3 fights to look forward to and 2 that will likely disappoint at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze

Fight that will likely disappoint: Bryan Battle vs. Gilbert Urbina (TUF Finale)

Bryan Battle vs. Gilbert Urbina [Photo via @alexandervolkanovski on IG]

The middleweight tournament for TUF 29 concludes in a clash between Team Volkanovski representatives Bryan Battle and Gilbert Urbina at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze.

Battle's journey to the finals is similar to that of Kelvin Gastelum. He was picked last by coach Alexander Volkanovski, but his raw talent and in-cage IQ allowed him to thrive against more experienced opponents like Kemran Lachinov and Andre Petroski. Battle is currently on a four-fight winning streak going into his octagon debut. Another win for 'Pooh Bear' will secure him a highly-coveted UFC contract and the title of "The Ultimate Fighter."

Meanwhile, Urbina will get a rare opportunity to win the show despite losing in the semifinals. He subbed in for Team Ortega's lone representative, Tresean Gore, who was forced to withdraw from the finale after suffering a knee injury. Gore advanced to the finale after knocking out Urbina, but his opportunity will have to wait until he makes a full recovery.

On paper, Battle vs. Urbina is a good matchup. Both men prefer to grapple, which indicates that the fight could be settled on the ground. However, Urbina has already lost in devastating fashion and during his TUF stint. Should he emerge as the victor at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Chikadze, season 29 of TUF will undoubtedly end in an anti-climactic fashion.

---

Fight to look forward to: Edson Barboza vs. Giga Chikadze (UFC featherweight)

UFC Vegas 35: Edson Barboza vs. Giga Chikadze [Photo credit: @edsonbarbozajr. & @knockoutcancer on IG]

The card will wrap up with a potential barnburner in the featherweight division as Edson Barboza and Giga Chikadze lock horns in an early 'Fight of the Night' favorite.

Barboza will head into the main event with a two-fight winning streak, having earned a win over Makwan Amirkhani and a wild third-round stoppage against Shane Burgos at UFC 262. The Brazilian striker has shown no signs of slowing down as he continues to build upon the success of his late-career resurgence in the featherweight division.

On the flipside, Chikadze will enter with a six-fight undefeated streak since making his octagon debut. The Georgian fighter has shown significant improvements every time he makes an appearance. His first two fights in the octagon ended in split decisions, but his two most recent outings ended in devastating TKO's.

Will the cagey veteran continue on his quest to return to the mountaintop, or will the up-and-coming star cement his place among the 145-pound division's elite? Regardless of the outcome, Barboza vs. Chikadze is definitely one of the most exciting matchups on Saturday night's UFC card.