Fight By Fight Preview | UFC Fight Night: Dawson vs Green

Drew Dober and Ricky Glenn are two Midwest guys that really enjoy getting into a fist fight, and on Saturday night, they do it with each other.

Dober has been smiling and looking maddeningly handsome while slinging hands inside the Octagon for more than a decade, taking up residency on the fringes of the Top 15 for the last several years. He actively seeks out fights that he feels will not be boring and has a style that is conducive to that approach, constantly wading into back-and-forth battles with dangerous men in the 155-pound weight class.

Glenn made a name for himself as an entertaining action fighter outside of the UFC and has lived up to that reputation since debuting in the promotion in the fall of 2016. His last three fights feel like a perfect representation of who he is as a fighter, as he knocked out Joaquim Silva swiftly three fights back, battled headliner Grant Dawson to a draw two fights ago, and got finished by Christos Giagos in 95 seconds last time out.

This will be a buffet of punches and kicks, so grab a plate and get your fill!

Philipe Lins vs Ion Cutelaba

Philipe Lins and Ion Cutelaba go head-to-head in a meeting of intriguing light heavyweights on Saturday’s main card.

The 38-year-old Lins is 3-0 since moving to the 205-pound weight class, having earned consecutive victories over Marcin Prachnio, Ovince Saint Preux, and Maxim Grishin. He was clearly miscast as a heavyweight, and now profiles as a curious, streaking veteran in a division where a four-fight winning streak can land you a date with a ranked opponent.

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Cutelaba is 6-8-1 in the UFC and yet every time he steps into the Octagon, there are moments when you wonder if he’s on the brink of turning the corner and becoming a contender. The 29-year-old “Hulk” has strength and power to spare, and fights with a reckless abandon that creates chaos, excitement, and plenty of finishes, just sometimes he’s the one getting stopped.

On paper, this looks like a battle between a veteran that wants to be patient and find his spots and a wild man aiming to crowd him before the fight even officially begins, and it should be gripping theater watching to see whose approach wins out this weekend.

Alexander Hernandez vs Bill Algeo

Alexander Hernandez returns to featherweight to take on veteran Bill Algeo in this weekend’s main card opener.

An extended run of “win one, lose one” results prompted Hernandez to drop down to featherweight two fights ago, but after a quick start, he faded and was finished by Billy Quarantillo in the second round. A short notice victory over Jim Miller back at lightweight followed, but now the 30-year-old “Great Ape” drops back down to the 145-pound ranks looking to secure his first featherweight victory.

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This might sound weird, but Algeo has continued being the crafty, competitive stalwart he was on the East Coast regional circuit since graduating to the UFC roster. He was a tough out before and he’s a tough out now, carrying a 4-2 record over his last six fights into Saturday’s meeting with Hernandez.

If there were any remaining questions about Hernandez’ future in the division and upside as a competitor overall, they should be answered this weekend, because Algeo is the kind of savvy, skilled veteran that can exploit any weakness in his opponent’s game. Hernandez is the better athlete, but the better athlete doesn’t always emerge victorious inside the Octagon.

Preliminary Card Fights

Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs Diana Belbita

Strawweights close out the prelims as Karolina Kowalkiewicz takes on Diana Belbita.

Former title challenger Kowalkiewicz enters on a three-fight winning streak, having repackaged herself as a gritty grinder since shifting her training to American Top Team. Belbita collected a unanimous decision win over Maria Oliveira in the UFC 289 opener and is 2-1 since moving to the strawweight division.

Aoriqileng vs Johnny Munoz

We stay at bantamweight for a “striker versus grappler” battle between Aoriqileng and Johnny Munoz.

The 30-year-old from China earned consecutive wins to start his bantamweight tenure but got knocked out in just 64 seconds last time out against Aiemann Zahabi. Munoz has alternated losses and wins since arriving in the UFC, and heads into this one angling to continue that trend after losing to Daniel Santos in June.

Vanessa Demopoulos vs Kanako Murata

Vanessa Demopoulos welcomes Kanako Murata back to action in this strawweight pairing.

“Lil’ Monster” lost to Kowalkiewicz last time out, which snapped her three-fight winning streak. The 12-2 Murata fights for the first time in more than two years after suffering a gruesome arm injury in her sophomore UFC appearance opposite Virna Jandiroba.

Nate Maness vs Mateus Mendonça

Nate Maness makes his second appearance at flyweight, while Mateus Mendonca makes his second appearance inside the Octagon this weekend at the APEX.

The game Kentucky native Maness won his first three UFC fights, but back-to-back outings against Umar Nurmagomedov and Tagir Ulanbekov sent him into this one on a two-fight skid. Mendonca debuted in January with a loss to Javid Basharat, and now moves down to the 125-pound ranks in search of his first UFC victory.

Montana De La Rosa vs JJ Aldrich

Flyweight mainstays Montana De La Rosa and JJ Aldrich open the show on Saturday.

The 28-year-old De La Rosa is 5-4-1 in 10 UFC appearances, with each of her setbacks coming against ranked opponents. Aldrich snapped a two-fight skid at the end of last month in Singapore and looks to build on that second-round stoppage win by making a quick turnaround here.