UFC Fight Night from the Apex in Las Vegas is headlined by a middleweight contender matchup between the No.3-ranked Marvin Vettori and the No.4-ranked Jared Cannonier. Both fighters will be pushing their case for a rematch against current middleweight king Israel Adesanya, who reclaimed his belt with a devastating KO in April 2023.

Marvin Vettori v Jared Cannonier main event preview

Marvin Vettori vs Jared Cannonier

Marvin Vettori (19-6-1) challenged for the UFC middleweight belt in 2021, coming up short against current champ Israel Adesanya. This is the plight of all the main 185-pound contenders who are forced to queue for another shot at UFC gold, which may take some time while Adesanya retains the belt. Since his title shot, Vettori has fought on three occasions, registering a win over Costa Paulo, a loss to Robert Whittaker, and a win over Roman Dolidze.

The Italian is a volume striker who lacks the athletic skills and technical proficiency of the current champ. On his bad nights, Vettori can appear one dimensional and easy to read. At his best, he marches forward without fear and throws long combinations that can wear down an opponent. Vettori has not recorded a knockout win since 2015, one year prior to being signed by the UFC. His MMA career has been stymied by this inability to finish his fights.

Jared Cannonier (16-6-0) earned his shot at Adesanya in July 2022, also coming up short via decision. He has fought once since, registering a close and controversial win over Sean Strickland in December 2022. Unlike Vettori, Cannonier possesses real knockout power and has landed 10 wins via that method. He throws heavy hands and finished the legendary Anderson Silva via a rare leg kick stoppage.

On his best nights, the big American finds room and angles to land his thunderous right hand and finish his opponents. This is set up with low kicks that vary his attack and put fear into the man opposite. On his bad nights, Cannonier can become frustrated by an inability to find his range and looks far less dangerous as the fight enters the latter rounds.

Vettori v Cannonier betting predictions

Cannonier will carry a 3.5-inch reach advantage into this contest which may prove decisive if he can work behind a long, looping jab. This should allow the American to unleash his heavy artillery as the openings are presented. On the flip side, Vettori has a granite jaw, has never been knocked out, and can be expected to finish the bout with greater volume due to a cardio advantage. This is a tight contest, but we are sticking with Cannonier though to get the job done.