​This weekend (Sat., July 18, 2026), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will venture forth to the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma for UFC OKC. Unfortunately, one of the best fights of the card imploded just las week when Kevin Holland withdrew from his scheduled clash with top rising prospect Jacobe Smith. Fortunately, the high-profile main event pitting former Middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis versus longtime Welterweight king Kamaru Usman remains intact. The remaining card is a little disappointing for a non-Apex event yet should still provide some excitement.Let’s dig into the analysis and predictions of the four main card fights leading up to the main event:Middleweight: Jared Cannonier (+235) vs. Christian Leroy Duncan (-320)Best Win for Cannonier? Sean Strickland For Duncan? Roman DolidzeCurrent Streak: Cannonier lost his last bout, while Duncan has won four straightX-Factor: Cannonier is 42 years oldHow these two match up: Every Middleweight fight has the potential to be an awful slog, but this should be a fun collision of strikers.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementCannonier, somehow, is still performing really well. He’s lost three of his last four, sure, but those defeats came to the division’s elite and Michael Page (perhaps the most unique challenge in MMA). He’s still explosive and well-conditioned, and Cannonier hasn’t shown any major issues with durability or failure to pull the trigger, which are usually what disappear first in older fighters.Duncan, meanwhile, is a great example of a little confidence making all the difference. Early in his UFC career, “CLD” was clearly talented yet couldn’t really open up for fear of the takedown. As soon as he settled into the Octagon and shored up his defense, Duncan started demolishing opponents with spinning strikes and sprinting up the ladder.He’s now a lot of fun to watch.This is one of those fights where momentum just feels like the most major factor. There’s no glaring edge on paper that justifies Duncan’s status as a 3-1 favorite, yet I will be picking him to win. He has the physical gifts to match Cannonier’s raw power, and Duncan’s kickboxing seems more fluid between the two. I expect Cannonier will try to slow him down with low kicks and clinch work, but that’s going to be a difficult game to play given the 12-year age gap.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTwo years ago, Cannonier probably keeps the gate. Nowadays, Christian Leroy Duncan takes a step closer to a Top 10 ranking.Prediction: Duncan via decisionLightweight: Chase Hooper (-390) vs. Mitch Ramirez (+280)Best Win for Hooper? Jim Miller For Ramirez? Aireon TavarresCurrent Streak: Both men lost their last twoX-Factor: Hooper has lost two straight via KO as a huge favorite How these two match up: This oughta be a rebound fight for Hooper.Hooper is a very slick grappler with aggressive, high-volume kickboxing to accompany his ground game. It must be asked, however, if the anti