Fight By Fight Preview | UFC Fight Night: Yusuff vs Barboza

Ranked featherweights occupy the main event position this week, as Sodiq Yusuff takes on Edson Barboza.

Fighting for the first time in just over a year, Yusuff enters on a two-fight winning streak and having posted a 6-1 record to begin his UFC tenure. The Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS) graduate owns wins over Andre Fili and Alex Caceres but has been delayed in his attempts to ascend the rankings by injuries and untimely opponent changes.

RELATED: Yusuff's Attitude Of Gratitude

After well over a decade competing against the top talent across two different divisions, Barboza remains a dangerous threat into his late 30s. The Brazilian veteran snapped a two-fight skid with a second-round knockout win over Billy Quarantillo earlier this year that reminded everyone that he’s still an ever-present threat in the 145-pound weight class.

Brazilian veterans clash in the co-main event of the evening, with Jennifer Maia facing off against Viviane Araujo this weekend.

Now in her sixth year on the UFC roster, Maia has carved out a spot for herself in the flyweight division, serving as the well-rounded, experienced “truth machine” ascending fighters need to get through in order to move into contention. Her losses have all come against Top 5 opponents and in her last two outings, the 35-year-old has out-worked younger hopefuls Maryna Moroz and Casey O’Neill.

Watch All The Free Fights From The Stars Of UFC 294

Araujo is not quite two full years older than Maia and while her opponent has challenged for UFC gold and only lost to Top 5 opponents, Araujo hasn’t been able to reach those same heights, but remains entrenched in the Top 15 and is a tough out for everyone that steps in opposite her.

Things at the top of the flyweight division are currently paused, which means there are opportunities for the winner of this one to work their way into even bigger matchups over the next 9-12 months as everyone jockeys for position in the championship chase. Expect a competitive battle at the APEX.

Jonathan Martinez vs Adrian Yanez

One of three bantamweight bangers on the schedule this weekend, Jonathan Martinez and Adrian Yanez square off in a battle of ranked fighters looking to take another step forward in the ultra-competitive division.

The soft-spoken Martinez has become one to watch in the 135-pound ranks over the past couple years, cobbling together a five-fight winning streak heading into Saturday’s clash with Yanez. After chopping down Cub Swanson last October, the 29-year-old “Dragon” outworked Said Nurmagomedov in March to force his way into the rankings and force people to start to pay closer attention to him as he works his way up the divisional ladder.

Main Event Spotlight: Makhachev vs Oliveira 2

One of the top graduates from Season 3 of Dana White’s Contender Series, Yanez rattled off five straight wins to begin his UFC tenure, vaulting himself into the rankings and onto the radar as an ascending bantamweight to watch. The Texas native took a step up in competition last time out and faltered, suffering a first-round stoppage loss to Rob Font, and now returns to the friendly confines of the UFC APEX, where he’s 5-0 with four finishes, to face off with Martinez.

This is one of those interesting matchups where Martinez is ranked higher, entering on a more significant run of success, and yet Yanez is the one that thus far commands greater attention. Martinez is a more varied and diverse striker under Marc Montoya at Factory X, while Yanez prefers to box and has flashed swift combinations and good power.

The action in the bantamweight division is always electric and the competition to climb the ranks is always fierce, which means this should be an incredible clash in the middle of the main card this weekend.

Andre Petroski vs Michel Pereira

Edgar Chairez and Daniel Lacerda run it back after their meeting on September 16 was unfortunately stopped prematurely.

A DWCS alum who was called up to the roster on short notice and gave a good account of himself opposite Tatsuro Taira, Chairez won each of his two fights between his Contender Series appearance and debut opposite Taira by stoppage, including his viral fourth-round submission win over Gianni Vazquez.

RECAP:  Last Time In Abu Dhabi | UFC 30th Anniversary

A bundle of kinetic energy that has shown flashes of upside in each of his first four UFC appearances, Lacerda returns to the APEX still searching for his first victory inside the Octagon. He’s had several opponents hurt or in vulnerable positions over his first four appearances but has yet to find a way to seal the deal, and may be staring down his last chance this weekend.

Lacerda initially showed more patience in their first meeting, but Chairez was able to attack the neck with a standing D’arce choke along the fence. The bout was halted prematurely when referee Chris Tognoni thought the Brazilian has passed out, and now they get a do-over on Saturday.

Christian Rodriguez vs Cameron Saaiman

Featherweights wrap the prelims as Darren Elkins returns to action opposite DWCS graduate TJ Brown.

Elkins makes his 28th appearance inside the Octagon this weekend, looking to bounce back after being on the business end of things against Jonathan Pearce last December. Brown has struggled to find consistency since reaching the UFC level, losing two, then winning two before alternating between losses and victories over his last three outings.

This should be a knock-down, drag-out affair between two gutsy, grimy fighters looking to show they’ve still got something to offer in the 145-pound weight class.

Tainara Lisboa vs Ravena Oliveira

“Russian Ronda” Irina Alekseeva looks to build on her successful debut when she squares off with promotional newcomer Melissa Dixon on Saturday’s prelims.

The flamboyant Alekseeva scored a first-round submission win over Stephanie Egger in her first appearance in the Octagon, though she missed weight by a considerable amount for the bantamweight contest. The 32-year-old Dixon is a perfect 5-0 to start her professional career, most recently having registered a first-round stoppage win over the aforementioned Zheleznyakova under the Ares FC banner in France.

Chris Gutierrez vs Alatangheili

Chris Gutierrez gets to put his training camp to use this weekend as he steps in to face off with Chinese veteran Alatangheili on Saturday.

Gutierrez was scheduled to face Montel Jackson on last weekend’s card before the DWCS grad was forced out for undisclosed reasons at the start of the week, and looks to get things moving in the right direction again after having his eight-fight unbeaten streak snapped last time out. Alatangheili was initially scheduled to Rani Yahya before the Brazilian withdrew, and now faces “El Guapo” in hopes of adding to his two-fight winning streak and three-fight unbeaten streak in this one.

Ashley Yoder vs Emily Ducote

Saturday’s action gets underway in the strawweight division as Ashley Yoder faces off with Emily Ducote.

The 35-year-old Yoder makes her 11th UFC start, looking to snap a two-fight losing streak and register her first victory since beating Miranda Granger in November 2020. Ducote looked sharp in her promotional debut last summer on Long Island, out-working Jessica Penne, but has since dropped back-to-back decisions to Angela Hill and Loopy Godinez to fall to 12-8 for her career.