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This weekend sees UFC 263 go down, and naturally, the eyes of the fans will be drawn to the two title fights as well as the return of Nate Diaz at the top of the card.
UFC 263 is a very stacked card, and outside of the top three fights, there’s plenty to look forward to.
With that in mind, here are five outstanding fighters to keep an eye out for on UFC 263’s undercard:
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#1 Jamahal Hill (UFC record: 2-0-1)
The UFC's light heavyweight division has quietly become one of the most exciting ones that the promotion has to offer.
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Current UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz is a great fighter, but he feels much more vulnerable than former champ Jon Jones. The division below him is fluid and full of exciting new contenders such as Jiri Prochazka, Johnny Walker, and Magomed Ankalaev.
One man who could join that list with an impressive win at UFC 263 is Jamahal Hill.
The unorthodox striker has looked brilliant since arriving in the UFC in 2020 following a win on Dana White’s Contender Series. He’s taken out three opponents and most recently knocked out veteran Ovince St. Preux in a highly impressive showing.
Hill faces Paul Craig at UFC 263. The Scotsman is an excellent grappler and is tougher than he’s given credit for, but is also susceptible to the kind of striking that a high-level athlete like Hill possesses.
This is a fight that Hill ought to win, and if he can do so impressively, he’ll likely find himself in the top ten at 205lbs next week.
#2 Belal Muhammad (UFC record: 9-3-1)
Belal Muhammad’s rise up the rankings in the UFC welterweight division has been a slow one, but his record of 9-3-1 stacks up against anyone, and he’s lost just one fight since 2016.
Offered a chance at breaking into the elite of the UFC when he fought Leon Edwards in March, an errant eye poke, unfortunately, stopped him in his tracks.
The UFC has given Muhammad another shot at a high-end fighter at UFC 263, though, as he’s set to take on Demian Maia.
Ranked number nine in the division, Maia hasn’t won a fight since his submission of Ben Askren in October 2019. In fact, he hasn’t fought in over a year following a KO loss to Gilbert Burns in March 2020.
However, he’s still a very dangerous veteran with the skills on the ground to take out any UFC welterweight, including Muhammad.
But if 'Remember the Name' can keep this one standing, then he’s got a clear path to victory and could break into the top ten of the UFC's welterweight division.
#3 Drew Dober (UFC record: 9-6-1)
In what promises to be a contender for UFC 263’s 'Fight of the Night' award, Drew Dober faces off against Brad Riddell in a lightweight clash.
This fight sits at the top of the preliminary card and should provide UFC fans with a ton of action to lead into the main pay-per-view portion.
Dober is coming off a loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 259, his first defeat since March 201. However, truth be told, wins and losses don’t really matter to a fighter like him.
Instead, like other UFC stars such as Donald Cerrone and Diego Sanchez, Dober is all about providing an exciting fight every time he steps into the octagon regardless of his opponent.
In fact, it’s arguable that he’s never been involved in a bad fight in his UFC career!
With Riddell being a fellow striker, the likelihood of this fight being grapple-heavy is remarkably low. Instead, both men are likely to trade-off until one can’t take any more.
Dober, who is renowned for his toughness, will be hoping that Riddell will be the one to fall.
#4 Brad Riddell (UFC record: 3-0)
Drew Dober’s opponent at UFC 263 is Brad Riddell, and the New Zealand native is equally worth keeping an eye on here.
'The Quake' is already 3-0 in the UFC, and while he has yet to pick up a finish in the octagon, he’s looked highly impressive. In particular, his 2020 win over Magomed Mustafaev was fantastic.
An exciting kickboxer who trains with two UFC champions in Israel Adesanya and Alexander Volkanovski, Riddell loves to push the pace and put his opponent under immense pressure.
And in Dober, he’ll be facing a like-minded opponent, meaning that this clash should practically guarantee fireworks.
But more to the point, if Riddell can defeat Dober and take his UFC record to 4-0, his name could well appear in the lightweight division’s top fifteen on Monday.
#5 Hakeem Dawodu (UFC record: 5-1)
Canadian featherweight Hakeem Dawodu has been seen as a fighter to watch for some time now, and after a loss to begin his UFC tenure, he’s largely lived up to the hype.
'Mean' Hakeem is now 5-1 inside the octagon, and while he’s only picked up a single finish, it’s hard not to be excited about his potential.
Dawodu last outpointed the tough Russian Zubaira Tukhugov in his last UFC showing. The Canadian's explosive athleticism, heavy strikes, and excellent cardio make him a dangerous foe for anyone.
Dawodu is set to face grappler Movsar Evloev at UFC 263, and while the Russian isn’t well-known, he’s clearly dangerous, holding a UFC record of 4-0.
If the Canadian can become the first man to defeat Evloev in the octagon, it’ll be hard to dispute the idea that he’s definitely for real. It will also be time to push him up against the 145lbs division’s elite next time around.
