The challengers of the principle and co-main occasions are making ready to make historical past in a ‘as soon as in a lifetime’ alternative.
Each Islam Makhachev and Zhang Weili are competing to turn out to be two-division champions, a feat achieved by solely 10 fighters within the UFC.
These two fighters have demonstrated nothing however dominance of their earlier weight class and are stepping as much as tackle a brand new problem.
However can they declare much more uncommon milestones to make themselves one of many biggest in MMA historical past?
Dagestan’s management and triumph at 155lbs
Makhachev has appeared nothing however unstoppable, including extra names to his conquered checklist.
The previous light-weight champion vacated his title after incomes probably the most title wins in UFC historical past in that division with a complete of 5.
Whereas Jack Della Maddalena is a tricky opponent at welterweight, the 34-year-old has taken out huge names at 155lbs.
This contains: Alexander Volkanovski twice, Charles Oliveira, Dustin Poirier, Dan Hooker, Arman Tsarukyan and Renato Moicano.
Whereas he has suffered just one defeat in his skilled profession, Makhachev has been on an illustrious run of 15 victories.
The Russian is presently tied second with former 170lbs champion, Kamaru Usman, for the largest win streak in UFC historical past.
Yet another triumph will equal the document of 16, presently held by Anderson Silva.
His coach, Khabib Nurmagomedov, might have been undefeated all through his profession, however didn’t pull off as many wins as Makhachev.
If the Makhachkala-born combined martial artist turns into a two-division champion, he won’t turn out to be the primary to take action in two particular weight lessons.
BJ Penn earned the double champ standing in January 2008, profitable the light-weight and welterweight titles (not concurrently).
Whereas Penn by no means defended the 170lbs belt, if Makhachev defeats Della Maddalena, he could possibly be the primary after already defending his light-weight championship 4 occasions.
Followers argue that Makhachev could possibly be one of many biggest of all time, if he’s profitable and wins convincingly in Madison Sq. Backyard.
China’s Famous person on the lookout for the G.O.A.T standing
Whereas Weili has solely been within the UFC since August 2018, she has acted like a world-class veteran.
Over her two title reigns at strawweight, ‘Magnum’ has earned the identical variety of title wins as Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
Regardless of solely having two losses within the UFC, they’ve each come towards Rose Namajunas, one by first-round knockout and one other from a controversial cut up resolution.
Nobody else has been in a position to defeat Weili, as she has constantly produced dominance since her second championship reign.
The 36-year-old has received and defended her title towards the hardest opponents within the 115lbs division.
These embrace: Jedrzejczyk twice, Jessica Andrade, Carla Esparza, Amanda Lemos, Yan Xiaonan and Tatiana Suarez.
The Handan-born fighter had solely gone the space as soon as earlier than getting into the UFC, stopping 15 of her 16 conquered opponents.
Weili’s solely different skilled loss got here on her MMA debut, the place she misplaced by unanimous resolution to Meng Bo in November 2013.
The Chinese language combined martial artist has the chance to turn out to be the second feminine fighter to carry two divisional championships.
Solely Amanda Nunes has unlocked this achievement after profitable the ladies’s bantamweight and featherweight titles.
Jedrzejczyk and Andrade have had the identical alternative as Weili, however didn’t seize the flyweight belt from Valentina Shevchenko.
If Weili can defeat Shevchenko and turn out to be the ladies’s 125lbs champion, it will likely be the best win of her profession and will put her a few wins away from cementing the G.O.A.T standing in ladies’s MMA.
