Thiago Santos, Johnny Walker Headline Saturday’s UFC Event

Light heavyweight knockout artists Thiago Santos and Johnny Walker are next on deck for UFC Fight Night.

The two will square off in the main event on Saturday from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Along with Santos vs. Walker, women’s contenders Aspen Ladd and Macy Chiasson are scheduled. Prelim action begins at 4 p.m. ET with the main card set for 7 p.m. ET live on ESPN+.

A former light heavyweight title challenger, Santos (21-9, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) has his sights set on turning heads with another vintage finish. Among the 205-pound division’s most devastating strikers, he holds KO wins over Anthony Smith, Jimi Manuwa and current light heavyweight champion Jan Błachowicz. Santos now hopes to fortify his position among the best in the world by adding to his highlight reel.

Walker (18-5, fighting out of Dublin, Ireland by way of Rio das Ostras, Brazil) continues to prove he’s among the most exciting fighters at light heavyweight. A contract winner on Dana White’s Contender Series: Brazil, he has since delivered spectacular KO victories against Ryan Spann, Misha Cirkunov and Khalil Rountree Jr., and now he goes for the biggest win of his career and aims to add a former title challenger to his resume.

Ladd (9-1, El Dorado Hills, Calif.) hopes to pick up where she left off following a 2019 TKO victory over fellow contender Yana Kunitskaya. Chiasson (8-1, fighting out of Dallas, Texas by way of New Orleans, La.) looks to make the most of her first UFC co-main event opportunity. 

Additional bouts on the card include

• No. 14 ranked middleweight contender Kevin Holland (21-7, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) goes for another highlight-reel finish when he takes on Kyle Daukaus (10-2, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn.)
• Alex Oliveira (22-10-1 2NC, fighting out of Tres Rios, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) meets Niko Price (14-6 2NC, fighting out of Cape Coral, Fla.) in a welterweight bout guaranteed to deliver action
• No. 13 ranked light heavyweight contender Misha Cirkunov (15-6, fighting out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada) makes his middleweight debut against Krzysztof Jotko (22-5, fighting out of Orneta, Poland)
• Joe Solecki (11-2, fighting out of Wilmington, N.C.) takes on Jared Gordon (17-4, fighting out of Queens, N.Y.) at lightweight
• Antonina Shevchenko (9-3, fighting out of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan) aims to hand Casey O’Neill (7-0, fighting out of Gold Coast, Australia) her first loss in a women’s flyweight bout
• Former women’s bantamweight title challenger Bethe Correia (11-5-1, fighting out of Campina Grande, Paraiba, Brazil) clashes with Karol Rosa (14-3, fighting out of Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
• Devonte Smith (11-2, fighting out of Cleveland, Ohio by way of Englewood, Colo.) squares off with Jamie Mullarkey (13-4, fighting out of Central Coast, Australia) at lightweight
• Douglas Silva de Andrade (26-4 1NC, fighting out of Castanhal, Para, Brazil) returns to bantamweight against Gaetano Pirrello (15-6-1, fighting out of La Louvière, Belgium)
• Stephanie Egger (5-2, fighting out of St. Gallen, Switzerland) faces Shanna Young (8-4, fighting out of Knoxville, Tenn.) in a women’s bantamweight bout
• Alejandro Perez (22-8-1, fighting out of San Jose, Calif.) locks horns with Johnny Eduardo (28-12, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) in an exciting bantamweight bout