UFC Vegas 26 Prelims Breakdown

Notable storylines within the UFC Vegas 26 prelims include: Ultimate Fighter 27: Undefeated winner Mike Trizano returns, two heavyweights look to get back in the win column, a potential fight of the night, and more! The UFC Vegas 26 prelims will begin at 5pm ET on ESPN+. Buckle up, because it is time to preview the six unique matchups on the UFC Vegas 26 prelims.

UFC Vegas 26 Prelims Preview

Ben Rothwell (38-13) vs Philipe Lins (14-5)

Ben Rothwell enters his 52nd pro MMA fight with the hopes of getting his 39th win. Since joining the UFC in 2009, Rothwell holds an 8-7 UFC record. The 39-year old has won two of his last five bouts, with his last fight being a loss to Marcin Tybura. Rothwell comes into this fight looking to bounce back against 35-year old Philipe Lins.

Philipe Lins signed with the UFC after winning the 2018 Professional Fighters League championship. Since joining the UFC, Lins has only shown a fraction of his potential due to tough competition. Lins now looks to get his first UFC win by beating the veteran who has seen everything the fight game offers.

Do not blink when these two heavyweights go at it, because all it takes is one punch. This fight should have some extra emotion to it with both fighters coming in after a loss.

Mike Trizano (8-1) vs Ludovit Klein (17-2)

Mike Trizano is easily one of the best fighters on the UFC Vegas 26 prelims. Trizano was signed to the UFC after winning the 27th season of The Ultimate Fighter. Since joining the UFC, Trizano has won two of his three fights. Unfortunately, Trizano’s only pro loss came from his last fight against Grant Dawson. Only time will tell if Trizano can return to the win column once again.

Ludovit Klein caught many MMA fans off guard when he made his UFC debut. It was pure dominance for Klein before making it to the UFC, with a 17-1 record and 7 fight win streak. He introduced himself quite fast with a show-stopping head kick finish in the first round against Shane Young. Klein now looks to make it two straight wins on his journey to becoming a ranked UFC fighter.

Trizano vs Klein has fight of the night potential written all over it. Make sure to grab your snacks and take your bathroom break early, because this is simply a fight you do not want to miss.

Phil Hawes (10-2) vs Kyle Daukaus (10-1)

Everything changed for Phil Hawes when he lost on Dana White’s Contender Series against Julian Marquez. After losing on DWCS in 2017, Hawes won three straight fights before getting another chance. He made most of the second opportunity by earning his UFC contract with a first-round KO. Once signed by the UFC, Hawes has since managed to get two dominating wins to put the Middleweight division on notice. Hawes now looks to continue his six-fight win streak on Saturday night against Kyle Daukaus.

Kyle Daukaus is one of those fighters who is simply always down for a good scrap. The former CFFC champion started his pro career 8-0 before signing to the UFC. Unfortunately, his UFC debut was spoiled with his first pro loss coming from Brendan Allen. Daukaus followed that loss with a spectacular performance at UFC 255 that led to a unanimous decision win. The 28-year-old looks to ride that momentum into his toughest matchup yet.

Both fighters have exceptional finish rates and will be looking to get another one on Saturday night. Anything past the second round makes this bout double in fight of the night potential.

UFC Vegas 26 Prelims Quick Hits

Ryan Benoit (10-7) vs Zarrukh Adashev (3-3)

Two fighters that have struggled in the UFC look to turn their careers around on Saturday night. Ryan Benoit has gone 3-5 in the UFC, with his last two fights ending in losses. Benoit looks to get back in the win column against the underrated Zarrukh Adashev. Adashev is 0-2 in the UFC after losing to Tyson Nam and Su Mudaerji. The 28-year old fighter has fought tough competition thus far but has the potential to be ranked at 125lbs. He continues to gain vital experience and has another chance to get his first UFC win against the extremely durable Benoit.

Both of these fighters have the heart and talent to turn their careers around. Do not sleep on this fight, because Benoit vs Adashev has a sneaky fight of the night potential.

Tafon Nchukwi (5-0) vs Jun Yong Park (12-4)

This matchup features two fighters that put on exceptional performances in their last fight. Tafon Nchukwi earned his UFC contract with a head kick KO in the first round on Dana White’s Contender Series. Nchukwi rode that momentum into his UFC debut; where he put together a great display of durability and power to beat Jamie Picket by unanimous decision. He now looks to continue his undefeated pro MMA career against Jun Yong Park.

The last time we saw Park, he beat John Phillips so bad the UFC had to cut him. Park has now won two straight fights to make his UFC record 2-1. He has put on strong performances in all three of his UFC fights and continues to improve. When at their best, either of these fighters can get the win and a potential performance bonus.

Christian Aguilera (14-7) vs Carlston Harris (15-4)

The UFC Vegas 26 prelims will start off with a potential banger in Aguilera vs Harris. Christian Aguilera has had quite the variation between his two UFC fights. His first fight was a 59 second KO win and his second fight was a second-round submission loss. He now looks to set a positive trend with a win against the 33-year old fighter born in Guyana.

On the other side of the octagon, Carlston Harris looks to make the most of his UFC debut. Harris comes in on a three-fight win streak; all three being finishes. He has won seven of his last eight fights as he rides that momentum into the UFC Vegas 26 prelims. The first fight of a UFC card is meant to create fireworks for the night, and this fight will do just that. Prepare yourselves because the UFC Vegas 26 prelims have the potential to be unforgettable.

Drop your thoughts and predictions for the UFC Vegas 26 prelims below in the comment section!

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