Five storylines to watch on stacked UFC 329 undercard

Although the main event at UFC 329 between Conor McGregor and Max Holloway is the fight everyone is talking about, there are plenty of intriguing matchups on the stacked undercard.

With 14 fights in total, a lot is flying under the radar at UFC 329 due to McGregor’s comeback after five long years away from the octagon.

Well, good news: we’re here to tell you about five key storylines that you won’t want to miss.

Robert Whittaker makes UFC Light Heavyweight debut

At age 35, former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker is making a big career change, moving up to light heavyweight for the first time as he battles Nikita Krylov in the headliner of the UFC 329 preliminary card.

Whittaker has been in the UFC since 2012, and Krylov since 2013, so any MMA fan who has been watching the sport for a long time knows these two fighters very well.

For Whittaker, getting the chance to fight a top-15-ranked light heavyweight right off the bat in Krylov is a great test for him to see how he’ll stack up in his new weight class.

Against Krylov, we’ll see how the Aussie nicknamed Bobby Knuckles — who originally fought as a welterweight in the UFC — sizes up against a divisional mainstay like The Miner, who actually began his own UFC career all those years ago as a heavyweight.

This is a very intriguing matchup and one that has been given a very important spot on the card as the lead-in to the main card in this massive numbered event.

Look for Whittaker and Krylov to go to war for as long as this fight lasts, as these two veterans know how to put on a show for the fans, which is why they have lasted so many years competing at the highest level of the sport.

Lone’er Kavanagh looking to prove he’s for real

In Lone’er Kavanagh’s last fight, he went into enemy territory on short notice and took on Brandon Moreno in a five-round flyweight bout in his opponent’s native Mexico.

Kavanagh was not supposed to win this fight, but not only did he win, he beat Moreno to a pulp for five rounds, winning unanimously as the underdog and showing everyone that he is one of the best flyweight fighters in the world.

At just 27 years old, Kavanagh is extremely young and very talented. He’s 3-1 so far in the UFC, and at UFC 329, he fights another top flyweight when he battles veteran Brandon Royval.

As one of the toughest tests in the UFC flyweight division, Royval is essentially the final boss to getting a title shot at flyweight. If Kavanagh goes in there and beats him, especially if it’s in the same fashion he beat Moreno, then he could be fighting for a belt in his next fight.

The young Brit is that good, and he’s going to want to show that to everyone at UFC 329 when he fights on the biggest show of his career so far.

Gable Steveson makes highly anticipated UFC debut

One of the best heavyweight MMA prospects in years makes his UFC debut when Gable Steveson battles Elisha Ellison.

The betting odds have Steveson as a monster favourite, and he could very well close as the biggest betting favourite in UFC history if the line holds.

At age 26, the former Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling is one of the best athletes to ever grace the Octagon.

In addition to his wrestling accolades, he suited up in the NFL as a member of the Buffalo Bills’ practice squad, he was in the WWE, and he is 3-0 in MMA so far with three first-round knockouts. To top it off, he has a knockout win in Dirty Boxing, too.

Training at Jackson-Wink MMA Academy in Albuquerque, N.M. — the same gym that produced UFC legend Jon Jones — Steveson is in good hands ahead of his UFC debut.

The matchmakers have done him a favour by giving him a mismatch for his debut against Ellison, who is 0-1 with a knockout loss in his only UFC fight.

It’s a classic showcase fight, one that Steveson should win quickly and announce to the MMA world at large that he has all the skills necessary to be a future UFC heavyweight champion.

Terrance McKinney gunning for first UFC bonus

Terrance McKinney made his UFC debut in 2021 when he scored a seven-second KO over Matt Frevola at UFC 263. He has won eight fights in the UFC overall, with all of his wins coming by first-round stoppage.

Would you be shocked if I told you that McKinney has never once won a Performance of the Night bonus? You probably don’t believe me, but it’s true.

For some reason, McKinney keeps getting passed up for bonuses despite being one of the UFC’s most exciting fighters, win or lose.

All 13 of his UFC fights have ended inside the distance, with only two going past the first round. McKinney is not paid by the hour; he likes to get in and out of there quickly, and it’s fun to watch.

At UFC 329, McKinney has the honour of opening the main card against veteran lightweight King Green in what should be an action-packed bout between two extremely exciting fighters.

Though Green is 39, he is on a three-fight win streak and has looked better than ever.

But the 31-year-old McKinney should have the edge here with his explosiveness right out of the gate.

So don't blink, because this fight won't last long, and, if he wins spectacularly again, perhaps McKinney will finally get his first bonus.

Farid Basharat looking to stay undefeated

Another storyline to watch will occur during the early prelims when unbeaten bantamweight prospect Farid Basharat takes on UFC newcomer John Garza.

Basharat was originally set to fight surging bantamweight Ethyn Ewing in what was one of the best fights on the whole card, but after Ewing pulled out, the UFC matchmakers signed former Fury FC fighter Garza on one week’s notice to make his debut on the biggest card of the year.

The betting odds have Basharat as a huge favourite, which makes sense given the short-notice nature of Garza’s UFC debut, plus the fact that Basharat has been ultra impressive so far inside the Octagon.

At 15-0 in his MMA career, including 6-0 in the UFC, Basharat could one day fight for the UFC bantamweight title, which is currently held by Petr Yan.

The 28-year-old Afghan is ranked No. 10 in the Meta UFC Rankings, and another big win over Garza should grant him the opportunity to fight a contender high in the rankings.

It’s a bummer that Ewing fell off the card, but either way, it’s always good to watch Basharat fight, and a big win here — especially a finish — would be crucial for his chances of securing a highly-ranked foe his next time out.