'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAIAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABgf/2gAIAQEAAAAAmYD/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA/9oACAECEAAAAH//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/9oACAEDEAAAAF//xAAiEAABAwMDBQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEBRESABNBBhQhMkL/2gAIAQEAAT8AX043AgU+DWIE9pCi24/sDcWXVp9scrY/AtynnU6lSBOkCGxJ7YOK2s2yThfxc21//8QAFhEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQAR/9oACAECAQE/AAxv/8QAFxEBAAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQADIf/aAAgBAwEBPwCxwn//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
This weekend, the UFC returns to its APEX facility to present UFC Vegas 27: Rob Font vs Cody Garbrandt.
UFC Vegas 27 is not a marquee show and is flying under the radar after last weekend’s epic UFC 262, but that doesn’t mean fans of the promotion should skip the event.
While the card may not boast marquee names, it has several great fights in its own right.
So with this considered, here are three reasons why UFC fans cannot miss UFC Vegas 27.
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
#1 Top contenders could emerge in two UFC divisions
Rob Font vs Cody Garbrandt and Yan Xiaonan vs Carla Esparza may not be huge money-drawing bouts, but both could be amongst the most important fights of 2021.
Trending
That's because the winners of both fights may put themselves in line for a UFC title shot.
For Font and Garbrandt, the stakes simply couldn't be higher.
The UFC is expected to book a rematch between Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan for the UFC bantamweight title, but right now, it's hard to say who is next in line.
Cory Sandhagen is the name that immediately comes to mind, but the 'Sandman' is not as marketable as Garbrandt. 'No Love' could leapfrog Sandhagen if he can take Font out in impressive fashion.
Font, meanwhile, has been plugging away in the UFC for years now.
He's one of the more reliable fighters in the bantamweight division from an excitement standpoint and is currently on a three-fight win streak. He also holds a win over current Bellator champ Sergio Pettis.
If Font can beat Garbrandt and look good doing it, there's every chance he could muscle his way to the front of the queue in the division.
Esparza and Xiaonan are both even closer to a title shot in the UFC strawweight division, mainly because Rose Namajunas now holds the title in the weight class.
'Thug Rose' already has two wins over Joanna Jedrzejczyk and has essentially knocked the Polish star out of title contention. This leaves an opportunity for a different fighter to take the spot.
Esparza has not lost since 2018 and already holds a win over Namajunas, while Xiaonan is unbeaten in the UFC and has wins over Claudia Gadelha and Karolina Kowalkiewicz.
Unless their fight turns out to be dull or ends in controversy, the chance of the winner fighting Namajunas for the UFC strawweight title seems high.
And so, with two potential top contenders in action, UFC Vegas 27 ought to be a must-see show.
#2 Cody Garbrandt is never in a dull fight
Cody Garbrandt is not only the biggest star in action at UFC Vegas 27, but he's also one of the few UFC fighters who seem to guarantee action every time they step into the octagon.
'No Love' has been fighting in the UFC since 2015 and has an impressive record of 7-3. But of his seven wins, only two opponents – Henry Briones and former UFC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz – have taken him the distance. The rest have all been finished in violent fashion by KO or TKO.
Most recently, Garbrandt unleashed one of the best knockouts of 2020 when he took out longtime contender Raphael Assuncao at UFC 250.
However, Garbrandt is also a fighter who lives and dies by the sword. He was viciously knocked out in all three of his UFC losses after deciding to brawl wildly with his opponents.
Regardless of the result, fans are guaranteed serious action whenever 'No Love' steps inside the octagon.
Garbrandt faces a fellow knockout artist in Rob Font at UFC Vegas 27. The likelihood of one of the two bantamweights going to sleep is high, making their fight one that no UFC fight can afford to miss.
#3 Shahbazyan vs. Hermansson should be a barnburner
UFC 262’s loss has turned out to be UFC Vegas 27’s gain.
A middleweight clash between Jack Hermansson and Edmen Shahbazyan was supposed to occur on last weekend’s main card, only to be nixed due to a COVID-19 case in Hermansson’s camp.
Thankfully, the promotion has been able to reschedule the fight for this show, meaning UFC Vegas 27 has a seriously intriguing match between two of the promotion’s top 185-lbers.
Both men are coming off losses, but that honestly doesn’t mean a lot here.
Hermansson was arguably one fight away from a UFC middleweight title shot when he fell to Marvin Vettori last December. The Italian will fight Adesanya for the title next month.
With wins over Kelvin Gastelum and Jacare Souza, Hermansson is still one of the best middleweights in the UFC.
Shahbazyan, meanwhile, lost his unbeaten record to Derek Brunson. However, the 'Golden Boy' remains one of the hottest prospects active in the division right now.
This fight should be an exciting affair. The two men have a combined UFC record of 12-5, with just four of the 17 bouts going the distance.
Essentially, the winner of this fight is not only likely to do it violently, but they should also find themselves among the contenders for the UFC middleweight title.
That means this fight has high stakes, making it must-see stuff for any UFC fan.
