5 talking points going into UFC 276: Adesanya vs. Cannonier

UFC 276, arguably the most stacked fight card in MMA history, will be underway this weekend at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The upcoming pay-per-view is loaded from top to bottom and comprises numerous intriguing matchups.

Israel Adesanya and Jared Cannonier will contest middleweight gold in the main event after Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway square off for the third time in the co-headliner. The undercard features big names like Alex Pereira, Sean O'Malley, Pedro Munhoz, Donald Cerrone, Robbie Lawler, Uriah Hall and many more.

UFC 276 fan-made poster [Image via @needingart on Instagram]

With a card this stacked, there are a multitude of storylines and talking points to discuss. Many questions will be answered at the T-Mobile Arena on July 2nd, and the biggest ones have been discussed below.

Here are five major talking points going into UFC 276: Adesanya vs. Cannonier.

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#5. Which up-and-coming prospects will steal the show at UFC 276?

International Fight Week and the subsequent UFC pay-per-view is traditionally the biggest MMA event of the year and tends to draw the masses in large numbers. Considering how stacked this card is, there will likely be a ton of eyeballs watching this undeniably massive spectacle.

UFC 276 will also be a fantastic showing for the 185-pound division. Other than the Adesanya vs. Cannonier and Strickland vs. Pereira main card matchups, there are two intriguing middleweight bouts on the preliminary card, Brad Tavares vs. Dricus du Plessis and Uriah Hall vs. Andre Muniz.

Muniz and du Plessis are among the most highly touted prospects at 185 pounds. A huge win on the undercard of a middleweight championship headliner could go a long way in fast-tracking their progress up the rankings. They will be eager to deliver highlight reel wins against two veterans in Hall and Tavares respectively.

du Plessis vs. Tavares, Hall vs. Muniz [Images via @dricusduplessis and @andremunizsergipano on Instagram]

Irish welterweight Ian Garry has picked up two wins since signing with the world's premier MMA promotion last year. 'The Future' is a former Cage Warriors champion who currently sports an unblemished 9-0 professional record.

The 24-year-old has drawn comparisons to his compatriot and global superstar Conor McGregor, thanks in large part to his seemingly unbreakable confidence and pin-point striking ability. Garry will be in for the toughest fight of his career this weekend when he takes on Gabe Green, who has also won his last two bouts.

There is certainly quite a bit of hype surrounding 'The Future', and another knockout win like the one he scored on his UFC debut will further cement his standing as a prospect to keep an eye on going forward.

One of the best fights across this fight card is the 155-pound scrap between Brad Riddell and Jalin Turner. Last week's Fight Night headliner between Arman Tsarukyan and Mateusz Gamrot highlighted just how good the next generation of lightweights are, and the Riddell vs. Turner matchup is just as intriguing.

Riddell, teammate of headlining duo Israel Adesanya and Alexander Volkanovski, sits at No.14 in the lightweight rankings. Turner, currently unranked, will be eyeing a berth in the top 15 with a win this weekend. Both 'Quake' and 'The Tarantula' are supremely talented fighters and this should make for an excellent matchup.

#4. Is Alex Pereira a legitimate world-class mixed martial artist?

Without a shadow of a doubt, Alex Pereira is among the best kickboxers on the planet. Over the course of his 40-fight professional kickboxing career, the heavy-handed Brazilian compiled an astonishing résumé of jaw-dropping knockouts.

The most notable finish from Pereira's kickboxing days remains his one-punch KO of Israel Adesanya back in 2017.

After putting together a 3-1 MMA record, Pereira signed with the UFC in 2021. In his first two fights inside the famed octagon, 'Po Atan' picked up a stunning knockout victory against Andreas Michailidis and a decision win over Bruno Silva.

Despite being unranked, the promotion is seemingly looking to catapult Pereira up the 185-pound ladder. As such, the Brazilian is set to lock horns with No.4-ranked middleweight contender Sean Strickland.

Sean Strickland is the perfect litmus test to determine whether Alex Pereira is a legitimate championship contender or not. Strickland clearly likes to stand-and-bang like Pereira, but the outspoken American is also well-versed in the grappling arts.

Clearly, a fight between Pereira and middleweight king Israel Adesanya is being targeted by the matchmakers, considering their history. A win over 'Tarzan' at UFC 276 would put 'Po Atan' in a strong position to run it back with 'The Last Stylebender'.

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#3. Can Sean O'Malley deliver a statement-making win?

