Beginning with UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs. Erceg on Saturday on ESPN2 (7 p.m. ET, with prelims at 4 p.m.), 52 fights are scheduled during four UFC events over the next four weeks. That's a lot of fights. And unless you are a true MMA fan, you may not have time to watch everyone. The main and co-main events, headlined by Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes at UFC 314 on April 12, are well-documented, but several intriguing fights may be flying under the radar.
The reality is that fights are a lot more interesting when you know the stories attached to them. From generational showdowns and cigarette-smoking knockout artists to a fighter caught in the crossfire of a relationship to another who punched his way out of homelessness, here are the six storylines to monitor over the next month.
Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Vince Morales
The details: UFC Fight Night in Mexico City
The tagline: Is the future finally here?
Why you should watch: Fans should stop comparing every fighter under 25 years old to Jon Jones. The UFC heavyweight champion is an anomaly and placing those expectations on young fighters are unrealistic. Rosas, 20, signed with the UFC at 17 and already is ESPN's second-ranked fighter under 25. He has 11 professional MMA fights with 10 wins. He very well could be the UFC's next big Mexican star and will be given every opportunity to prove himself. The UFC continues to be careful with its matchmaking, and Morales is seen by many as nothing more than a steppingstone for Rosas. He's expected to win, but how he does it is what makes this fight worth watching. Does he steamroll Morales or will he end up in a tougher fight than expected?
Torrez Finney vs. Robert Valentin
The details: April 5: UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas (7 p.m., ESPN2)
The tagline: Worth the wait?
Why you should watch: It took the undefeated Finney three wins on Dana White's Contender Series to convince the UFC CEO to award him a contract. To put that in perspective, there are fighters who have lost on DWCS and ended up with a contract. Finney arguably deserved better and will be given a chance to make White regret his hesitation when he opens the main card of UFC on ESPN. Finney is built like a professional bodybuilder with a strong wrestling base. He probably has more pressure to perform than anybody on this card. Will he play it safe and get the win by any means necessary, as he did in a unanimous decision win over Cam Rowston in his second DWCS fight? Or will "The Punisher" steamroll Robert Valentin as he did Abdellah Er-Ramy to earn his UFC contract in October?
Geoff Neal vs. Carlos Prates
The details: April 12: UFC 314 in Miami (PPV, 10 p.m.)
The tagline: The Litmus Test
Why you should watch: Prates has won his past 10 fights by knockout, and his frightening blend of patience, precision and power should have the welterweight division shaking in its boots at the idea of standing across the Octagon from the Brazilian, who has become internet famous for celebratory cigarettes after wins. Neal is not one of those guys afraid to go to war and has faced high-level opposition for the past six years. He has shared the Octagon with Belal Muhammad, Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Machado Garry and has proved to be no easy out. If Prates finds a way to extend his knockout streak to 11, welterweights beware.
Chase Hooper submits Clay Guida with a beautiful armbar in their fight at UFC 310.
Jim Miller vs. Chase Hooper
The details: UFC 314
The tagline: Generational Showdown
Why you should watch: Miller is old enough to be Hooper's father, but this isn't necessarily a passing of the torch to the next generation. Miller is five fights away from reaching 50 UFC bouts and said he won't retire until then. At 41 years old, he's still entertaining and continues to prove there is gas left in the tank. In his last fight, the baby-faced Hooper made short work of 43-year-old Clay Guida at UFC 310 and could take on the nickname "The Legend Killer" if he dispatches Miller. Their high-level grappling should be a treat to witness.
Giga Chikadze vs. David Onama
The details: April 26: UFC Fight Night in Kansas City (ESPN2, 9 p.m. ET)
The tagline: Paid Advertising
Why you should watch: In his last fight at UFC 309, Onama took the mic after defeating Roberto Romero and inexplicably gave a shoutout to country singer Zach Bryan, who wasn't even in the building -- but his ex-girlfriend was. In a podcast interview the next week, Onama admitted he didn't know who Bryan was before the fight and suggested he was compensated for the mention. This time, you may show up for the potential of more strange celebrity shoutouts, but you'll stay for the certain fireworks. Chikadze, the UFC's No. 11-ranked featherweight, is known for his entertaining striking. But he's also in danger of falling out of the rankings. He's 1-2 in his past three fights and has fought only once a year since 2022. If he wants to have any chance of being a title contender, he has to beat Onama.
The UFC announced Joe Pyfer has been removed from this Saturday's UFC Fight Night card because of illness, and his bout with Kelvin Gastelum is canceled.
Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer
The details: Saturday: UFC Fight Night in Mexico City (ESPN2, 4 p.m. ET)
The tagline: Pride vs. Potential
Why you should watch: It was five years ago that Gastelum took Israel Adesanya to the wire for the interim middleweight championship at UFC 236 in a fight that will enter the UFC Hall of Fame in 2025. He has gone 3-5 with losses against mostly title contenders since and has been relegated to "gatekeeper" status. Let's be honest: No fighter wants to be recognized as a gatekeeper, and Gastelum believes this is the beginning of a new chapter of his MMA career. Meanwhile, the power-punching Pyfer was recognized as a shooting star whose ascent was briefly stalled by a decision loss to Jack Hermansson in February 2024. He's earned the nickname "Bodybagz" with 12 of his 13 wins coming by knockout or submission. Oh, and then there's the fact that Pyfer was on the verge of being homeless before knocking out Ozzy Diaz, earning a UFC contract on "Dana White's Contender Series" and getting a year's worth of rent paid by the UFC CEO.
There's a lot to like about Pyfer, and his story is easy to sink your teeth into.
Gastelum likely won't be in the title picture anytime soon, but he's also not interested in being a steppingstone for a fighter on the rise. Pyfer wants to inject his name in a crowded 185-pound division and has to get rid of Gastelum in definitive fashion.