Whilst UFC 300 is stacked from the very first fight of the night all the way to the main event, MMA fans and pundits alike are split on which bout is their favorite.
MMA media legend Kevin Iole is running a fascinating poll on which UFC 300 fight fans are most excited for, and whilst UFC commentator Jon Anik didn’t necessarily go against the grain, he did argue that one fight deserves to lead the community survey.
MMA fans rank BMF title fight as their favorite UFC 300 clash
Fans can visit veteran journalist Kevin Iole’s official website to submit their own order for UFC 300’s best fights, where you rank each bout from ‘favorite to least favorite’.
Just one week out from the enormous anniversary PPV and already with over 10,000 votes submitted, only three of the top five most anticipated fights are currently from the main card:
- Justin Gaethje vs Max Holloway
- Alex Pereira vs Jamahal Hill
- Charles Oliveira vs Arman Tsarukyan
- Jiri Prochazka vs Aleksandar Rakic
- Deiveson Figueiredo vs Cody Garbrandt
The three fights dubbed the ‘least favorite’ of fans are Jessica Andrade vs Marina Rodriguez, Holly Holm vs Kayla Harrison, and Bo Nickal vs Cody Brundage. You can check out the full results so far via keviniole.com.
Jon Anik agrees with the top three choices, but has his own favorite fight
Speaking to Jon Anik, via the Kevin Iole official YouTube channel, the UFC play-by-play commentator admitted that “I’d be lying if I said I had a different top three,” but revealed that he doesn’t agree with the current poll leader being the BMF title fight.
“In the context of this question, for me, it’s Arman Tsarukyan and Charles Oliveira but in the context of which fight do I absolutely have to watch live, can’t watch the next morning, can’t watch tape-delayed – have to buy the pay-per-view for, for me, it’s probably the main event.”
Anik, who will be cage-side for UFC 300 alongside Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier, explained that the poll demonstrates just how high the stakes are for Pereira vs Hill, adding that his anticipation comes down to the star power of the Brazilian light heavyweight champion:
“Jamahal Hill is going to go for it, he’s going to try to knock Alex Pereira out and Alex Pereira might be the biggest superstar actively in the sport right now, with respect to Conor McGregor and everybody else…I don’t think people quite understand the magnitude of the star power of Poatan right now.”
Anik did also note his personal excitement for Calvin Kattar vs Aljamain Sterling, as well as “the novelty of seeing Kayla Harrison make that walk for the first time,” with a record 12 current or former champions scattered throughout the card.
“That [main event] would probably be the fight for me that I absolutely need to see live – but most compelling is [still] Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan.”
Anik defends Bo Nickal’s placement on the UFC 300 main card
Never one to mince his words, Anik also recently came out to defend Bo Nickal and Cody Brundage, as well as the UFC to a certain extent, for their placement on the main card of UFC 300.
Speaking with MMA Junkie, Anik argued that when it comes to the surging prospects like Khamzat Chimaev, Raul Rosas Jr, and Bo Nickal: “There’s just a different electricity when it comes to some of these guys.”
“You parlay their fight style with the expectation, and the pressure, and the fan intrigue, and I just think Bo Nickal checks a lot of boxes…That first fight on pay-per-view with all the masses around the world, that’s a very strategic position on the card. It’s a prime slot.”
“Maybe at times you don’t get as many people as seen on during the featured prelim on ESPN, but they don’t mess around when it comes to that first fight,” said Anik.
UFC 300 goes down April 13 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.