Sean O'Malley is among the most popular fighters on the UFC roster, despite being quite far off a shot at a championship. Since his scorching performance on Dana White's Contender Series, 'Sugar' has accrued seven victories inside the octagon, of which five were highlight reel knockouts.

O'Malley's win over Raulian Paiva at UFC 269 last year saw the rising bantamweight star break into the 135-pound rankings. Having recently signed a new contract with the promotion, 'Sugar' is set to take on bigger and better opponents in the coming years.

At UFC 276, Sean O'Malley will take on MMA veteran Pedro Munhoz. O'Malley currently occupies the No.13 spot in the rankings. A win over 'The Young Punisher', who sits at No.9, will likely see the popular bantamweight finally break into the top ten at 135 pounds.

Pedro Munhoz has fought some of the biggest names in UFC history in his 26-fight career thus far, and notably, has never been finished. Having shared the octagon with the likes of Cody Garbrandt, Aljamain Sterling, Rob Font, Frankie Edgar, Jose Aldo and Dominick Cruz, Munhoz has a ton of experience against high-level competition.

If Sean O'Malley can finish the incredibly durable Munhoz at UFC 276, it will certainly be a commendable feat. 'Sugar' has a chance to truly make a resounding statement this weekend, which will see his stock skyrocket even further if he emerges victorious.

#2. Will we see the best of Israel Adesanya, or can Jared Cannonier upset the odds?

During his rise up the middleweight ranks, Israel Adesanya produced one scorching performance after another to establish himself as a budding superstar.

His first two title fights – a barnburner against Kevin Gastelum and a dominant knockout victory over Robert Whittaker – led many to believe that Adesanya's championship reign will be just as exciting as his astronomic rise. However, he has blown hot and cold ever since, largely because he's been recycling opponents and admittedly getting "bored" as a result.

At UFC 276, Adesanya will finally have fresh meat when he takes on surging middleweight contender Jared Cannonier.

Adesanya vs. Cannonier Artist Series Poster [Image via @ufc on Twitter]

Israel Adesanya has been calling for a fight against Jared Cannonier for quite some time now. Cannonier is primarily a striker, just like Adesanya, which should make for a fun stylistic matchup. Moreover, 'Tha Killa Gorilla' is as tough and durable as they come, and possess legitimate knockout power.

Cannonier earned this championship opportunity with his resounding win over Derek Brunson earlier this year and is 5-1 as a middleweight. The former heavyweight and light heavyweight may not be as outspoken or boistrous as the other 185-pound contenders, but is ubiquitously regarded as the dark horse of the division.

Adesanya is expectedly a massive betting favorite going into the bout and will be looking to extend his reign at UFC 276. Meanwhile, for the 38-year-old Cannonier, this could be his last shot at a UFC title and he will be desperate to make it count.

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#1. Who is the best featherweight in the world?

Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway are clearly a tier or two above their peers in the UFC featherweight division.

Volkanovski has slowly but surely cemented himself as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters around in recent years. However, considering the nature of his two fights against Holloway thus far, the question still remains – Who is the better fighter?

Volkanovski vs. Holloway 3 Artist Series Poster

Alexander Volkanovski quite clearly won the first bout and was rightfully awarded a unanimous decision victory at UFC 245. The rematch remains one of the most hotly debated bouts ever, as Volkanovski eked out a split decision win following an evenly contested affair. Max Holloway arguably should have come away with the victory, but a case can be made for either fighter.

Since their two-fight series, Volkanovski and Holloway have gone their separate ways in their bid to clean out the upper echelons of the division. The champion defended his title in emphatic fashion against Brian Ortega and Chan Sung Jung, while 'Blessed' produced two exquisite performances against Calvin Kattar and Yair Rodriguez.

Now almost neck-and-neck in terms of UFC title wins, Volkanovski and Holloway will be well aware of the high stakes riding on their upcoming trilogy bout.

If Max Holloway wants to be considered the best featherweight of the modern era, he cannot afford to go 0-3 down to Alexander Volkanovski, regardless of the debatable decision in the second bout. As for the reigning featherweight kingpin, this is a chance to fully solidify his claim to being the best 145-pounder on the planet.

It's very rare to see two fighters ranked in the top ten of the pound-for-pound ladder square off in a monumental legacy fight. Looking at how evenly matched they are in terms of skill, this will likely come down to the intangibles, primarily – Who wants it more?

Volkanovski vs. Holloway 3 [Image via @DaredevilUFC on Twitter]