UFC Fight Night: Imavov vs. Gastelum fight week schedule, full card, predictions, and betting odds

The world's premier MMA promotion will kick off 2023 with UFC Fight Night: Imavov vs. Gastelum (also known as UFC Fight Night 217, UFC on ESPN+ 75 and UFC Vegas 67). The event will take place at the UFC Apex Center in Las Vegas, Nevada on January 14, meaning there won't be any Fight Night events or pay-per-views for the next three weeks.

The UFC Fight Night card will be headlined by a middleweight showdown between the No.12-ranked contender Nassourdine and No.13-seeded Kelvin Gastelum. The up-and-coming Imavov will aim to break into the divisional top 10 when he takes on the UFC veteran, who will be determined to fight his way back to the top.

Initially, the fight was scheduled to go down at UFC 273 in April earlier this year. However, the bout had to be postponed after Imavov was forced out due to visa issues.

Check out the Media Day and weigh-ins schedule for the Fight Night event below:

Fight Night Media Day

Media Day interactions with fighters are likely to take place on Wednesday, January 11, and can be watched live on the promotion's official website, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch accounts.

Fight Night official and ceremonial weigh-ins

Official weigh-ins for the UFC Fight Night event will take place on Friday, January 13, and can be followed live on the aforementioned platforms.

NOTE: The dates are estimated based on the usual schedule for UFC events and are subject to change as they are yet to be officially confirmed.

Check out the full card and betting odds for Fight Night: Imavov vs Gastelum below.

UFC Fight Night: Imavov vs. Gastelum main card

Check out the full card and betting odds for Fight Night: Imavov vs Gastelum below:

Main card

Nassourdine Imavov -278 [favorite] vs Kelvin Gastelum +200 (middleweight)

[Note: More fights to be announced in coming weeks.]

Main card predictions for UFC Fight Night: Imavov vs. Gastelum

Nassourdine Imavov vs. Kelvin Gastelum

Kelvin Gastelum has been on a rough patch of late, although he has faced the who’s-who of the middleweight division. The 31-year-old has dropped four of his last five bouts since challenging Israel Adesanya for the interim 185-pound title and is fresh off back-to-back defeats.

His opponent, Nassourdine Imavov, has climbed up to No.12 in the 185-pound rankings with three straight wins, including two consecutive finishes in 2021. In his most recent outing in September, the Frenchman outpointed a game Joaquin Buckley.

Imavov will look to make the most of this opportunity as he gets his first big name in Gastelum. Meanwhile, the UFC veteran will be well aware that another loss could be his last in the promotion. This is a high-stakes matchup for both men and it's hard to pick the winner. However, we'll go with the favorite in this one.

Verdict: Nassourdine Imavov