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“International Fight Week” takes place every year during the 4th of July Independence Day celebration in America. The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) which is the biggest promotion in mixed-martial-arts has put together one of the most exciting cards for UFC226 that will go down on July 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The UFC will also host its “Ultimate Fighter Finale” on July 6 to give fight fans a weekend packed with exciting fights. The TUF card will be headlined by Brad Tavares vs. Israel Adesanya.
Then on July 7, UFC226 will have two title fights as Stipe Miocic defends his heavyweight championship and Max ‘Blessed’ Holloway will defend his featherweight championship.
UFC – Ultimate Fighting Championship
UFC226: Fight Previews
Stipe Miocic vs. Daniel Cormier
Daniel Cormier has admitted that he will retire next year and is looking to create history by moving up from light-heavyweight to heavyweight to challenge Stipe Miocic for his belt. Cormier has fought at heavyweight before and has remained undefeated.
He decided to challenge the baddest man on the planet after UFC President Dana White suggested he move up a weight class and see if he can win two belts and join Conor McGregor as the only other UFC Fighter to hold two belts at the same time. Miocic has defended the heavyweight strap successfully more than any other heavyweight champ and is confident that he will remain champ when the fight is over.
In a statement, Cormier said
It’s a true superfight, right. The guy is good. The guy hits hard. But I feel like we have prepared for everything he can bring to the table
Cormier has admitted that after this fight, he would like to fight two more times and then retire from MMA.
Prediction: Daniel Cormier Wins Via Decision
Max Holloway vs. Brian Ortega (CANCELLED)
Holloway was set to defend his featherweight belt against Ortega but the fight was cancelled on Tuesday night after UFC officials found Holloway to be suffering from a concussion. As of now it appears that there will be no replacement for Ortega and the fight will be cancelled.
Francis Ngannou vs. Derrick Lewis
This will most likely be the co-main event. Francis Ngannou’s last fight was a loss to champion Stipe Miocic and he will be looking to reassert his dominance with a KO win over Lewis. “The Black Beast” knows that if he can finish Ngannou, he will most likely be next in line for a title shot.
Prediction: Derrick Lewis Wins Via KO
Even though the Holloway vs. Ortega fight is cancelled, there are a number of other great matches on this card such as Anthony Pettis vs. Michael Chiesa, Paul Felder vs. Mike Perry, Lando Vannata vs. Drakkar Klose and Uriah Hall vs. Paulo Costa.
