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UFC Vegas 87 is the antithesis of last week’s Fight Night card. There are reasons to celebrate (albeit few), and there are reasons to be annoyed, of which there are plenty. Jairzinho Rozenstruik, a ranked heavyweight with an extensive UFC resume, is taking on Shamil Gaziev, an athlete signed to the largest promotion in the world who doesn’t even have a Wiki page. We know that isn’t a fair barometer, but come on already. Is this really UFC main event quality?
Here’s the funny part, though. This show is the reheated leftovers from that card the Saudis allegedly turned down last month. Almost all the matches on the bout sheet are the same, save a few replacements that came in to fill spots left by injured fighters. So, we get this card that has all the curb appeal of a dilapidated barn. And yes, we know, some of you don’t care what fights you get as long as someone is swangin’ and bangin’. For those of us with a more refined palate, it just doesn’t cut the mustard.
While we’re here, let’s go ahead and look at some of these matchups. Shamil Gaziev looked great in his debut against Martin Buday (or BUDDY as Michael Bisping calls him), but is that enough to call it a foregone conclusion against the heavy-handed, yet still struggling Rozenstruik? Will “Bigi Boy” be able to keep the gargantuan Dagestani at bay? Show of hands, how many care if these questions get answered?
The co-main event looks like it could be a long night for Tyson Pedro. He faces Vitor Petrino, an undefeated Brazilian with a nasty hook (left or right, take your pick, he has won with both) and a three-fight win streak, including one over the last man to beat Pedro. Seems like it might be a showcase fight for Petrino. We’ll see if Tyson is going to go gently into that good night.
The third fight from the top is where the meatiest part of the card is, and it features the two highest ranked fighters from the event. That said, there’s still potential for this to be an ugly grinder, but at least there’s some purpose to it, perhaps lining up the next contenders for the belt. Mokaev has incredibly strong wrestling. Perez has a very well-rounded skillset. Perez’ activity leaves something to be desired, though. In the last three-plus years, he’s only fight twice and they’re back-to-back losses.
Let’s take a look at the main card to see what we’re working with. And since you love facts and figures, we have some fun factoids for you, as well. Let’s get started.
UFC Vegas 87 Main Card
- Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Shamil Gaziev 265 lbs
- Vitor Petrino vs. Tyson Pedro 205 lbs
- Alex Perez vs. Muhammad Mokaev 125 lbs
- Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Bekzat Almakhan 135 lbs
- Matt Schnell vs. Steve Erceg 125 lbs
UFC Vegas 87 Fun Factoids
- Ranked fights: 2 (Perez-Mokaev and Schnell-Erceg)
- Ranked fighters: 6 (Rozenstruick, Perez, Mokaev, Schnell, Erceg, Nurmagomedov)
- Fighters coming off a loss: 7
- Debuting fighters: 5
- Contender Series alumni: 8
- TUF alumni: 1
Don’t forget to check out the bonus section for a great review of the UFC Mexico City main card. Make sure to tune in immediately after this weekend’s fights for breakdowns and analysis on our 6th Round Post-Fight Show.
UFC Vegas 87 streaming + ticket info
UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Gaziev takes place on March 2nd, at the APEX facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card starts at 4 p.m. ET. The preliminary card begins at 1:00 p.m. ET. If you just so happen to be out in Las Vegas and want to witness UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Gaziev live, you can purchase tickets by clicking here. UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Gaziev can be live streamed on ESPN+ in the United States and Canada. For full streaming details, and compatible devices go here.