Fighters Only : UFC 290 serves up multinational lineup for International Fight Week

Simon Head

Jul 03, 2023

UFC International Fight Week is always an opportunity for the UFC to show its breadth of international talent, and the fight card for UFC 290 showcases a host of talent from across the globe.

The 14-bout lineup for UFC International Fight Week will feature fighters from nine different countries, with a pair of championship matchups on the main card that don’t feature a single American athlete.

Australia takes on Mexico in the headline bout as defending champion Alexander Volkanovski faces off against interim champ Yair Rodriguez in a featherweight title unification bout, while another Mexican, flyweight champion Brandon Moreno, puts his title on the line against Brazil’s Alexandre Pantoja.

There’s a middleweight title eliminator on the card, too, as Australia’s former champion Robert Whittaker takes on South African contender Dricus Du Plessis.

The highest-billed American on the card is lightweight prospect Jalin Turner, who is looking to earn his stripes and prove he’s a legitimate contender at 155 pounds when he takes on New Zealand’s Dan Hooker.

And the main card will kick off with an all-American middleweight clash as former collegiate wrestling phenom Bo Nickal looks to continue his impressive start to life in the UFC with victory over Tresean Gore.

The preliminary card lineup is headed by a bona-fide UFC legend. Former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler will take on Niko Price in what looks sure to be a firefight at 170 pounds, while undefeated Mexican strawweight prospect Yazmin Jauregui will take on Brazil’s Denise Gomes in a battle between two of the 115-pound division’s potential stars of the future.

Argentina will be represented by Esteban Ribovics who takes on American Kamuela Kirk in a lightweight preliminary card, while undefeated Japanese flyweight Tatsuro Taira will look to make it four wins in a row when he takes on Mexico’s Edgar Chairez in a 130-pound catchweight clash.