UFC Vegas 103 is a few days away. This Saturday night time, the month of March kicks off from the UFC Apex, the place this week’s installment of UFC Struggle Night time originates from. Dwell protection of UFC Vegas 103 begins with the undercard at 4 pm ET/ 1 pm PT on ESPN+ inside the USA.
If you’re a subscriber of Disney Plus, the cardboard can be carried in its entirety on that platform, as properly. Important card motion caps the night off at 7 pm ET/ 4 pm PT on ESPN+ and Disney Plus.
All instructed, barring any late changes to the bout order, the ultimate model of the present will function a full 12-fight slate from MMA’s No. 1 promotion. Our concentrate on today is on fights going down throughout the principle card.
UFC Vegas 103 Important Occasion: Manel Kape vs. Asu Almabayev
On the high of the invoice on the principle card is the lone all-ranked matchup going down the complete night time on Saturday. Flyweights take to the famed UFC Octagon when No. 6 contender Manel Kape (20-7 MMA, 5-3 UFC), a veteran of RIZIN Combating Federation, squares off towards No. 8 contender Asu Almabayev (21-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC.)
It is a five-round struggle at 5 minutes per spherical to shut out the present, however Almabayev wasn’t initially imagined to be Kape’s opponent on Saturday night time. When the March 1 card was confirmed, the sixth-ranked Kape was scheduled to sq. off towards Brandon Royval (17-7 MMA, 7-3 UFC) on this contest, however Royval withdrew previous to the present resulting from sustaining an damage.
So far as Kape is worried, he enters the UFC Vegas 103 principal occasion having gone 4-1 in his final 5 fights courting again to December of 2021. Most lately, he returned to the win column due to a third-round knockout (unanswered strikes) of Bruno Silva (14-6-2, 1 NC MMA, 4-3, 1 NC UFC) through the year-end UFC Tampa on Dec. 14.
He’s been given a fast turnaround, with simply 77 days having handed between fights by the point the cage door shuts over the weekend. Will the quick hiatus be useful or a hindrance to him?
Throughout the best way, Asu Almabayev is making ready for his third completely different opponent forward of Saturday’s principal occasion of the night at UFC Vegas 103. Prior bookings between Steve Erceg and Allan Nascimento had been scrubbed, with Erceg now scheduled for March 29 versus Brandon Moreno. Within the case of Nascimento, he gained’t make his 2025 debut till Might 31 towards Jafel Filho.
Almabayev has but to lose since becoming a member of the UFC’s energetic roster in August of 2023 as a part of an ongoing 17-fight profitable streak. Final trip, he scored a unanimous choice victory over Matheus Nicolau (19-5-1 MMA, 7-4 UFC) again in October on the UFC Apex.
One other victory for Asu Almabayev on Saturday night time would make it 18 in succession. He’ll discover himself within the UFC Flyweight Championship image if he retains this up.
UFC Vegas 103 Co-Important Occasion: Cody Brundage vs. Julian Marquez
Instantly prior, the UFC Vegas 103 co-main occasion sees motion within the middleweight ranks as Cody Brundage (10-6, 1 NC MMA, 4-5, 1 NC UFC) battles it out with Julian Marquez (9-5 MMA, 3-4 UFC). Brundage enters the struggle having posted a mark of 2-2 with one no-contest in his previous 5 bouts.
Again in July of final yr at UFC Denver, he noticed his struggle with Abdul Razak Alhassan (12-7, 1 NC MMA, 6-7, 1 NC UFC) finish after simply 37 seconds of the opening spherical resulting from a no-contest attributable to unlawful blows.
Very similar to each fighters in the principle occasion, Brundage has needed to cope with a change in opponent for this week’s card. Initially, his foe was imagined to have been 2024 Final Fighter graduate Ryan Loder (7-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), who gained the middleweight closing final August, however Loder withdrew from the cardboard again in December. No phrase was given as to why he bowed out of UFC Vegas 103.
In the meantime, Julian Marquez has hit a tough patch of late. He’s gone 2-3 in his final 5 contests and has dropped three in succession.
Throughout UFC Louisville on June 8 of final yr, he was on the shedding finish of a first-round knockout by Zach Reese (8-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) on the KFC Yum! Heart. Marquez hasn’t gained in near 4 years’ time. Can he flip it round on Saturday night time?
UFC Vegas 103: Nasrat Haqparast vs. Esteban Ribovics
Additionally on the UFC Vegas 103 principal card on Saturday, you’ll be seeing a light-weight affair pitting Nasrat Haqparast (17-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC) towards Esteban Ribovics (14-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC). Haqparast can be making the stroll on the power of a 4-1 file in his final 5 fights.
Presently, he’s gained three fights in a row. Again in June of final yr, through the UFC’s first journey to Saudi Arabia, he scored a cut up choice victory over Jared Gordon (20-7, 1 NC MMA, 8-6, 1 NC UFC) after quarter-hour of motion.
Haqparast is on a roll of late, however his opponent within the different nook isn’t any slouch, both. Esteban Ribovics is sporting a 4-1 file of his personal. Like Haqparast, he’s additionally gained three bouts in succession.
Throughout Noche UFC final September on the Las Vegas Sphere, he bested Daniel Zellhuber (15-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) through cut up choice. It is a struggle between two opponents down equivalent paths on the highway to glory. Who will proceed to drive ahead this weekend?
Last Ideas
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