While UFC 180 has taken some hits—most notably, heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez being injured—it remains a card worth watching.
Since Velasquez has been inactive for 13 months and because his return date is unknown, Fabricio Werdum will now meet Mark Hunt in an interim championship bout. The matchup pits one of the best heavyweight grapplers in the world against one of the most dangerous strikers in the UFC heavyweight division.
Additionally, The Ultimate Fighter 17 winner Kelvin Gastelum will be tested by perennial contender Jake Ellenberger while Dennis Bermudez will look to keep things rolling at 145 pounds in a bout with former title challenger Ricardo Lamas.
There will be multiple bouts with championship and title contention implications on Saturday, but several competitors could simply be competing to maintain a spot on the UFC roster. Here are the fighters sitting on the hot seat heading into UFC 180 in Mexico City.
Jake Ellenberger
While he could lose a third straight bout on Saturday, Ellenberger isn’t likely to be cut so soon. “The Juggernaut” has simply seen some very tough matchups recently, as he will meet a third straight top-15 welterweight this weekend.
At 29 years old, Ellenberger still has a lot to offer the UFC welterweight class. A loss to Gastelum would be damaging, but it wouldn’t bury him.
Still, Ellenberger does need to handle himself well at UFC 180 to avoid giving the UFC brass a reason to cut ties. So long as Ellenberger makes weight, passes his drug tests and puts forth a commendable effort against Gastelum, he shouldn’t have to worry about being released even with another loss.
Chris Heatherly
In August, Chris Heatherly had a rough UFC debut matchup with veteran Ben Saunders. The contest ended in a rare omoplata loss for Heatherly.
Now, the roles have been reversed, as Heatherly welcomes Augusto Montano to the Octagon. Facing a UFC newcomer after losing his initial UFC bout, Heatherly will probably need to pick up a win on Saturday evening.
An 0-2 UFC record almost always results in a fighter being sent back down to smaller shows, especially when the second loss comes against an unproven opponent like Montano.
Henry Briones and Guido Cannetti
Contestants on TUF: Latin America, Henry Briones and Guido Cannetti both failed to reach the bantamweight finals. However, both have been given another opportunity to earn a UFC contract.
On the reality show, Briones was knocked out by Marlon Vera, who was later pulled from the competition due to a skin infection. None other than Cannetti was the one to replace Vera in the semifinals.
Having lost in a close decision with Marco Beltran in the quarterfinals, Cannetti was viewed as the eliminator competitor most worthy of reentering the tournament. However, Cannetti was stopped by Alejandro Perez, who will meet Jose Alberto Quinonez in the finals.
Given that this is Cannetti‘s third chance to pick up a win inside the Octagon, he’s in a must-win situation. Based on past history for TUF contestants who don’t reach the finals, Briones will also likely need to win this weekend to remain with the world’s top MMA organization.
Marco Beltran and Marlon Vera
Another pair of TUF: Latin America contestants, Marco Beltran and Marlon Vera may also be fighting to keep their UFC careers alive on Saturday.
Following a narrow win over Cannetti in the quarterfinals, Beltran met Quinonez in the semifinals. Beltran took the finalist into the third round, but he ultimately lost on the scorecards and missed out on his chance to compete for a guaranteed UFC contract.
Vera also reached the semifinals by knocking out Briones in the second round. However, Vera was removed from the competition and did not get to compete against Perez in the semifinals. Now, he has an opportunity to prove that he had the ability to be a finalist in the bantamweight competition.
Gabriel Benitez and Humberto Brown
Competing in the TUF: Latin America featherweight tournament, Gabriel Benitez and Humberto Brown also failed to reach the finals.
With a submission win over Diego Rivas in the quarterfinals, Benitez looked like a threat to win the competition. However, he followed that victory up with a decision loss to Leonardo Morales, who will meet Yair Rodriguez in the finals.
Brown, meanwhile, had much less success on the UFC reality show. Running into Rodriguez in the opening round, Brown was submitted in the second round and saw his TUF experience end quickly.
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