UFC Vegas 104 is less than two days away. On the eve of Selection Sunday for both the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Tournaments in college basketball, not everyone will have their eyes fixated on a conference tournament semifinal or championship game.
One week after UFC 313 was held inside T-Mobile Arena, Dana White‘s promotion stays put in Enterprise, NV at the Apex for this weekend’s edition of UFC Fight Night. Action starts with the prelims in the daytime at 4 pm ET/ 1 pm PT on ESPN+ (inside the United States.)
Main card action caps the evening at 7 pm ET/ 4 pm PT on ESPN+ and Disney Plus. All told, if there are no further adjustments to the bout order, the final version of UFC Vegas 104 features a full 12-fight card of MMA action on the schedule.
Bringing that dominant ground game into Saturday night @MarvinVettori returns to the Octagon at #UFCVegas104! pic.twitter.com/qL7EhG0UMp
— UFC (@ufc) March 13, 2025
Our focus on this day is the UFC Vegas 104 main card. At the top of the bill on Saturday night is the only all-ranked contest of the evening. It’s a rematch at middleweight between No. 8 contender Marvin Vettori (19-6-1 MMA, 9-5-1 UFC) and No. 12 contender Roman Dolidze (14-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC). It’s a five-round at five minutes per round.
These two first met in UFC 286 two years ago. That night in London, the former won by way of unanimous decision after three rounds.
Vettori enters UFC Vegas 104 having posted a record of 2-3 over the course of his last five bouts in MMA. Last time out, he dropped a unanimous decision at the hands of Jared Cannonier (18-8 MMA, 11-8 UFC) after five rounds at the selfsame UFC Apex where this weekend’s card is being held.
He was supposed to return to the cage last April versus Brendan Allen (24-7 MMA, 12-4 UFC) at the Apex, but that fight was scrubbed after he withdrew from the event. Vettori has already bested Dolidze in a three-round affair. How will he fare over the course of a 25-minute contest?
Meanwhile, Roman Dolidze comes into the rematch in the UFC Vegas 104 main event having posted a record of 3-2 in his last five bouts. At the moment, he’s won two fights in succession.
Back in October during UFC 307, his fight against Kevin Holland (26-13, 1 NC MMA, 13-10, 1 NC UFC) was waved off at the end of the opening round after the latter could not continue because of an injured rib. This fight is doubly crucial for Dolidze.
A victory would not only guarantee revenge against Marvin Vettori, but also could propel him to a top-10 ranking at 185. Only time will tell if revenge will be a dish on the menu on Saturday night.
Immediately beforehand, the welterweights take to the famous Octagon when Chidi Njokuani (24-10, 1 NC MMA, 4-3 UFC) meets Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (25-8-1 MMA, 11-4-1 UFC.) This is a three-round affair at five minutes per round.
Chidi Njokuani enters this weekend with a 2-3 record over his past five contests, but he’s on an upswing of late, as he’s on a two-fight winning streak after dropping three in succession. On Oct. 12, he bested the aforementioned Jared Gordon by way of unanimous decision at the Apex.
Njokuani has been a streaky fighter of late, so can he make it three wins in a row? Tune into UFC Vegas 104 and find out.
Across the way, Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos is sporting a 3-1-1 record in his last five bouts. Most recently, he scored a first-round knockout via punches in one minute and 15 seconds over Zach Scroggin (7-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) in the latter’s UFC promotional debut on Nov. 9.
Scroggin was a replacement for Zaleski dos Santos’ original foe, Nicolas Dalby, who bowed out of the show prior to fight night. Getting the stoppage win inside the opening round of a fight is a major boon to any fighter. Will he be able to build off his November win with another knockout?
Also on the UFC Vegas 104 main card is a lightweight affair matching Alexander Hernandez (15-8 MMA, 7-7 UFC) and Kurt Holobaugh (21-8, 1 NC MMA, 2-5 UFC.) Hernandez will be making the walk on Saturday having gone 2-3 in his last five fights.
During UFC 307 on Oct. 5 of last year, he got back in the win column with a split decision win against Austin Hubbard (16-8 MMA, 4-6 UFC) after three rounds of action. Hernandez has, up to now, batted .500 in the UFC.
