The UFC returns Saturday night with an event from the United Center in Chicago. All fighters will be looking to move up the ranks in their respective divisions, but there are several who are in desperate need of a win. Here are four fighters on the UFC Hot Seat.
Gilbert Melendez
The former Strikeforce champion returns to the cage for the first time since June 2015 as he takes on Edson Barboza. The 34-year-old found himself on the shelf due to a suspension following a positive PED test after his UFC 188 split decision loss to Eddie Alvarez. In fact, he heads into this matchup off two straight setbacks. Prior to his Alvarez loss, Melendez was submitted by Anthony Pettis. Despite Barboza being 2-2 in his last four fights, he has come through as the underdog on several occasions and is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Pettis in his last fight. Melendez has fought just twice since 2014 because of his coaching stint on Season 20 of The Ultimate Fighter plus his suspension, so he will be looking for his first win since 2013. If "El Nino" has a poor showing on Saturday night, don’t be surprised if the UFC decides to cut ties with the Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu product.
Kailin Curran
Curran takes on TUF 20’s Felice Herrig in a typical prospect versus veteran matchup. The 25-year-old Hawaiian is coming off her first UFC victory where she submitted Emily Kagan back in December. She now takes on 16-fight vet Herrig, who hasn’t fought since a unanimous decision loss to Paige VanZant last April. Curran has shown plenty of potential in her fights, but mental lapses have cost her in the UFC and she’s just 1-2. Another loss here could be the end of her Octagon tenure.
Eddie Wineland
Former UFC title challenger Wineland locks horns with Frankie Saenz. The 32-year-old has gone 1-3 in his last four fights and will be looking for his first win since 2014. Meanwhile, Sanez is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Urijah Faber at UFC 194, which was his first loss in more than three years. On paper this is a fight that Wineland should win, however since his loss to Renan Barao at UFC 165, he hasn’t looked like the same fighter. While Wineland is a fan favourite, another loss could be devastating.
George Sullivan
Sullivan takes on TUF 19 competitor Hector Urbina in a welterweight affair. "The Silencer" had a great start to his UFC tenure going 2-0, earning victories over Mike Rhodes and Igor Araujo. Since then he’s gone 1-2, suffering setbacks to Tim Means and most recently Alexander Yakovlev. He was finished in both of those fights. Urbina is 1-1 in the UFC and most of his career wins have been by stoppage. At 35 years of age, another stoppage loss for Sullivan would make him an expendable member of the UFC roster.
Here’s a look at the entire UFC on FOX 20 fight card…
MAIN CARD
— Holly Holm (10-1) vs. Valentina Shevchenko (12-2)
— Gilbert Melendez (22-5) vs. Edson Barboza (17-4)
— Charles Oliveira (13-4-1) vs. James Moontasri (9-3)
— George Sullivan (17-5) vs. Hector Urbina (17-9-1)
PRELIMINARY CARD
— Kamaru Usman (7-1) vs. Alexander Yakovlev (23-6-1)
— Luiz Henrique (8-2) vs. Dmitry Smolyakov (8-0)
— Felice Herrig (10-6) vs. Kailin Curran (4-2)
— Bojan Mihajlovic (10-3) vs. Francis Ngannou (7-1)
— Frankie Saenz (11-3) vs. Eddie Wineland (21-11-1)
— Darren Elkins (20-5) vs. Godofredo Pepey (12-3)
— Michel Prazeres (19-2) vs. JC Cottrell (17-3)
— Jim Alers (13-2) vs. Jason Knight (13-2)
