5 contenders for the Fight of the Night award at UFC 272

#2. Edson Barboza vs. Bryce Mitchell – UFC featherweight bout

Edson Barboza will be hoping to thrill fight fans again this weekend

The featherweight bout between Edson Barboza and Bryce Mitchell is not only a classic match-up of striker vs. grappler, it also has the potential to produce some serious fireworks that could make it a contender for the Fight of the Night award.

Barboza has been with the UFC for well over a decade now, after debuting in the octagon in November 2010. Over the years, ‘Junior’ has not only unleashed some of the most memorable knockouts in the promotion’s history, but he’s also been involved in some classic bouts.

He’s won the Fight of the Night award on eight occasions in the past, most recently for his clash with Shane Burgos, and his loss to Tony Ferguson was one of the best fights of 2015, period.

Mitchell is newer to the UFC than his opponent this weekend, but he’s been no less exciting to watch thanks to his aggressive grappling style. Most memorably, ‘Thug Nasty’ was able to use the second twister in the promotion’s history to submit opponent Matt Sayles in 2019.

The chances of this fight going the distance seem pretty low, as not only are both men finishers, but they have limitations that could open the door for the other to succeed in their favored area.

Therefore, given their penchant for the spectacular, we should expect a wild clash here, and the chances of a Fight of the Night contender seem high.

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#1. Kevin Holland vs. Alex Oliveira – UFC welterweight bout

Can Kevin Holland produce the goods when he faces Alex Oliveira this weekend?

While a win is unlikely to turn either man into a contender for the UFC welterweight title overnight, the main card bout between Kevin Holland and Alex Oliveira this weekend could definitely produce a Fight of the Night contender.

There are already plenty of variables that make this one interesting, most notably the fact that it’s Holland’s first fight at 170 lb since 2017. However, the obvious reason that it could be a great fight is that both men are devastating finishers.

‘Trailblazer’ went 5-0 as a middleweight during 2020, and just one of those fights went the distance, with the rest ending via TKO. In particular, Holland’s slam finish of Charlie Ontiveros was truly vicious.

Meanwhile, Oliveira has been responsible for a number of violent finishes in his own right over the years, most notably over the likes of Carlos Condit and Ryan LaFlare.

However, ‘Cowboy’ has been somewhat of a glass cannon recently, and he has fallen to defeat via submission in two of his last three visits to the octagon. That should give Holland hope, but he’ll also need to be careful.

To add to this, when you consider that neither man is likely to attempt to blanket the other and that both men have a somewhat porous defense, the chances of this contest being anything but a barnburner seem very slim.