5 reasons to watch UFC Fight Night: Alexander Volkov vs. Tom Aspinall

#2. Tom Aspinall could take a step towards title contention in the main event

Tom Aspinall might not be far from a title shot with a win this weekend

The UK has a number of hot prospects operating in the UFC right now, but while Arnold Allen is higher ranked and Paddy Pimblett has more hype around him, it’s arguable that the fighter closest to a title shot is heavyweight Tom Aspinall.

Part of this is due to the thin nature of the heavyweight division, but it’s also hard to deny that Aspinall has enjoyed a fantastic run in the octagon thus far into his career with the promotion.

The Liverpool native has gone 4-0 in the UFC, and already holds impressive wins over Andrei Arlovski and Sergey Spivak. Right now, he’s ranked at #11 in the division.

If he can pick up a win over Alexander Volkov in this weekend’s headline bout, though, it’s practically a guarantee that he’ll enter the top ten – and may well be just one win away from a title shot.

The fact that such a high-level prospect is fighting in this weekend’s headliner makes this a must-see show in itself, but Aspinall’s aggressive style – both on the feet and the mat – should also guarantee some fireworks, something that isn’t always the case when Volkov fights.

Essentially, this should be an excellent headliner that’s well worth checking out.

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#1. Paddy Pimblett is one of the hottest prospects in the UFC right now

Paddy Pimblett's upward trajectory has already been compared to that of Conor McGregor

Perhaps the biggest reason for fans to watch this weekend’s UFC Fight Night show is the fact that Paddy Pimblett is in action. Despite the fact that he isn’t fighting against a ranked opponent, it’s safe to say that ‘The Baddy’ will undoubtedly receive a star reception from the fans.

It sounds crazy, given that he’s only had one win in the octagon thus far, but many observers have compared Pimblett’s meteoric rise to fame – something largely caused by his infectious personality and charisma on the microphone – to the rise of Conor McGregor almost a decade ago.

However, the way that the Liverpool native seemingly wants to climb slowly to the top of the lightweight division means that he should probably be compared more closely to another current prospect, bantamweight Sean O’Malley.

‘Sugar’ famously snacked on overmatched opponents before climbing into the rankings in more recent months, and Pimblett could follow in his footsteps here if he can beat the unheralded Kazula Vargas in entertaining fashion.

Given that the UFC likely won't want ’The Baddy’ to fail just yet, it’s likely that this fight will end in his favor, probably in entertaining fashion. It may even end up being one of 2022’s more memorable moments, making it a fight not to miss overall.