2026 has been the story of bad beats for us. While we look to UFC 327 to turn things around, UFC Vegas 115 was another heartbreaking card that should have gone our way.
Azamat Bekoev was the most recent letdown for us. After stunning and rocking Tresean Gore in the first round, he proceeded to grapple, lose momentum, and get finished in the third round after tiring himself out. That finish would’ve helped us close the gap, but instead, we now sit at -5.62 Units for the year. We have some work to do for UFC 327.
UFC 327 is a breath of fresh air after a few top-heavy cards with some underwhelming action. Jiri Prochazka is back to fight Carlos Ulberg for the vacant UFC light heavyweight title. While we lost the UFC flyweight title fight, Azamat Murzakanov and Paulo Costa should throw down in an exciting light heavyweight bout. Let’s take a look at the main card, and don’t forget to check out the UFC 327 best bets later in the week.
UFC 327 Main Card Breakdown
Cub Swanson
1.98
1.84
Nate Landwehr
Without question, Cub Swanson is a legend of the sport. He’s a bonus magnet and has been in some absolute wars over the years. Now, at 42 years old, Swanson makes his return after beating Billy Quarantillo last year. Before that, he lost a close split decision against Andre Fili, which could have gone either way. His losses have come against top-end talent, but he’s been susceptible to kicks over the last five years. He’s a great striker, with a career 59% defense and 51% striking accuracy, but at his age, you just don’t know what to expect.
Nate Landwehr has lost his last two fights in the third round, but there’s no doubt he’s one of the more exciting fighters on the roster. He goes hard from the start, which forces him to lose steam over three rounds. His last win was in 2024 against Jamall Emmers, but he’s 2-3 in his last five, dating back to 2023. He’s a powerful striker who always goes for the kill, sometimes to his detriment, but he’s always competitive till things go south.
This is solid matchmaking. Both guys are on the tail end of their careers, but they throw with volume and can take plenty of damage. Both fighters average about five strikes per minute, but you have to give Swanson the technical edge. The major question here is who will be more durable, and who will be the fresher fighter if this fight goes past the first round. While Swanson seems like the better choice, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Landwehr look for takedowns. Swanson has a 63% takedown defense, and it’s the best way to neutralize his striking. This will be an absolute war, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see both fighters stand in the middle and throw down.
Dominick Reyes
1.76
2.10
Johnny Walker
Dominick Reyes was on a solid run after taking a break, winning three straight fights via finish. He came back down to earth last time out against Ulberg, who knocked him out in the first round. There are always questions about the chin, but his technical boxing is elite. He’s always known as the guy who may have beaten Jon Jones, but we’re six years removed from their fight, and Reyes hasn’t been the same since. If his opponent has power, it seems like a matter of time, even if it starts well.
Dominick Reyes Top UFC Finishes:
Johny Walker is in a similar boat. Even though he won his last fight, his chin is always a problem. He was able to weather the storm against Mingyang Zhang and came back with a solid performance in the second round. The big difference in that fight is that Walker was patient, waited for his opportunities, and did a good job of avoiding major power shots coming his way. His defense looks much improved, but Zhang is a first-round fighter who tends to fade if he can’t finish. Walker’s success will always depend on his discipline and ability to control the fight.
This is the definition of a close fight. Both fighters have power, but durability is a massive question mark for both guys. This will simply come down to who can find their range first and land the better shots. While Walker showed much better poise last time out, Reyes is a far better boxer than Zhang and should have a technical edge. Will that matter? Who knows. With how easily these two have been finished, it’s hard to trust either fighter. Expect a finish regardless of the winner.
Curtis Blaydes
1.74
2.14
Josh Hokit
Is Curtis Blaydes on the tail end of his career? With all the streaming he’s been doing, one could argue he’s definitely planning a life after the UFC. In his prime, he was a threat to the UFC heavyweight title and was considered a wrestling and cardio machine. The biggest issue with Blaydes’ game is that he gets caught in bad spots by powerful strikers. Francis Ngannou, Derrick Lewis, Sergei Pavlovich, and Tom Aspinall are all powerful punchers who found ways to land the knockout blow. Last time out, he arguably lost to Rizvan Kuniev, but came away with a close split decision. He looked slower, decided to strike, and was unable to dominate the fight in any way. With his resume, it was shocking that he didn’t win that fight more decisively.
Josh Hokit is getting a massive jump in competition after finishing his first two UFC fights in the first round and earning two performance bonuses. Max Gimenis and Denzel Freeman are far down the totem pole in terms of UFC talent, but Hokit still made it look easy. He has solid power, can employ a solid wrestling gameplan, and is an overall great athlete. He’s an ex-NFL player who transitioned to MMA and is making the most of every opportunity. He’s 8-0 so far in his MMA career and looks to be a solid prospect in the heavyweight division.
