3 fights to look forward to and 2 that will likely disappoint at UFC 266

Fight that will likely disappoint at UFC 266: Dan Hooker vs. Nasrat Haqparast

UFC 266: Dan Hooker vs. Nasrat Haqparast

Dan Hooker vs. Nasrat Haqparast, which will take place during the UFC 266 prelims, has the potential to be an action-packed matchup. That's if the bout takes place at all.

Lightweight standout Hooker will look to get back to his winning ways. 'The Hangman' compiled three impressive wins against James Vick, Al Iaquinta and Paul Felder. However, the Kiwi fighter's momentum was halted by consecutive losses to Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler in his most recent outings.

Meanwhile, Haqparast has become one of the most notable up-and-comers in the talent-rich 155-pound weight class. The 26-year-old is enjoying a two-fight winning streak and has been successful in five out of his seven UFC fights.

Hooker vs. Haqparast has the potential to be a barnburner as both men are talented strikers. Unfortunately, the two competitors had to deal with clearance issues with their U.S. visas.

For that reason, there's a possibility that both men didn't get to prepare how they would have wanted to and might not be at their best forms. On top of that, it's still unclear whether Haqparast will make it to Las Vegas for the September 25 event.

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Fight to look forward to at UFC 266: Valentina Shevchenko vs. Lauren Murphy

UFC 266: Valentina Shevchenko vs. Lauren Murphy [Photo via @espnmma on IG]

Valentina Shevchenko will once again enter as a heavy favorite at UFC 266. She will be gunning for a seventh consecutive win and sixth successful title defense against Lauren Murphy.

Frankly, it's difficult to buy into the belief that Murphy stands a chance to upset the long-reigning queen of the women's flyweight division. Given that the co-main event is fairly predictable, is this still something to be excited about?

The answer is still yes, even though most fans know Shevchenko is likely to walk out of UFC 266 as the victor. In her most recent fight, 'Bullet' showed she's full of surprises when she grappled with Jessica Andrade and beat her at her own game.

On top of that, sheer domination from a superior champion is always a sight to behold. With that in mind, the co-main event of UFC 266 is definitely a fight to look forward to.