Ryan Bader will get one more chance to make his case for a shot at the light heavyweight title at UFC on Fox 18 Saturday night.
Seven years in the UFC and a great many ups and downs have transformed Bader into a complete, if unexciting fighter, but losses every time he has stepped up against elite competition have left fans doubting whether he can ever break through into the top of the division. A loss here would effectively mark him as a gatekeeper to the light heavyweight elite.
He’ll get his chance against Anthony Johnson, who rebounded from a championship loss to Daniel Cormier by flatlining Jimi Manuwa in September. The power-punching Johnson was on a nine-fight winning streak prior to falling short against Cormier, and the possibility of a title fight against a returning Jon Jones still carries great interest.
The rest of the card is strong. In the co-main event, veterans Josh Barnett and Ben Rothwell will stake their own claims on a top contender slot in the messy, chaotic heavyweight division. With age setting in for both fighters, this is likely their last chance to make a run at the title.
A crackling bantamweight matchup between Iuri Alcantara and Jimmie Rivera is flying under the radar, but it promises incredible action. Nineteen-year-old phenom Sage Northcutt will open the card in an intriguing short-notice scrap against the experienced and durable Bryan Barberena.
On the prelims, former elite welterweight Jake Ellenberger gets one more chance to prove he still belongs against Tarec Saffiedine, who returns from a long injury layoff. Top lightweight prospect Olivier Aubin-Mercier and Randy Brown, the star of the last episode of Dana White‘s Looking for a Fight, both grace the undercard as well.
Let’s take a look at each matchup.