Fighters Only : Three Must-See Matchups at UFC Vegas 112

Paul Browne

Dec 11, 2025

It may have slipped under many fans’ radars given the enormity of last weekend’s UFC 323 event, but the UFC Apex is set to host the promotion’s final fight card of 2025 this Saturday night.

A week after the UFC flyweight title changed hands, two of the division’s highest-ranked contenders are set to go head-to-head in this Saturday’s main event. The card also sees a promising future star handed a golden opportunity to crack the featherweight rankings, while a big name makes his promotional debut against one of the welterweight division’s toughest gatekeepers.

Here are three fights you won’t want to miss at UFC Vegas 112 this Saturday night.

Brandon Royval vs. Manel Kape

Former UFC flyweight title challenger Brandon Royval (17-8 MMA, 7-4 UFC) returns to action for the first time since participating in a Fight of the Year contender against Joshua Van at UFC 317 in June. “Raw Dawg” holds the record for the most Fight of the Night bonuses (5) in UFC flyweight history and can always be relied upon to deliver entertainment.

The 33-year-old Denver native was defeated by Alexandre Pantoja when they fought two years ago for the belt, but with a new champion now atop the division, Royval will sense an opportunity to put himself back into the title discussion with a statement win this weekend.

Here are three fights you won’t want to miss at UFC Vegas 112 this Saturday night.

For Manel Kape (21-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC), proving himself to be a reliable contender is crucial. With six wins in his last seven outings, “Starboy” has clearly shown he has the talent to hang with the best fighters in the division. However, nine canceled bouts during that stretch (due to a wide variety of issues) have understandably left UFC matchmakers hesitant to thrust the Angolan into high-stakes fights on pay-per-view cards.

Much like last month’s Ian Machado Garry vs. Belal Muhammad matchup, this fight pits two contenders against each other immediately after the title changed hands, giving both men a chance to make the most recent and most resonant statement in pursuit of a shot at UFC gold.

Giga Chikadze vs. Kevin Vallejos (Featherweight)

Timing is everything in mixed martial arts, and the timing could not be better for Kevin Vallejos (16-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) to face Giga Chikadze (15-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) in this weekend’s co-main event.

The 24-year-old Argentinian catches Chikadze on a two-fight skid, and with a win this weekend he may well steal the Georgian’s No. 15 ranking. Chikadze’s last victory came two and a half years ago, and he has gone 1–3 in his past four outings. Contrast that with Vallejos’s strong form entering this weekend off two impressive UFC wins, and it becomes apparent which of the two fighters is trending upward.

Neil Magny vs. Yaroslav Amosov (Welterweight)

Neil Magny (31-13 MMA, 24-12 UFC), the fighter with the most wins (24) in UFC welterweight history, returns on this weekend’s preliminary card as he welcomes former Bellator champion Yaroslav Amosov (28-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) to the promotion.

Magny makes his 37th walk to the Octagon on Saturday and is tied with Charles Oliveira for second place as he closes in on Jim Miller’s record for the most victories in UFC history (27).

Amosov brings an exceptional résumé to the UFC, having secured wins over Roberto Soldic, Logan Storley, and Douglas Lima. But as we have already seen with Patchy Mix and Aaron Pico in 2025, the transition from Bellator to the UFC can represent a significant step up in competition.