UFC Atlantic City main card preview & betting picks | Fight Night

The main card for UFC Fight Night: Blanchfield vs Fiorot at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City features a range of fading and emerging talent. Tough welterweight warriors Vincent Luque and Joaquin Buckley will collide, former undisputed middleweight champ Chris Weidman is hoping for a hero’s exit when he faces Bruno Silva, and the exciting Nursulton Ruziboev squares off against Sedriques Dumas in a Fight of the Night contender. Read on for our UFC Atlantic City betting tips and analysis.

Erin Blanchfield v Manon Fiorot

Erin Blanchfield vs Manon Fiorot

A shot at the women’s flyweight title could be up for grabs when Erin Blanchfield and Manon Fiorot face off in Saturday’s headline act. See our UFC Atlantic City main event preview here.

Vicente Luque v Joaquin Buckley

Vicente Luque vs Joaquin Buckley

Vicente Luque (22-9-1) is a tough and gritty welterweight who has shared the octagon with some of the division’s biggest names without progressing toward a title shot. The 32-year-old is currently ranked 11th in the division and faces a lower-ranked opponent here. The Brazilian most recently clashed with former champion Rafael Dos Anjos, emerging with a hard-fought decision victory across five rounds of action. The majority of Luque’s professional defeats have come via the scorecards, where he holds a 3-6 record, and he might be inclined to press for a finish.

Joaquin Buckley (17-6-0) is a hard-hitting knockout artist with four Performance of the Night awards in his wake. The 29-year-old is coming off successive victories after returning from an unsuccessful trip to the middleweight division. The American is a proven finisher with 12 stoppages, but in pursuit of an early knockout can be susceptible to getting flattened himself. Buckley will likely look the smaller athlete inside the cage, but his power cannot be underestimated.

Chris Weidman v Bruno Silva

Chris Weidman vs Bruno Silva

Chris Weidman (15-7-0) has been cruelled by injuries in recent years and must be close to the end of his MMA journey. The 39-year-old sensationally won and defended the middleweight belt against Anderson Silva in 2013 but has now lost seven of his last nine fights. Six of the losses came via TKO/KO and Weidman’s body has been through some wars that have taken their toll. Whether the veteran can lift himself for one last hurrah remains to be seen. He will enjoy an advantage in the wrestling component of this matchup, which offers some hope.

Bruno Silva (23-10-0) brings a similarly patchy recent record into this contest with just one win from his last five UFC appearances. The 34-year-old has never been knocked out but has historically struggled in the grappling department with seven career losses coming via submission. The Brazilian is a power striker though and if he can remain upright will be confident his chin is superior to the older man opposite, but if this turns into a wrestling match he will likely struggle.

Nursulton Ruziboev v Sedriques Dumas

Nursulton Ruziboev vs Sedriques Dumas

Nursulton Ruziboev (35-8-2) makes his second UFC appearance after scoring an early KO win on debut against Brunno Ferreira. The Uzbekistan native has a lengthy record fighting in rival promotions and might be the real deal. The 30-year-old is unbeaten in nine straight appearances, with every win coming via first-round stoppage, a remarkable run. Six of his career losses have come at the hands of the judging panel, so it is easy to see why Ruziboev prefers to handle business before the final bell.

Sedriques Dumas (9-1-0) has fought on three occasions at UFC level, recording two wins and one loss after impressing the boss on Dana White’s Contender Series. The 28-year-old exudes raw talent but might lack the polish of his opponent here. The American would be wise to avoid the ground game of Ruziboev and utilise a three-inch reach advantage to strike from long range. Whatever occurs, this is a compelling matchup between largely untapped talents.

Bill Algeo v Kyle Nelson

Bill Algeo vs Kyle Nelson

Bill Algeo (18-7-0) has hit a purple patch of form since 2022 with four wins and a single split decision loss to show for his efforts. The key to this success has been improved output levels to earn the favour of the judging panel, the former weakness in his game. The 34-year-old is a long and sinewy athlete who chips away at his opponents rather than engage in direct attack but possesses a strong ground game with a range of submissions in his arsenal.

After suffering a pair of losses and a draw, Kyle Nelson (14-5-1) won two fights straight in 2023 to turn his fortunes around. The 32-year-old mixes up his strikes but can be a slow starter who sacrifices the opening minutes of each round. The Canadian is adept on the mat and this contest is bound to contain high-level grappling after an initial feeling-out process.

Chidi Njokuani v Rhys McKee

Chris Njokuani vs Rhys McKee

After posting successive knockout UFC wins, Chidi Njokuani (22-10-0) has slipped to three straight losses. The 35-year-old slugger is prone to loose and sloppy defence and seemingly lacks the discipline to tighten his methods. He throws heavy hands with bad intentions and Njokuani’s most likely path to victory is a fast knockout finish.

Rhys McKee (13-5-0) was dropped from the UFC roster in 2020 after a pair of losses against elite competition in Khamzat Chimaev and Alex Moreno. The Irishman returned to the Cage Warriors promotion, where he scored three straight knockout wins, but was beaten on his return to the UFC banner in September 2023 and now fights for his career once more. He has never won via the scorecards and will be looking for a stoppage win in a bout that is unlikely to go the distance.

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