UFC 276 is almost here and it’s a killer card from top to bottom, featuring two title fights, a handful of rising stars and legendary fighters at the tail end of their careers. Just a fantastic set of matchups from top to bottom.
At the top of the card, middleweight king Israel Adesanya faces off against Jared Cannonier. It’s a fight that Adesanya is expected to win — with good reason. Cannonier is getting this title fight because Adesanya has cleaned out the middleweight division and is running laps. Still, this is MMA, and with small, four-ounce gloves, anything is possible. This goes double with Cannonier, who has legitimate power in his hands.
Alexander Volkanovski versus Max Holloway is arguably the most compelling fight at UFC 276. The pair have already fought twice, but both contests have been incredibly close. Volkanovski won a clear, albeit close decision when they faced off for the first time at UFC 245, but their second fight at UFC 251 was more controversial. Many scored that bout for Holloway, but Volkanovski won a tight split decision according to the judges. It’s rare for a fighter to get a third crack like Holloway is getting here, but given the context of their previous fights, it makes sense. Volkanovski and Holloway are clearly at the top of the featherweight division, and I can’t wait to watch them scrap for a third time.
Below the two title fights, we’ve got Sean Strickland versus Alex Pereira. The winner of this fight will most likely face the winner of Adesanya and Cannonier next. The UFC is almost certainly hoping to pit Pereira against Adesanya next, since Pereira actually holds two wins over Adesanya from back in their kickboxing days.
Elsewhere, rising star Sean O’Malley gets a step up in competition against Pedro Munhoz. Jim Miller and Cowboy Cerrone are also on the undercard alongside former UFC champion Robbie Lawler. A lot of big names are competing at UFC 276.
UFC 276 Start time
The UFC 276 main card starts at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT) on July 2. Here are all the details from multiple time zones.
US
- The main card starts July 2, 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT).
- The prelims start July 2, 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT).
- The early prelims start July 2, 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT).
UK
- The main card starts July 3, 3 a.m. BST.
- The prelims start July 3, 1 a.m. BST.
- The early prelims start July 2, 11 p.m. BST.
Australia
- The main card starts July 3, 12 p.m. AEDT.
- The prelims start July 3, 10 a.m. AEDT.
- The early prelims start July 3, 8.00 a.m. AEDT.
How to watch UFC 276
The UFC now has a partnership with ESPN. That’s great news for the UFC and the expansion of the sport of MMA, but bad news for consumer choice. Especially if you’re one of the UFC fans who want to watch UFC in the US.
In the US, if you want to know how to watch UFC 276, you’ll only find the fight night on pay per view through ESPN Plus. The cost structure is a bit confusing, but here are the options to watch UFC on ESPN, according to ESPN’s site:
- Existing yearly ESPN Plus subscribers can order the upcoming UFC card for $75.
- New ESPN Plus subscribers can buy a bundle of one UFC PPV event (streaming in HD) and an ESPN Plus annual recurring subscription for $100. This is a decent deal. The ESPN Plus annual ESPN subscription will auto-renew after one year, at the price of an ESPN Plus annual subscription at the time of auto-renewal.
You can do all of the above at the link below.
MMA fans in the UK can watch UFC 276 exclusively through BT Sport.
There are more options if you live in Australia. You can watch UFC 276 through Main Event on Foxtel. You can also stream via Kayo for AU$55. You can even order using your PlayStation or using the UFC app on your Xbox.
Need more international viewing options? Try a VPN to change your IP address to access those US, UK or Australian options listed above. See the best VPNs recommended by CNET editors.
Full fight card
As always, these cards are subject to change. We’ll endeavor to keep things as up-to-date as possible.
Main Card
- Israel Adesanya (c) vs. Jared Cannonier
- Alexander Volkanovski (c) vs. Max Holloway
- Sean Strickland vs. Alex Pereira
- Robbie Lawler vs. Bryan Barberena
- Pedro Munhoz vs. Sean O’Malley
Prelims
- Brad Riddell vs. Jalin Turner
- Ian Garry vs. Gabe Green
- Donald Cerrone vs. Jim Miller
- Brad Tavares vs. Dricus du Plessis
Early prelims
- Andre Muniz vs. Uriah Hall
- Maycee Barber vs. Jessica Eye
- Jessica-Rose Clark vs. Julija Stoliarenko
Source by www.cnet.com
