UFC Denver: 22 enjoyable tidbits, details and storylines for Namajunas vs. Cortez

After a uncommon weekend off, Final Combating Championship (UFC) returns for its summer season slate of occasions because the promotion travels to Ball Area in Denver, Colo. In the principle occasion, former two-time girls’s strawweight champion Rose Namajunas takes on surging Mexican Flyweight contender Tracy Cortez.

UFC Denver boasts just a few enjoyable fights and the “Mile Excessive” environment must be unbelievable, as a result of it’s in entrance of a stay crowd. So, earlier than all of it goes down later this night (Sat., July 13, 2024) on ESPN/ESPN+, let’s checkout some random storylines, tidbits, and statistics forward of showtime.

‘Mile Excessive Metropolis’

UFC returns to Denver for the primary time since 2018 (its twenty fifth anniversary present). In the principle occasion, “Korean Zombie” fought Yair Rodriguez and ended up receiving the most effective knockouts of all-time. In the meantime, Donald Cerrone tapped out Mike Perry within the co-main occasion.

UFC Loves Denver

This weekend would be the seventh time UFC has held an occasion in Denver — sixth most of any metropolis in promotion historical past. The one locations which have held extra occasions are Las Vegas, Nevada, Anaheim, Calif., Atlantic Metropolis, N.J., Newark, N.J., and Houston, Texas.

Picture by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC by way of Getty Photos

Primary Occasion Shakeup

UFC Denver was initially alleged to be headlined by Namajunas versus Maycee Barber; however, Barber pulled out of the battle two weeks in the past due to well being issues. With UFC scrambling to maintain “Thug Rose” on the cardboard, it pulled Cortez from her battle with Miranda Maverick subsequent week.

Primary Occasion Stakes

To be sincere, there aren’t numerous stakes on this principal occasion. Whereas any win by Namajunas will get her nearer to a different UFC title shot, a victory over the No. 11-ranked Flyweight in all probability retains her in the identical spot.

For Cortez, a win over Namajunas places her into the Prime 5 Flyweight rankings and that a lot nearer to a No. 1 contender battle.

Picture by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC by way of Getty Photos

Primary Occasion Noob

After 5 fights within the group, Cortez will battle in her first UFC principal occasion. She has solely competed on a UFC principal card as soon as.

Picture by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC by way of Getty Photos

Chasing UFC Historical past

With a knockout this weekend, Drew Dober will break his tie with Dustin Poirier and turn out to be the fighter with probably the most knockouts in light-weight historical past.

He at present has 9. He’s additionally tied with Poirier, Donald Cerrone and Tony Ferguson for the fourth most finishes in UFC Light-weight division historical past (10).

He fights Jean Silva.

Picture by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC by way of Getty Photos

Quick Turnaround

Talking of Silva, he knocked out Charles Jourdain at UFC 303 two weeks in the past and can now tackle former high 15-ranked Dober up a weight class.

Silva is ideal (2-0) in UFC with two knockouts since incomes a contract on Contender Sequence.

“Lord” missed weight at UFC 303.

Picture by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC by way of Getty Photos

Bonfim Bounceback

Gabriel Bonfim returns for the primary time since struggling his first skilled loss in opposition to Nicolas Dalby at UFC Sao Paulo again in Nov. 2023. Whereas many individuals known as his technical knockout loss a “fraud verify,” I consider it extra as a studying lesson. Dalby is a really powerful opponent, and Bonfim seemed excellent within the first spherical.

Bonfim nonetheless has numerous potential and can look to bounce again in opposition to Ange Loosa in an enormous means. The Brazilian holds a 100% end charge with 12 submission wins.

Middleweight Automobile Crash

A middleweight battle between Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Cody Brundage is kicking off the principle card. This battle must be chaos for so long as it lasts. Alhassan has a 100% end charge with 12 knockouts, whereas Brundage solely acquired to the scorecards as soon as (5 knockouts). Each fighters hardly ever get out of the primary spherical unscathed, so it must be violent.

Brundage is coming off a loss to Bo Nickal.

Picture by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC by way of Getty Photos

Welcome To UFC!

Just one fighter is making their UFC debut at UFC Denver … and it’s an enormous one.

Fatima Kline (6-0) takes on Jasmine Jasudavicius. Kline has been the most effective feminine regional prospect for just a few years. She is the principle coaching companion of flyweight contender Erin Blanchfield and a monster within the grappling division.

Kline is a double Cage Fury Combating Championships (CFFC) champion (Flyweight and Strawweight).

She is stepping in on every week’s discover, identical to just a few different fights on the cardboard, talking of that …

Quick Discover Fights

4 fights — excluding UFC Denver’s principal occasion — got here collectively final week.

The primary two have been Dober vs. Silva and Kline vs. Jasuavicius. The opposite two fights happen on the “Prelims.”

Prime Flyweight prospect Josh Van takes on Charles Johnson, whereas Montel Jackson fights Da’Mon Blackshear in a Bantamweight bout.

4 Days Discover

One final battle got here collectively DURING battle week. On Wednesday, UFC introduced that Evan Elder will battle Darrius Flowers in a Welterweight bout.

It’s a really random battle, but it surely must be a scrap.

Welcome Again, ‘Cash Mashka’

Mariya Agapova returns to motion after a 21-month layoff, throughout which she has handled a number of accidents, in addition to being broke.

Agapova had a ton of hype when she entered UFC, however has struggled the previous few years and sees herself on a two-fight dropping streak. She may be preventing for her job later this night.

Hometown Boys (And Lady)

4 fighters get the hometown remedy this weekend, whether or not they stay or prepare in Denver: Namajunas, Dober, Brundage and Josh Fremd.

Small Folks Solely

There aren’t any Heavyweight nor Mild Heavyweight athletes competing at UFC Denver; actually, there’s solely two Middleweight bouts on ESPN-streamed the cardboard. You already know, in all probability due to the excessive elevation.

UFC Denver Struggle Chief

The fighters with probably the most profession fights competing at UFC Denver are Dober and Julian Erosa (40).

UFC Denver Struggle Rookie

The fighter with the least quantity of profession fights competing at UFC Denver is Kline (6).

UFC Denver Knockout King

The fighter with probably the most quantity of profession knockouts competing at UFC Denver is Santiago Ponzinibbio (16).

UFC Denver Submission Savant

The fighter with probably the most quantity of profession submissions competing at UFC Denver is Erosa (13).

Winners And Losers

Twelve fighters are coming off wins, whereas 11 are coming off losses. One is coming off a dreaded “No Contest” (Loosa).

Multi-Divisions

Listed below are the divisions that might be on show this Saturday:

• Two Middleweight fights
• Two Welterweight fights
• One Light-weight battle
• One Featherweight battle
• One Bantamweight battle
• Three girls’s Flyweight fights

Beta Canine

In accordance with Draftkings, UFC Denver’s “greatest” underdog is Agapova at +300.

For the most recent UFC Denver information and notes click on right here.