Welcome to Sports Illustrated’s weekly guide to MMA viewing, a central location for fans to find out what live events are available to check out this week – and just as importantly, where to find them.
After a slow start to the year, business picks up this week with major organizations ONE and the UFC each hosting their first events of the 2023 calendar, in addition to a pair of regional cards on UFC Fight Pass.
Friday, January 13
“ONE Fight Night 6: Superbon vs. Allazov”
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Broadcast: Amazon Prime Video, 8 p.m. ET
Main event: Champ Superbon Singha Mawynn vs. Chingiz Allazov – for featherweight kickboxing title
With the promotion visiting Thailand, kickboxing takes the featured slot of the latest ONE Championship event, with reigning featherweight kickboxing champion and Thailand’s own Superbon putting his belt on the line against a very dangerous Belarusian opponent in Allazov, who claimed a grand prix title to earn this title shot.
The flyweight kickboxing and flyweight submission grappling titles are also on the line at the event, which also features a mixed-rules superfight between striking specialists Stamp Fairtex and Anissa Meksen.
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“LFA 150: Farias vs. Sweeney”
Location: Prior Lake, Minnesota
Broadcast: UFC Fight Pass, 9 p.m. ET
Main event: Ary Farias (12-3) vs. John Sweeney (11-3)
Brazil’s “AstroBoy” Farias looks to build on the strength of an August win over five-time UFC veteran Michinori Tanaka as he returns to the LFA cage to take on “Hollywood” Sweeney, who is riding the strength of a five-fight winning streak, with each looking to work their way to a big-show invitation.
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“Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat Series 7: Loder vs. Green”
Location: Wheatland, California
Broadcast: UFC Fight Pass, 10 p.m. ET
Main event: Ryan Loder (4-0) vs. Troy Green (5-1) – for vacant middleweight title
Loder is undefeated in his first 15 months as a professional, with three of his wins coming by way of knockout, and he’ll challenge for the promotion’s vacant 185-pound title against Green, whose lone loss thus far came in 2021 against former CFFC champion and current UFC welterweight contender Yohan Lainesse. The matchup kicks off a main card that features a trio of title fights.
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Saturday, January 14
“UFC Fight Night 217: Imavov vs. Gastelum”
Location: Prior Lake, Minnesota
Broadcast: ESPN+, 4 p.m. ET
Main event: Nassourdine Imavov (12-3) vs. Kelvin Gastelum (17-8)
It’s a key middleweight contest between two ranked contenders with No. 12 Imavov and No. 13 Gastelum.
France’s Imavov rides a three-fight win streak into the contest and stands at 9-1 in his past 10 fights overall, only suffering a majority decision loss to Phil Hawes. Meanwhile, Gastelum finds himself in the most testing stretch of his career at just 1-5 in his past six appearances, though the results came to the sport’s absolute best in Jared Cannonier, Robert Whittaker, Jack Hermansson, Darren Till and Israel Adesanya.
