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List of UFC Fighters Fighting in January 2021

Published 01/04/2021, 6:30 AM EST

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As we roll into the new year, the UFC has lined up some amazing fights to start off the year. A triple-header at Fight Island awaits fans a few weeks from now. After a month of no fights, MMA fans will be eager to watch some live bouts. We take a look at some fighters fighting this month and highlight some unmissable ones. 

Max Holloway takes on Calvin Kattar 

Former featherweight champion Max Holloway lost his belt against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 245 in December 2019. He lost the rematch via split decision last July at UFC 251; albeit an extremely controversial decision. 

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This means that ‘Blessed’ has lost two fights on the trot for the first time since 2013. Holloway has never lost three fights on the trot in his career and will be aiming to keep it that way when he takes on Calvin Kattar on January 16th. 

UFC Fight Night: Michael Chiesa vs Neil Magny 

Michael Chiesa and Neil Magny are ranked eight and ninth in the UFC’s welterweight division, respectively. The two men got the bump up to the main event as Leon Edwards vs Khamzat Chimaev was canceled once again. 

Chiesa has been on a roll since his move up to 170-pounds. ‘Maverick’ is currently on a three-fight win streak and has looked impressive in every one of those wins. ‘Haitian Sensation’ on the other hand is also 3-0 in his last three fights. Both men will aim to make it 4-0 and take a step closer to a title shot. 

UFC 257: Conor McGregor takes on Dustin Poirier 

This is probably the most anticipated fight of 2021. ‘The Notorious’ makes his return to the octagon a year on from his last fight. He takes on former rival Dustin Poirier; a man he beat inside two minutes the last time they shared an octagon.

 

Seven years on, a lot has changed, but the two men have remained two of the very best not only in their respective division, but the UFC in general. A win will take McGregor to 2-0 in his last two fights and closer to a title shot. It could set up a rematch against Khabib Nurmagomedov

Amanda Ribas 

Amanda Ribas made her UFC debut in 2019 and has been impeccable since. The Brazilian fighter is 4-0 in the UFC with wins over notable names such as Mackenzie Dern and Paige VanZant, among others. 

She is currently ranked ninth in the division and will take on eight ranked Marina Rodriguez. A win will move her to 5-0 in the UFC and take her one step closer to a strawweight title shot. 

Ottman Azaitar 

Undefeated lightweight prospect Ottman Azaitar has been on a tear since signing with the UFC. ‘Bulldozer’ is an apt nickname for someone who has fought a total of fewer than four minutes in two UFC fights. 

The German has secured a mind-boggling 77% of his wins via T/KO. He will be hoping to prove his mettle against a tough adversary in Matt Frevola at UFC 257.

Michael Chandler will make his UFC debut 

Former Bellator champion Michael Chandler signed with the UFC last year. His first assignment as a UFC fighter was to be a backup for Khabib vs Gaethje. However, since both men made it to the fight without any injuries, Chandler has had to wait for his turn to make his UFC debut.

Recent reports have confirmed that Chandler will be making his UFC debut at UFC 257 against Dan Hooker. This will be an excellent opportunity for ‘Iron’ to test himself against the best in the UFC. Hooker vs Chandler will be an exciting lightweight bout.

Other fighters fighting this month: 

Dustin Poirier

Jessica Eye 

Joanne Calderwood 

Brad Tavares 

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Shane Burgos 

Hakeem Dawodu 

Tom Breese 

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Khalil Rountree Jr

 

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Written by:

Kevin Binoy

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Kevin Binoy is an MMA author at EssentiallySports. He earned a Bachelor's degree from Fergusson College and has been covering sports professionally for over two years. Besides working with the MMA writing team, Kevin is a core member of the organization's web stories team and is responsible for delivering engaging MMA web stories.
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