This fight comes down to which version of Blaydes is going to show up. In terms of skill and experience, Blaydes has the upper hand, and he should be able to defend Hokit’s takedown attempts. His chin will have to hold up, and he’ll need to find ways to put the pressure on Hokit to land the better shots and control the fight. If Hokit is able to get the takedowns, his ground and pound is solid. Even though this is a massive step up in competition, Blaydes will need to be better than his last performance to weather the storm and take the fight into deep waters.
Azamat Murzakanov
1.50
2.64
Paulo Costa
Despite his age, Azamat Murzakanov could be the biggest prospect in the UFC. He’s entering the title picture after going 6-0 in the UFC. He most recently finished Aleksandar Rakic in the first round and has only been to a decision once. He has incredible power and his pressure forces fighters into uncomfortable situations. He maintains a 60% striking defense and 57% striking accuracy with a solid striking differential. He picks his shots well, lands with power, and has been a force since entering the UFC.
Paulo Costa is a fan favorite for all of his social media antics, but he proved he was still an elite fighter against Roman Kopylov last time out. It’s the best he’s looked in years, and it was a solid recovery performance after losing to Sean Strickland and Robert Whittaker. The problem with Costa is that he seems one-dimensional and doesn’t pack serious power anymore. He was knocking everyone out when he first entered the UFC, but that is no longer the case as he jumped into the rankings. He is still a good kickboxer with relatively good durability, but that will all be tested in this fight.
Murzakanov hasn’t been to a third round in the UFC. He’s a finisher who pushes a solid pace for the weight class, and this will all come down to how well Costa can weather the storm. He needs to utilize the body kicks and leg kicks to slow down Murzakanov, then take over the fight as he slows him down. If Costa doesn’t find success in kicking range, this fight could be over in the first round. The good news for Costa is that he’s been hard to finish in the past, but this could be a completely different beast if he’s not careful. Murzakanov is the rightful favorite, and Costa will have to fight a perfect fight to have any chance of pulling off the upset.
Jiri Prochazka
1.81
2.02
Carlos Ulberg
Jiri Prochazka has only lost to Alex Pereira in the UFC. He’s 6-2 with the promotion, with almost 40 professional fights. His unorthodox style has earned him a massive fan base, and his eccentric character makes him an interesting fighter to follow. His striking is unique, and he pushes an insane pace even when he’s taking damage. The biggest critique of his style is that he keeps his hands down. It keeps you on the edge of your seat every fight, which is exciting, but he always looks like he’s one shot away from getting finished. Khalil Rountree Jr. did well early in the fight and landed some big shots, but as he tired, Prochazka took over and won in the third round. He’s going to have to be far more technical in this fight.
Carlos Ulberg’s development has been impressive during his time with the UFC. After learning the hard way to pace himself against Kennedy Nzechukwu, Ulberg is 9-0 in the UFC and seems to be getting better with every fight. The Jan Blachowicz fight stands out the most. It’s the most competitive style for him, and it was a close fight, but he was able to point-fight to take a unanimous decision. He’s become far more poised, picks his shots well, and has solid durability. Everything is coming together for him, and now he gets to fight for a UFC title.
Carlos Ulberg UFC Career Highlights:
This is a relatively hard fight to call, as the betting line suggests. Prochazka’s unorthodox style could be a problem, especially over five rounds, but with how he fights early, Ulberg could land the perfect shot to finish him. This will be a technical kickboxing fight for the most part, with a sprinkle of Prochazka’s wild style. There shouldn’t be any takedowns in this one, and it seems like it’s Ulberg early or Prochazka late. We’ve never seen Ulberg go five rounds, while Prochazka gets better with every passing round. This is an incredible main event, and it’s only fitting that it’s for a UFC title.
UFC 327 Best Bets
- 2025 Total Units Won: +29.97 Units
- 2026 Record: 20-35, -5.62 Units
(Coming soon…)
UFC 327 promises to be one of the more exciting cards of the year. With so many close betting lines, it’s clear that the matchmakers knew what they were doing with this one. The main event should deliver in every way, and the entire card has name value, which is something the UFC has been struggling with recently. It’s about time we get a quality card.
Check out our main card breakdown and best bets for UFC 327 on SlotsFighter.com. We’re coming off what could have been a massive weekend, so let’s see if we can make it happen this week. Keep it locked to SlotsFighter to get all the best bets for UFC cards, and don’t forget to follow SlotsFighter and SOOKY MMA on Instagram.
