UFC Fight Night St. Louis Preview: Lewis vs. Nascimento, Buckley vs. Ruziboev

Following a trip to Rio De Janeiro last weekend, the UFC stays on the road this week for a Fight Night event at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, MO.

The Main Event

The headlining bout for UFC St. Louis is a heavyweight clash between former title challenger Derrick Lewis and rising contender Rodrigo Nascimento.

“The Black Beast” went five rounds with Jailton Almeida in a losing effort last November, and with only one win over his last five fights the UFC’s all-time leader in knockouts will be desperate to score one of his signature highlights against the surging Brazilian.

Derrick Lewis' performance at UFC 291 was iconic 😂🍿 #UFCStLouis pic.twitter.com/QCsaqP4YHF
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) May 8, 2024

The Co-Main Event

He didn’t get the headlining slot he requested during UFC 300 fight week, but Joaquin Buckley will have the chance to score his fourth win in a row when he meets Nursulton Ruziboev in the UFC St. Louis co-main event.

Ruziboev has already scored first-round finishes in the first two bouts of his UFC career, and “Black” enters this co-main event matchup on a 10-fight win streak dating back to 2021.

Both of his finishes in the UFC have been in the first round 👀

Will Nursulton Ruziboev have another 1st round KO at #UFCStLouis? pic.twitter.com/gHSmIzZfNC
— UFC (@ufc) May 7, 2024

Fans still know him best for the epic spinning kick he used to score his first UFC victory in 2020, but Buckley proved he’s a legit contender in his last fight when he stopped perennial top welterweight Vicente Luque in the second round.

BUCKLEY HAMMERS HIS WAY TO A BIG WIN 🔨 #UFCAtlanticCity pic.twitter.com/wt09AB2Wiz
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) March 31, 2024

Fights You Don’t Want To Miss

Alonzo Menifield vs. Carlos Ulberg

Dec 16, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Alonzo Menifield (red gloves) fights Dustin Jacoby (blue gloves). | Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Originally scheduled to take place in March, this is a huge light heavyweight clash between fighters on impressive win streaks. Menifield is already sitting at #11 in the light heavyweight rankings thanks to his current run, but Ulberg is ready to break into the Top 15 himself after a five-fight stretch of victories that includes four-straight finishes.

Terrance McKinney vs. Esteban Ribovics

Jun 12, 2021; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Terrance McKinney moves in for a hit against Matt Frevola. | Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Ribovics went the distance in his first two UFC bouts last year, but prior to that the 28-year-old had ended every one of his pro fights via finish. Fans are already well-acquainted with McKinney’s all-action approach from the opening bell, and on paper this lightweight bout looks like it should produce fireworks and a highlight-reel performance from the winner.

Fighters To Watch

Robelis Despaigne

The towering Olympic bronze medalist only needed 18 seconds to floor Josh Parisian in his UFC debut earlier this year, and in five pro MMA bouts he still hasn't seen a second round. Cortes-Acosta has picked up back-to-back victories after suffering the first loss of his own career, and it will be interesting to see if “Salsa Boy” can provide Despaigne with his first real test in the cage.

Chase Hooper

Hooper’s last two wins have helped the 24-year-old regain some of the hype he had when he first joined the UFC. This matchup with Borshchev appears to be a classic striker vs. grappler affair, and it’s a big chance for “The Dream” to show off how his overall game has developed before he tries to bring things to the ground.

Sean Woodson

Woodson has quietly established himself as a fighter worth watching at featherweight, and following a win over Charles Jourdain in January the 31-year-old is closing in on a crack at the Top 15. Caceres has been a staple of the featherweight division for more than 10 years now, and “Bruce Leeroy” will have to navigate a significant height and reach disadvantage when he meets Woodson on Saturday.

Tecia Pennington

Tecia Torres lands a kick on Mackenzie Dern during the second round Saturday, April 9, 2022. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA

It’s been more than two years since fans last saw Pennington (née Torres) step into the cage, and during that time she watched her wife Raquel win the UFC women’s bantamweight belt and gave birth to their daughter last June. “Tiny Tornado” was on a three-fight win streak before she dropped a split decision to MacKenzie Dern at UFC 273, and she can jump right back into the strawweight rankings if she gets past #11-ranked Tabatha Ricci in St. Louis.

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