UFC returns to the hallowed halls of Madison Square Garden on Saturday. The iconic New York City venue has hosted the UFC's November pay-per-view broadcasts for nearly a decade. The The tradition continues with UFC 309.
Jon Jones, defending his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic, does much of the heavy lifting here. It is a historic fight, even though it has passed its sell-by date. Jones and Miocic are record-breaking UFC champions and will meet in a legendary arena in a potential fight for a UFC title.
There are other things to like about UFC 309. Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler don't know what a boring fight means, Bo Nickal continues to emerge as a must-see contender in the middleweight division, and Maurcio Luffy looks to add another piece to Fighting Nerds' incredible run in 2024.
Take a closer look at three fights you can't miss on Saturday.
Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler
Lightweight has been the UFC's main division for years, and for good reason. The elite fighters don't know what boring fights mean. Oliveira, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu master with a dynamic striking, has the most finishes in UFC history (20). A standout wrestler with explosive power, Chandler has won fight bonuses in four of his five UFC appearances.
Oliveira and Chandler met for the vacant lightweight title back in May 2021. Chandler dominated Oliveira in Round 1, scoring 10-8 rounds on two judges' scorecards. But Oliveira came back to life in round 2, stopping Chandler with punches after 19 seconds.
“I don't think it matters if someone gives me a 10-8 because they didn't present it to the judges. I finished him, so it doesn’t matter,” Oliveira said told CBS Sports through an interpreter. “I want to be the Charles of old. I want to assert my game. I want to be the Charles from the past, always pushing forward. The one who isn’t afraid to roll a little and grab a heel or something.”
Chandler was thrown further into the deep end of the UFC than most. The former three-time Bellator champion was signed as a replacement fighter for Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Justin Gaethje. His services weren't needed that night, so he knocked out Dan Hooker in his UFC debut. In his second appearance, Chandler fought for UFC gold.
“I had two and a half minutes of UFC fight time under my belt,” Chandler said told CBS Sports. “I was green and inexperienced.”
Chandler believes Oliveira is his path to a UFC lightweight title fight against Islam Makhachev or Arman Tsarukyan. A performance bonus frontrunner with title implications? What's not to like?
Bo Nickal vs. Paul Craig
Nickal has some questions to answer. He looked like a world champion in his first five UFC fights. He lived up to his reputation as one of the most successful college wrestlers of all time. Then UFC 300 happened. Nickal's early troubles with Cody Brundage were cause for concern, but he prevailed over Brundage in Round 2, securing his perfect finishing record. Nickal will move into the UFC's official middleweight top 15 if he can beat his most battle-tested opponent yet. Craig has over four times Nickal's professional experience. He boasts victories over former light heavyweight champions Jamahal Hill and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, as well as top title contender Magomed Ankalaev. Craig's submission skills could present unique challenges for Nickal, but considering he's on a 1-4 run, Craig is more vulnerable now than he has been in a long time.
Mauricio Luffy vs. James Llontop
Luffy is one to keep an eye on. He represents the notable Fighting Nerds team competing in the UFC this year. If Ruffy defeats short-term substitute Llontop, he will take the quartet of Ruffy, Caio Borralho, Carlos Prates and Jean Silva to a combined record of 11-0 in 2024. Luffy (10-1) has finished every fight by knockout, including a thrilling flying knee against Jamie Mullarkey in his UFC debut. Llontop (14-4) fills in for Charlie Campbell. Llongtop is 0-2 in the UFC and it's hard to shake the feeling that he's a sacrificial lamb this weekend.
Honorable Mentions: Jonathan Martinez vs. Marcus McGhee, Jim Miller vs. Damon Jackson
