3 fights to look forward to and 2 fights that will likely disappoint at UFC Vegas 31

On the heels of the whirlwind of events from UFC 264, the octagon returns to its APEX for UFC Vegas 31. This time around, there won't be large crowds, no fanfare, and hopefully, not much mayhem either.

After two of the biggest stars at lightweight saw action last Saturday, the focus shifts to the division's hottest prospects as Islam Makhachev and Thiago Moises take center stage. Former women's bantamweight champion Miesha Tate will also return to action after spending five years in retirement.

Needless to say, UFC Vegas 31 is an event that will mostly appeal to diehard MMA fans. The fight card may not have the glitz and glamor of UFC 264, but it's just the right event to serve as a palate cleanser after last weekend's chaotic pay-per-view.

On that note, let's look at three fights to look forward to and two fights that will likely disappoint at UFC Vegas 31.

Fight to look forward to at UFC Vegas 31: Khalid Taha vs. Sergey Morozov

Khalid Taha and Sergey Morozov are two competitors looking to get back in the win column of the bantamweight division. Taha and Morozov are in a similar situation as they dropped to a couple of fringe top 15 fighters in their previous outings.

After an unsuccessful octagon debut, Taha redeemed himself after knocking out Boston Salmon in 25 seconds. The German fighter was unable to build momentum, however, after he saw a submission win over Bruno Silva go to waste because of a failed drug test, and dropped a unanimous decision against Raoni Barcelos.

Morozov had his five-fight winning streak snapped in his UFC debut when he ran into rising star Umar Nurmagomedov earlier this year. Seven months later, he’s returning for his second appearance in the octagon, looking for his first UFC win.

Taha vs. Morozov is an intriguing matchup as both competitors are well-equipped to exploit the other’s flaws. Taha appears to be a bad matchup for Morozov, who doesn’t perform well when pressured, but the Kazakh fighter could neutralize his opponent with his solid grappling game. Either way, it will be interesting to see how the fight goes.

Fight that will likely disappoint at UFC Vegas 31: Jeremy Stephens vs. Mateusz Gamrot

UFC Vegas 31: Jeremy Stephens vs. Mateusz Gamrot

Jeremy Stephens was scheduled to fight earlier this year, but he missed out on that opportunity because of his own doing. The ever-controversial 'Lil Heathen' injured his opponent Drakkar Klose in the weigh-ins, leading to the cancelation of the fight.

At UFC Vegas 31, the cage veteran will make his first appearance after a year-long layoff. It will also mark his 34th UFC fight, which will put him in fourth place behind Andrei Arlovski, Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone, and Jim Miller.

Meanwhile, Mateusz Gamrot's UFC journey is only at the beginning stage. He previously found success as a two-division champion under the KSW banner before making his way to the most prestigious promotion in MMA.

As far as the matchup goes, this UFC Vegas 31 fight should go Gamrot's way. Although Stephens still has knockout power, he didn't exactly look great in his last fight against Calvin Kattar. At this stage, the idea of watching Stephens fight is better than actually watching him compete. With that in mind, this fight might turn out to be a disappointment.

Fight to look forward to at UFC Vegas 31: Gabriel Benitez vs. Billy Quarantillo

A fixture on the UFC roster for nearly eight years, Gabriel Benitez dropped back down to featherweight following a two-fight skid at lightweight. He will look to build on his TKO win over Justin Jaynes as he takes on a formidable opponent in Billy Quarantillo.

Quarantillo followed up his contract-winning performance on Dana White's Contender Series with three consecutive victories in the UFC. However, his eight-fight winning streak came to an end after falling on the wrong side of a unanimous decision against Gavin Tucker at UFC 256.

This should be an evenly matched clash between two well-rounded veterans. As both men have a history of putting on exciting fights, we can expect Benitez vs. Quarantillo to be a 'Fight of the Night' show-stealer.

Fight that will likely disappoint at UFC Vegas 31: Marion Reneau vs. Miesha Tate

UFC Vegas 31: Marion Reneau vs. Miesha Tate [Photo credit: @mieshatate on Instagram]

The co-main event at UFC Vegas 31 will see the return of a previously retired former champion and the swan song of a veteran stalwart. Miesha Tate has come off a five-year hiatus in a last-ditch effort to reclaim UFC gold, while Marion Reneau will attempt to end her career on a high note.

Reneau has been a fixture in the bantamweight rankings since 2015. She quickly established herself as a legitimate contender when she caught Jessica Andrade in a triangle choke in her second UFC fight. While she hasn't had the most successful career, the 44-year-old veteran has always been a tough out for many of her opponents.

10 days. #TheComeback #UFCVegas31 pic.twitter.com/6zOvJNQtds

— Miesha Tate (@MieshaTate) July 7, 2021

‘Cupcake’ called time on her career back in 2016 after back-to-back losses to Amanda Nunes and Raquel Pennington. However, the way Tate’s career concluded always felt too abrupt as she was only eight months removed from her championship-winning comeback win.

Unfortunately, the octagon has historically been unkind to fighters who return from a lengthy period of inactivity and to those who stick around too long. At UFC Vegas 31, we’ll find out which situation is worse.

Fight to look forward to at UFC Vegas 31: Islam Makhachev vs. Thiago Moises

UFC Vegas 31: Islam Makhachev vs. Thiago Moises [Photo credit: @islam_makhachev on Instagram]

Surging star Islam Makhachev will lock horns with Brazilian prospect Thiago Moises in a critical matchup between the two ranked lightweights.

Long considered Khabib Nurmagomedov's heir apparent, Makhachev will get the opportunity to enjoy his own moment in his first main event appearance. The Russian fighter extended his winning streak to seven at UFC 259 after turning in his most dominant performance so far. Makhachev imposed his will on his opponent Drew Dober and ultimately made him tap out in round three.

But before Makhachev gets an opponent in the top 5, he must first get past Moises, who poses a threat with his fairly well-rounded game. Though Moises is primarily a grappler, he also has an underrated striking game that will allow him to hold his own should the fight remain on the feet.

Both men have proven themselves to be sharp in every aspect of MMA and can thrive no matter where the fight takes place. With that in mind, the main event of UFC Vegas 31 promises to be a competitive showdown between a couple of young and hungry contenders.