As we move closer to UFC 266, another division takes the main event and co-main roles.
This Saturday night, Anthony Smith battles Ryan Spann in the main event of UFC Fight Night 192, or UFC on ESPN+ 50.
Set from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, the card streams entirely on ESPN+.
Along with Smith vs. Spann, 205-pound fighters Ion Cutelaba and Devin Clark are set for the co-main event billing.
Heck even the prelims feature the division, as Mike Rodriguez goes up against Tafon Nchukwi.
Smith, who challenged Jon Jones for the title back in 2019, is seeking a third consecutive win. He stopped Jimmy Crute in April and submitted Clark last year.
Prior to that, the veteran had dropped two straight to Aleksandar Rakic and Glover Teixeira. Smith did submit former title challenger Alexander Gustafsson back in 2019.
With 19 knockout, 13 submission and 35 career wins to his credit, Smith is the consummate prized fighter. He has turned his career around since returning to the UFC in 2016.
Spann, meanwhile, comes in having gone 6-1 including a victory on Dana White’s Contender Series. A 2020 loss to Johnny Walker halted his eight-fight win streak, but he quickly rebounded by finishing Misha Cirkunov.
Like Smith, Spann is a finisher, having stopped 16 of his 19 career wins.
Cutelaba is in desperate need of a strong showing, having lost two with a draw in his last three fights. Overall, he is just 3-4-1 since 2016.
But those wins have been impressive, including finishes of Khalil Rountree Jr. and Henrique da Silva.
Clark has had troubles getting to the Octagon due to injuries and visa issues for his scheduled opponents. He is 12-5 overall, including a 6-5 mark with the UFC.
Both Cutelaba and Clark have the ability to highlight fans, but they also need a win.
