UFC 276 Preview

2022 has already delivered in terms of incredible fights, shocks, controversies and stacked cards, and 276 looks set to pick up that ball and run with it. The first and the last on that list are a given, and the way things have gone this year, there won’t be many people betting against at least one of the other two coming to fruition. Let’s pick over the details and highlights from what promises to be an incredible night of fighting.

What time and where is UFC 276?

UFC 276 takes place on the 2^nd of July 2022 at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Las Vegas. Early prelims are set to start at 3:00 pm PDT, with the main card rolling into action at 7:00 pm PDT. The event comes on the back of the UFC Fight Week, which includes of course the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Dana White and crew tend to put on something special for the first one in July, and if this is anything like last year’s we are in for a treat.

Israel Adesanya v Jared Cannonier

The main event is the scrap for the middleweight strap between Israel Adesanya and Jared Cannonier. The Last Style Bender – which, as an aside, has to be the best name currently in the UFC, which still has a long way to go to rival other sports when it comes to nicknames – has looked as close to unbeatable at 185lb as you can get. He faces someone in Cannonier, however, who possesses devastating knockout power, as demonstrated in his two-round destruction of Derek Brunson at UFC 271. As always with Adesanya, though, the issue is being able to lay a glove (knee or elbow) on him. The Nigerian-born Kiwi will be fully aware of the danger his opponent poses, and we could be in for a more measured, pragmatic display from the champion.

Alexander Volkanovski v Max Holloway

There are some fights you just want to see over and over again, and luckily for us, the UFC, Volkanovski and Holloway are more than happy to make that come true. The two previous meetings both ended with the Australian getting his hand raised, but that doesn’t tell half of the story. Their first meeting at UFC 245 saw Volkanovski win the featherweight title from the Hawaiian via a unanimous decision. The rematch at UFC 251 saw him retain the belt, this time by a split decision, but it was a result that left many people scratching their heads, and many more, just plain angry. Since then the champion has continued to improve, but the same could not be said of the challenger, so perhaps the final part of this trilogy is coming slightly too late for Max, who hasn’t stopped an opponent for almost four years.

The best of the rest

Sean O’Malley is always someone that draws opinions and crowds in equal measure. Self-confidence is not something that is lacking in most MMA gyms, but O’Malley takes that to another level. Fortunately for Sugar, he has been able to equal the hype in the octagon, the vast majority of times he’s stepped into it. Number ten-ranked Pedro Munhoz represents his toughest test, but if the Montana native is to fulfil his prophecy of becoming champion, these are the fights he should be winning convincingly.

Robbie Lawler’s days at the top of the rankings are more than likely to have gone, but it is always a treat to see a legend in the octagon, and UFC 276 sees the former welterweight champion go up against Bryan Barberena, in a fight back at his natural weight after defeating Nick Diaz last December at middleweight.

Other fights worth picking out of what is truly a stacked card, are Jessica Eye against Maycee Barber, Lauren Murphy against former champion Miesha Tate, number four ranked Sean Strickland against Alex Pereira and Uriah Hall against Andre Muniz.