This will be his 24th professional appearance in MMA and his 15th walk to the cage in the UFC. How will he do this time?
In the other corner, Kurt Holobaugh will seek to continue his career rebound this weekend. The 2017 graduate of Contender Series is in his second stint in the world’s No. 1 MMA promotion after appearing in the 2023 season of The Ultimate Fighter television series, securing his second UFC contract in the live finale that August.
He enters UFC Vegas 104 with a mark of 4-1 in his last five professional contests and has gone 1-1 since rejoining the UFC’s active roster post-The Ultimate Fighter in 2023. Back in July of last year, he got his hand raised by way of unanimous decision over Kaynan Kruschewsky (15-3, 1 NC MMA, 0-2 UFC).
Holobaugh has recovered quite nicely since getting released from the UFC the first time around in 2019. Can he score another victory this coming weekend?
Which fight or fights do you have your eye on for UFC Vegas 104’s main card?
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
Left-handed starting pitcher Blake Snell is in his tenth major-league season after making his debut with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2016. Snell spent time with the San Diego Padres, then signed a deal with the San Francisco Giants after the 2023 season, which he later opted out of to enter free agency in 2024. The 32-year-old veteran signed a five-year, $182 million contract this offseason with the Los Angeles Dodgers after an exceptional 2024 campaign. Snell earned such a lucrative contract thanks to his outstanding career to date, which includes two Cy Young Awards and an All-Star appearance. Over 213 career starts, he owns a 77–58 record, a 3.18 ERA and 1,372 strikeouts. Snell was placed on the injured list on April 6 (retroactive to April 3) with left shoulder inflammation after experiencing discomfort during a bullpen session; he had made only two starts for the Dodgers before the injury. After four minor-league rehab outings, manager Dave Roberts announced on Sunday that Snell is expected to rejoin the rotation next week. With his return looming, the Dodgers have decided to shift to a six-man rotation but now face a decision on right-hander Dustin May’s roster status. May returned to a full-time starting role for the first time in two seasons and has struggled. On Sunday against the Boston Red Sox, May allowed four runs in five innings of work, and he entered the start with an ERA of 4.73. May’s name has surfaced in trade rumors, and he is a candidate to potentially be moved to the bullpen. He is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.
The Indiana Fever’s starters turned in a strong all-around effort in Thursday’s 80-70 win over the Las Vegas Aces. The starting unit scored at least 13 points each, save for Aari McDonald, who registered nine points in 22 minutes of action. Indiana’s starters combined for 76 out of the team’s 80 points on the evening, which only means that the four other players who came off the bench accounted for just four points in the game. All that came from Sydney Colson, who went 2-of-5 in 18 minutes of playing time. Lexie Hull, Makayla Timpson and Damiris Dantas all failed to score in the win. Stephanie White Calls Out Fever's Bench Be that as it may, offense wasn’t even the biggest concern for head coach Stephanie White. In her postgame press conference, the veteran shot-caller called out Indiana’s bench for their lack of intensity on the defensive end, particularly in the first half. “Our bench has to be ready,” she said. “I felt like our bench in the second half was really good defensively. In the first half, I didn't feel that way. You got to be ready to come in and you got to be ready to guard your matchup and execute the game plan. "We have depth for a reason. We've got quality depth and we've got to be able to use it. So if fatigue is a factor in execution, then they just need to ask for a sub and I'll get them out and get them back in." It has been a bit of a busy stretch for the Fever at the midway point of the season. Thursday’s matchup against the Aces was their second game in three nights, and they will be back in action again on Sunday in a rivalry showdown against the Chicago Sky. White, however, isn’t accepting fatigue as an excuse. This is regardless of the fact that Caitlin Clark remains out with a re-aggravated groin injury. White is adamant that this roster has been built for adversity, and she didn’t hesitate to put her bench on notice after Thursday’s showing.