight Bout

Brandon Moreno: 23-10-2, 5 KO/TKO, 11 Sub.

Joseph Morales: 14-2-0, 2 KO/TKO, 8 Sub.

Moreno has won two of his last five outings and holds UFC victories over #9-ranked Flyweight Amir Albazi (17-3-0), #11-ranked Bantamweight Deiveson Figueiredo (25-7-1), and Steve Erceg (14-5-0). He’s an exceptionally well-rounded fighter with fantastic boxing and outstanding grappling. He has a sharp jab and always fights behind it, using it to set up devastating combinations and batter his opponent when they enter striking range. Moreno is willing to throw down in the pocket but always remains composed and accurate, throwing every shot with intent and purpose. He is a BJJ black belt with excellent wrestling and smothering control in top position. He has a dangerous arsenal of submissions and can produce quick finishes on the mat. Moreno is a two-time UFC Flyweight champion and holds multiple Flyweight records, including the most total fight time (5:40:52) and the most significant strikes landed (1308).

*Joseph Morales submits Matt Schnell with a tight guillotine choke. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Morales is on a six-fight win streak and has a UFC win over Matt Schnell (17-11-0). He’s an outstanding technical fighter with excellent boxing and grappling skills. Morales constantly pressures his opponent, forcing them to the outside of the cage and landing precise punches. He regularly mixes body shots into combinations, never gets sloppy or drawn into brawls, and always keeps his hands high and his striking sharp. Training with Team Alpha Male, he has powerful takedowns, typically landing them in open space, and is relentless in top position, constantly advancing and pursuing submissions. He excels at taking his opponent’s back and is very tough to shake off, maintaining control and always choosing position over submission. Morales is dangerous at all times and carries his power and speed throughout the fight, having secured two of his last three finishes after the first round.

#6 Jean Silva vs. #15 Jose Miguel Delgado

*Jean Silva fires a wild spinning elbow at Arnold Allen. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Featherweight Bout

Jean Silva: 17-3-0, 12 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Jose Miguel Delgado: 12-2-0, 6 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Silva has won four of his last five fights and has UFC victories over #5-ranked Featherweight Arnold Allen (21-4-0), Bryce Mitchell (19-4-0), and Drew Dober (29-15-0). He’s a dangerous scrapper with devastating power in both hands who’s constantly hunting for a knockout. He starts slow, looking for openings and throwing heavy single shots, rarely throwing straight and instead supplying a constant dose of hooks, overhands, and uppercuts. Silva is always willing to brawl and will get wild, attempting jumping knees and firing spinning elbows and backfists. Training with the Fighting Nerds, he heats up as the fight continues, gradually gaining confidence and increasing his forward pressure and output. Although he won’t typically pursue takedowns, Silva is a solid grappler with a dangerous submission game, especially his chokes. Silva always puts on a show inside the cage and has earned four post-fight bonuses in his last five UFC appearances.

*Jose Miguel Delgado lands a brutal right hand on Austin Bashi. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Delgado has won four of his last five bouts and holds UFC victories over Andre Fili (25-14-0), Austin Bashi (14-2-0), and Hyder Amil (11-2-0). He’s a powerful striker with sharp boxing, knockout power, and solid grappling. He throws everything in combination with knockout intent, regularly unloading lengthy sequences of hooks and finishing with body shots. Delgado is always pressuring his opponent, unleashing nonstop offense while staying accurate and throwing every shot with purpose. He constantly switches stances, giving his opponent different looks while using his striking to set up his grappling, often closing distance with punches before pursuing a takedown. Training at the MMA Lab, he’s a powerful wrestler who can land takedowns in open space and is tough to control in bottom position. Delgado is always dangerous, especially early, with seven of his ten finishes coming in the first round.

Best Bets

Cortes-Acosta vs. Blaydes Under 2.5 Rounds: This is an exciting matchup between two dangerous Heavyweights. Both fighters are known for their finishing ability, and I expect more of the same here. In a combined 45 professional fights, they’ve produced 23 finishes, with 20 coming in the first two rounds. Overall, 62% of their combined 45 fights did not go the distance, and 55% did not leave the first two rounds. Although both are known finishers, they have very different skill sets and styles, which I believe makes a finish even more likely, since I’d be shocked to see a very close, stalemate-type fight. I expect one of the two to fully control this fight, with either Acosta dominating on the feet or Blaydes dominating on the ground. Regardless of who emerges the victor, I’m confident this fight will end within the first two and a half rounds.

Manon Fiorot by Decision: This is an outstanding matchup of two top-five women’s Flyweights. Both are well-rounded and dangerous anywhere the fight goes, but I believe the pace, technicality, and kicking ability of Fiorot will be the difference-maker in this fight. Grasso is widely regarded as one of the best pure boxers in the women’s divisions, but she tends to rely on her hands, largely fighting in the pocket and not throwing much at range. Fiorot is very tactical and fantastic at moving in and out of the pocket and avoiding shots, and I don’t expect her to spend much time on the inside, allowing Grasso to let her hands go. Grasso has solid cardio, but outside of Shevchenko (who she obviously struggled against), I don’t believe she’s fought someone who pushes a pace like Fiorot. I expect the non-stop offense to slow Grasso down, lessening her punching power and output over time. I think Fiorot will stay at range, peppering Grasso with clean shots and constant kicks to her body and legs while remaining elusive, forcing Grasso to take chances and burn herself out. Grasso is exceptionally durable, so I don’t anticipate a finish, but I believe it will be an impressive decision win for Fiorot.

Jean Silva by KO/TKO: This is an intriguing matchup between two outstanding strikers. This is a major step up for Delgado, and in just his second appearance on a UFC main card, he finds himself in a main event against the division’s most dangerous power-puncher. As talented as Delgado is, I believe this is too much, too soon, and he will ultimately be overwhelmed by Silva’s power and precision. I expect this fight to start like most of Silva’s fights, with Silva taking his time and looking for openings while Delgado circles and tries to establish a rhythm. Once Silva settles in, he’ll let his hands go and unleash his unorthodox offense, slowing Delgado and forcing him to fight defensively. As the fight continues, I believe Silva will turn up the pace, blasting Delgado with vicious power shots, controlling the center of the cage, and relentlessly pressuring. Ultimately, I don’t think it will take many big shots from Silva to set Delgado down, and once he finds the chin, I expect another highlight-reel knockout victory for Silva.

Noche UFC: Silva vs Delgado Preview