UFC International Fight Week is always an opportunity for the UFC to show its breadth of international talent, and the fight card for UFC 290 showcases a host of talent from across the globe.
The 14-bout lineup for UFC International Fight Week will feature fighters from nine different countries, with a pair of championship matchups on the main card that don’t feature a single American athlete.
Australia takes on Mexico in the headline bout as defending champion Alexander Volkanovski faces off against interim champ Yair Rodriguez in a featherweight title unification bout, while another Mexican, flyweight champion Brandon Moreno, puts his title on the line against Brazil’s Alexandre Pantoja.
There’s a middleweight title eliminator on the card, too, as Australia’s former champion Robert Whittaker takes on South African contender Dricus Du Plessis.
The highest-billed American on the card is lightweight prospect Jalin Turner, who is looking to earn his stripes and prove he’s a legitimate contender at 155 pounds when he takes on New Zealand’s Dan Hooker.
And the main card will kick off with an all-American middleweight clash as former collegiate wrestling phenom Bo Nickal looks to continue his impressive start to life in the UFC with victory over Tresean Gore.
The preliminary card lineup is headed by a bona-fide UFC legend. Former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler will take on Niko Price in what looks sure to be a firefight at 170 pounds, while undefeated Mexican strawweight prospect Yazmin Jauregui will take on Brazil’s Denise Gomes in a battle between two of the 115-pound division’s potential stars of the future.
Argentina will be represented by Esteban Ribovics who takes on American Kamuela Kirk in a lightweight preliminary card, while undefeated Japanese flyweight Tatsuro Taira will look to make it four wins in a row when he takes on Mexico’s Edgar Chairez in a 130-pound catchweight clash.
UFC 290: Fight card
MAIN CARD
- Alexander Volkanovski vs. Yair Rodriguez – for unified featherweight title
- Brandon Moreno vs. Alexandre Pantoja – for flyweight title
- Robert Whittaker vs. Dricus Du Plessis
- Dan Hooker vs. Jalin Turner
- Bo Nickal vs. Tresean Gore
PRELIMINARY CARD
- Robbie Lawler vs. Niko Price
- Jack Della Maddalena vs. Josiah Harrell
- Yazmin Jauregui vs. Denise Gomes
- Jimmy Crute vs. Alonzo Menifield
EARLY PRELIMS
- Vitor Petrino vs. Marcin Prachnio
- Cameron Saaiman vs. Terrence Mitchell
- Shannon Ross vs. Jesus Aguilar
- Kamuela Kirk vs. Esteban Ribovics
- Edgar Chairez vs. Tatsuro Taira