Any number of poorly constructed UFC Fight Night events over the past couple of years have punched up in weight, making up for their lack of star power with some very, very exciting fights. UFC Vegas 77 was going to need to be one of those nights, as the APEX card was an injury away from being a regional-level show.
Former women’s bantamweight champ Holly Holm anchored the event, stepping in for Miesha Tate against rising 135 pound Brazilian Mayra Bueno Silva. Though both ladies were talking about the potential of a title shot with a win during fight week, Julianna Pena and Raquel Pennington were almost certainly at the front of the line.
A co-main event between middleweights Albert Duraev and Jun-yong Park would hopefully be a banger, meanwhile, while Norma Dumont vs. Chelsa Chandler had the potential to be one of the last women’s featherweight fights in UFC history. Terrance McKinney vs. Nazim Sadykhov stood out on the main card, and Jack Della Maddalena, forced off of UFC 290 due to an opponent pulling out, was shifted to UFC Vegas 77 against newcomer Bassil Hafez.
There was an argument to be made that JDM, a top welterweight prospect, belonged on the main card, but he was a late-notice addition against a promotional newcomer.
Update: As it turns out, there was such an argument, and Jack Della Maddalena vs. Bassil Hafez is now the co-main event at UFC Vegas 77.
Weigh-ins for UFC Vegas 77 go down Friday in Las Vegas — full results can be found below.
UFC Vegas 77: Holm vs. Silva Weigh-In Results
Main card
Women’s Bantamweight: Holly Holm (135.5) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva (136)
Middleweight: Albert Duraev (185) vs. Park Jun-yong (186)
Women’s Featherweight: Norma Dumont (145.5) vs. Chelsea Chandler (145.5)
Lightweight: Ottman Azaitar (156) vs. Francisco Prado (156)
Lightweight: Terrance McKinney (156) vs. Nazim Sadykhov (156)
Preliminary card
Featherweight: Tucker Lutz (146) vs. Melsik Baghdasaryan(145.5)
Women’s Strawweight: Viktoriia Dudakova (116) vs. Istela Nunes (115.5)
Featherweight: Austin Lingo (145.5) vs. Melquizael Costa (146)
Welterweight: Jack Della Maddalena (171) vs. Bassil Hafez (171.5)*
Lightweight: Evan Elder (156) vs. Genaro Valdez (156)
Flyweight: Tyson Nam (126) vs. Azat Maksum (126)
Lightweight: Alexander Munoz (155.5.) vs. Carl Deaton III (156)
Women’s Bantamweight: Ashlee Evans-Smith (135.5) vs. Ailín Pérez (135.5)
*Misses weight
