UFC Fight Night: Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho Event Preview & Breakdown
![](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_1200,h_675,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/mma_knockout/01j5s1evd33zzdpvk5gb.jpg)
The UFC returns to the Apex in Las Vegas, NV this Saturday (August 24) for a UFC Fight Night event featuring a huge middleweight headliner between Jared Cannonier and Caio Borralho.
‘Jon Jones Jumps for No One,’ UFC Champ Talks Tom Aspinall, Teases Retirement
The Main Event
The main event will see Jared Cannonier attempt to defend his #5 middleweight ranking when he takes on #12-ranked Caio Borralho, who will be headlining a UFC card for the first time.
Undefeated and he plans on keeping it that way 😤@BorralhoCaio returns Saturday looking for his 7th straight victory in the UFC! #UFCVegas96 pic.twitter.com/UoUR9x8ueu
— UFC (@ufc) August 19, 2024
“The Natural” has collected six UFC victories since debuting with the promotion in 2022 and most recently knocked out Paul Craig at UFC 301, while Cannonier will enter the night after losing to Nassourdine Imavov via controversial stoppage in another UFC Fight Night main event in June.
"THERE'S YOUR STATEMENT MADE" ✅
— UFC (@ufc) August 19, 2024
Jared Cannonier makes the final walk of the night Saturday at #UFCVegas96! pic.twitter.com/fYYx6VBOhO
The Co-Main Event
The night’s co-main event is a battle between ranked strawweight contenders Angela Hill and Tabatha Ricci.
Her last performance out was one of her best 👏
— UFC (@ufc) August 20, 2024
Catch @AngieOverkill in the co-main event Saturday night! #UFCVegas96 pic.twitter.com/I9mdUfbAPg
Hill will be looking to win three fights in a row for the first time since 2020 when she meets the #11-ranked Ricci, who is coming off a split decision victory over Tecia Pennington and is only two fights removed from a four-fight win streak that vaulted her into the strawweight rankings.
Interim Champ Tom Aspinall Slams Jon Jones Fight Delay: 'It’s Pissing Me Off'
Fights You Don’t Want To Miss
Michael Morales vs. Neil Magny
The unbeaten Moreales has a chance to break into the UFC’s welterweight Top 15 when he meets longtime promotional staple Magny. The 25-year-old has looked impressive in his four UFC appearances thus far, but “Haitian Sensation” reminded fans that he’s still got plenty of fight left in him at this point in his career when he scored a fantastic comeback-win against another rising talent in Mike Malott at UFC 297.
Ryan Loder vs. Robert Valentin
Loder and Valentin will meet in Las Vegas to crown the middleweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter Season 32, coached by Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko. Team Grasso’s Valentin made a name for himself on the European regional scene before joining TUF, while Team Shevchenko’s Loder was a decorated collegiate wrestler before he made the jump over to MMA.
Fighters to Watch
Viacheslav Borshchev
A submission-loss to Chase Hooper in his last outing left Borshchev with a 2-3-1 record since joining the UFC off Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021. “Slava Claus” is a dangerous striker and has managed to entertain fans even in his losses, but if he were to come up short against James Llontop here it could spell the end of his time with the UFC.
Edmen Shahbazyan
Shahbazyan returned from nearly a year away to knock out AJ Dobson last year, and now against Gerald Meerschaert he’ll try to pick up back-to-back wins for the first time since he joined the UFC as an unbeaten talent in 2019 and scored three first-round victories. Meerschaert is certainly capable of upsetting Shahbazyan, but given that “Golden Boy” has struggled more with being knocked out than being submitted this seems like its his fight to lose.
Cong Wang
A first-round submission in her lone Road to UFC appearance in March was enough for the UFC to sign Wang, who will make her promotional debut against Victoria Leonard in Las Vegas. “The Joker” holds a kickboxing win over former women’s flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko, and although she only has five pro MMA bouts Wang will want to get off to a fast start in the UFC given that she’s already 32 years old.
Joe Rogan Delivers Fiery Take on Potential Alex Pereira vs. Dricus Du Plessis Fight
UFC Fight Night: Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho kicks off at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+ on Saturday, so be sure to check back with MMA Knockout for live results and highlights from all the action on fight night.
Main Card (ESPN/ESPN+, 10:00 p.m. ET)
• Main Event: Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho
• Co-Main Event: Angela Hill vs. Tabatha Ricci
• Ryan Loder vs. Robert Valentin
• Neil Magny vs. Michael Morales
• Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Gerald Meerschaert
Preliminary Card (ESPN+, 7:00 p.m. ET)
• Francis Marshall vs. Dennis Buzukja
• Zachary Reese vs. José Medina
• Viacheslav Borshchev vs. James Llontop
• Jacqueline Cavalcanti vs. Josiane Nunes
• Wang Cong vs. Victoria Leonardo
Read More UFC & MMA News
• Joe Rogan Criticizes Dana White’s Power Slap: 'It's Free Brain Damage'
• UFC 307: Khalil Rountree Claims Key Strategy ‘Not in My Plans’ vs. Alex Pereira
• UFC Rankings Report: Dricus Du Plessis, Sean Strickland Threaten P4P List
• Jake Paul Reveals Staggering $40 Million Payout for Mike Tyson Boxing Match
Stick with MMA Knockout for daily coverage of the UFC, MMA, WWE, and AEW.