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been easing their way into training camp ahead of the 2025 season. The players have just been wearing helmets and shorts, and the pads will come on soon. Pittsburgh's training camp is always known as being one of the most intense in the league, and that is because Head Coach Mike Tomlin has his team go full contact, which is something other coaches around the NFL try to avoid. The pads will come on on Tuesday, and fans should expect to see some skirmishes as emotions rise throughout the rest of camp. Practices in just helmets and shorts are difficult for the big guys in the trenches. It is essentially impossible to simulate blocking without pads on, so the defenders and offensive linemen are itching for when the team gets to go full contact. Second-year offensive lineman Troy Fautanu spoke to the media on Sunday, and he shared how things have been going at practice, while also noting that the two sides of the ball have been going at it. "You know, there's a lot of banter going on between the offense and the defense right now." Fautanu said. "As you guys could tell yesterday, things got a little rowdy. I mean, that's something that's normal. I'm super excited just to finally be able to play real football, because as an offensive lineman it's the worst thing to play football in shorts and t-shirts." Fautanu is probably itching to get back to full contact more than others after missing nearly all of his rookie season in 2024. He played in one game in Week 2 before suffering a knee injury that kept him out for the rest of the year. Tuesday will be the first time he gets to put the pads on and get truly physical in nearly a year. The way he described things, it sounds like there will probably be some confrontations as the offense and defense have already been going at it. Training camp is going to be a true test for Fautanu. He is the team's starting right tackle going into the season, and the organization is relying on the offensive line to take a step forward. He needs to try to live up to his first-round label, and he is going to have to do so while blocking TJ Watt in every practice. Watt is going to be moving around the defensive formation more often than usual, but most of his snaps will come when he is lined up over the right tackle. Fautanu is going to be tested on every snap, and if he can handle Watt, he can handle anyone in the league. Having to go up against Watt every day in practice is good for Fautanu in the long run. Practicing against the best is only going to make him better, and he won't have to block anyone during the 2025 regular season that is as good of a pass rusher as Watt. Steelers' Fautanu Could Solidify 2024 Draft For Pittsburgh It is already looking like the Steelers made a ton of right decisions during the 2024 NFL Draft. Zach Frazier had a spectacular rookie season in 2024, and he is looking like he could be one of the best centers in the league. Mason McCormick was a pleasant surprise at right tackle when he was thrust into the starting lineup, and it seems he has gotten considerably better over the course of the 2025 offseason. If Fautanu can prove he is the starting right tackle of the future for the Steelers, then the organization would have nailed three cornerstones of the franchise in just one draft. All contenders have solid offensive lines, and it looks like the Steelers might have one that could be great in the near future.
The Dallas Cowboys extended one of their stars Sunday, just not the one fans wanted them to pay. At Cowboys training camp Saturday, Dallas fans serenaded owner Jerry Jones with "Pay Micah [Parsons]" chants. The EDGE, of course, is set to play on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract this season. Jones must not have been listening. He gave tight end Jake Ferguson a new contract instead. Dallas and the 26-year-old pass-catcher agreed to a four-year, $52M contract extension, via NFL Media's Ian Rapoport. This move seems head-scratching. Parsons has won the 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year and earned two first-team All-Pro nods since the Cowboys took him with pick No. 12 in the 2021 NFL Draft. The 26-year-old EDGE also finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Ferguson, meanwhile, is solid but not elite. In three seasons with the Cowboys, the 2022 fourth-round pick has made one Pro Bowl and has never finished with more than 761 receiving yards in a season. An extension for Parsons will devour future cap space. The Cowboys may be worried about that after giving quarterback Dak Prescott (four years, $240M) and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (four years, $136M) long-term deals in 2024. Pittsburgh Steelers EDGE T.J. Watt signed a lucrative three-year, $123M extension on July 17, making him the league's highest-paid non-QB. Parsons could command a similar contract. If cap space is Dallas' primary concern, however, why would it extend Ferguson? He's now set to be the NFL's seventh-highest-paid TE. The Cowboys waited to extend Lamb and Prescott just before the start of the 2024 season. They may be doing the same with Parsons. The star defender has said, "Ownership is always gonna make [contract negotiations] drag out." Regardless, the Cowboys should've paid Parsons before Ferguson. That's a much bigger priority for the team.