Alexander Volkov vs Rizvan Kuniev

That common opponent gives you something to compare, but it cannot tell you how these two will handle each other. Volkov also lost a split decision to Ciryl Gane, while Kuniev lost one to Curtis Blaydes, so both have felt how thin the margin can be. Volkov needs room to see Kuniev coming and enough time to make his strikes count before they tie up. Kuniev needs to get close without eating clean shots, then make the clinch a place where Volkov has to work rather than rest.

Fortune learned how dangerous a knee can be there, but Kuniev has also gone the distance with Almeida and Blaydes, so there is more to watch than one big shot. That is what makes this so fun: can Volkov keep the exchanges at his distance, or can Kuniev make every reset uncomfortable? Once they have tested each other's timing, even a small mistake could change the feel of the whole fight.