UFC Vegas 86: Another middleweight main event

Did you know that since 2020, more than 50% of all UFC cards have been held at the Apex? And we all know that every time an event is held there, an angel loses its wings. UFC Vegas 86 is no different, as evidenced by looking at the name of the event. These days, having “Vegas” in the title is a signal that the matchmakers did their level best to fill the bout sheet with unranked fighters who have little to no name value to possibly draw in new viewers.

UFC Vegas 86 isn’t devoid of name value, but it comes close. Andre Fili and Dan Ige are veterans that fit the bill, as is Jack Hermansson, but Joe Pyfer is still in prospect mode, and definitely doesn’t have a name that casuals might recognize—yet. With a win over No. 11 ranked Hermansson, he would almost certainly enter the inner sanctuary of the Top 15. But first, he has to win.

Did I mention that this event is the third straight event headlined by middleweights. UFC Vegas 86 features four bouts at the 185lb limit. It’s almost as if the big brains at UFC headquarters (which I envision as the building where Mr. Burns concocts his evil plots) are trying to push this paper-thin middleweight division on us, as if it’s the best they have to offer. It’s an affront.

And why wouldn’t the matchmaking brain trust at UFC HQ let Andre Fili and Dan Ige lead the show? This is almost a guaranteed banger and has the most name value of all 14 fights on this bloated card. But maybe they’re busy coming up with the main event for UFC 300, because that one is getting closer and closer. Before I get way off track, though, let’s have a gander at the fights on this weekend’s main portion.

UFC Vegas 86 Main Card

• Jack Hermansson  vs.  Joe Pyfer 185 lbs
• Dan Ige  vs.  Andre Fili 145 lbs
• Ihor Potieria  vs.  Robert Bryczek 185 lbs
• Brad Tavares  vs.  Gregory Rodrigues 185 lbs
• Michael Johnson  vs.  Darrius Flowers 155 lbs
• Rodolfo Vieira  vs.  Armen Petrosyan 185 lbs

A few more facts about UFC Vegas 86

What’s that? You want to know how many ranked fights there are? Well, you might be shocked to find out, but there are no ranked fights on this card. Wait, you want to know how many ranked athletes are on the card? Of the 28 fighters competing Saturday night, only two of them are ranked. What? You want to know how many are coming off losses? That number would be a nice, round 13—just a hair under 50%. Honestly, I didn’t mean to make you frown. Apologies.

Don’t forget to check out the bonus section for a great review of the UFC Vegas 85 main card. Make sure to tune in immediately after this weekend’s fights for breakdowns and analysis on our 6th Round Post-Fight Show.

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What comes after UFC Vegas 86?

The next event after UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Pyfer will be UFC 298: Volkanovski vs. Topuria on February 17th. That card is taking place at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, and will enjoy a featherweight title fight in the main event between the champ, Alexander Volkanovski, and his undefeated challenger, Ilia Topuria. The co-main event is slated for a middleweight collision between former champ, Robert Whittaker, and the wild card Paulo Costa.

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Stephie Haynes

Stephie Haynes has been covering MMA since 2005. She has also worked for MMA promotion Proelite and apparel brand TapouT. She hosted TapouT’s official radio show for four years before joining Bloody Elbow in 2012. She has interviewed everyone there is to interview in the fight game from from Dana White to Conor McGregor to Kimbo Slice, as well as mainstream TV, film and music stars including Norman Reedus, RZA and Anthony Bourdain. She has been producing the BE podcast network since 2017 and hosts four of its current shows.

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