Middleweight contenders Chris Weidman and Gegard Mousasi will battle it out at UFC 210 at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York on Saturday (8 April).

Where to watch live

The main card event starts at 3am BST (Sunday in the UK). Live coverage is on BT Sport 1 and BT Sport 1 HD with live streaming available on BTSport.com.

Overview

Weidman and Mousasi will lock horns in what could be the most important non-title fight of their careers, especially with the current state of the middleweight division.

Chris Weidman and Gegard Mousasi
Weidman (L) and Mousasi (R) at the media day faceoffs Getty

Weidman (13-2 record in MMA) is the former UFC middleweight champion who rose to stardom with his KO win over then champion Anderson Silva in 2013. "The All American" went on to go 13-0 before he lost his title via brutal ground and pound to Luke Rockhold at UFC 194.

Looking to bounce back from his first defeat, Weidman then lost to current number one contender Yoel Romero at UFC 205, also in a brutal fashion via a knee to the face. With two losses in a row, the 32-year-old cannot afford to lose a third if he has any hopes of regaining his title.

Meanwhile, Mousasi is as close as he has ever been to getting a title shot. The Dutchman who has an impressive record of 41-6-2 in MMA, has always seemed to miss out on a title opportunity whenever he faces a top contender.

However, since his loss to Uriah Hall in September 2015, the former Strikeforce champion has gone on a four-fight winning streak and a win over a former champion in Weidman would not only get Mousasi closer to a title shot, but also get him paid better.

While there is no ill feeling between the two, there is a competitive rivalry especially as Mousasi called Weidman out on Twitter, with the latter wanting to put him in his place for that.

Prediction

Chris Weidman to win via knockout.

What they say:

Chris Weidman: "I feel so good in this camp. I haven't felt this good in a while and I'm just hoping that translates to a dominant win. I know it will. He's a dangerous guy, he's experienced but I don't think he has anything for me. I think I'm going to be too much for him," via Fox Sports.

Gegard Mousasi: "He's going to make it difficult, but I'm way too technical for him. The longer the fight goes in the standup, the worse he's going to do. He's going to do good in the first couple minutes, but even an amateur can box for a couple rounds with a pro. I'm confident in my game plan for what I'm going to do," via MMAJunkie.

Betting odds (Betfair)

  • Chris Weidman to win: 9/10
  • Draw: 40/1
  • Gegard Mousasi to win: 9/10

Main Card Event

  • Light heavyweight championship: Daniel Cormier (C) vs Anthony Johnson
  • Middleweight: Chris Weidman vs Gegard Mousasi
  • Women's strawweight: Cynthia Calvillo vs Pearl Gonzalez
  • Welterweight: Thiago Alves vs Patrick Côté
  • Lightweight: Will Brooks vs Charles Oliveira
UFC