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USA Today Sports Media Group

Sport

Matt Erickson

UFC Fight Night 234: How to watch Magomed Ankalaev vs. Johnny Walker, start time, Las Vegas lineup, odds, more

Johnny Walker Magomed Ankalaev UFC Manel Kape Las Vegas UFC Fight Night 234 Matheus Nicolau UFC Fight Night ESPN Felipe Bunes

The UFC is back in its Las Vegas home base to kick off 2024 with light heavyweight contenders at the top of the lineup in “Sin City.”

Here’s how to watch UFC Fight Night 234 with 205-pound standouts in action.

Broadcast and streaming info

Michael Bisping, Paul Felder and Brendan Fitzgerald

UFC Fight Night 234 has a main card that begins at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+. The prelims stream on ESPN+, as well, beginning at 4 p.m. ET.

Stay tuned to MMA Junkie this week for full broadcast details from sideline reporters to desk analysts in the studio and more.

Main event: Magomed Ankalaev

It’s been nearly six years since Magomed Ankalaev (18-1-1 MMA, 9-1-1 UFC) dropped his UFC debut to Paul Craig when he tapped to a triangle choke with just one second left in their fight. Since then, all he’s done is go 9-0-1. That one draw, though, was with the vacant light heavyweight title on the line against Jan Blachowicz, and he’d no doubt like another chance at the belt. He fought Johnny Walker this past October, but their fight at UFC 294 was a no contest when Walker couldn’t continue from a knee to a grounded opponent.

Main event: Johnny Walker

Brazil’s Johnny Walker (21-7 MMA, 7-4 UFC) has bounced back in a major way after a rough patch that saw him drop four of five fights. Walker picked up a $50,000 bonus for a submission of Ion Cutelaba in 2022, then took out Paul Craig with a first-round knockout and outworked former title challenger Anthony Smith in 2022 before his first fight against Magomed Ankalaev. There may be some bad blood this week after their no contest this past October, when Walker took a knee to a grounded opponent and couldn’t continue.

Co-main event: Manel Kape vs. Matheus Nicolau 2

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 13: (R-L) Matheus Nicolau of Brazil kicks Manel Kape of Angola in a flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on March 13, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

As long as Manel Kape (19-6 MMA, 4-2 UFC) has his co-main event against Matheus Nicolau (19-4-1 MMA, 7-2 UFC) actually take place Saturday, he’ll probably be happy. Xtreme Couture-based Kape, from Angola, has been a great flyweight up-and-comer, but there have been bumps along the way that have impacted his ability to fight with more regularity. In the course of his current four-fight winning streak, Kape missed weight by 4 pounds, had a fight canceled due to a positive USADA test, had a fight scrapped on weigh-in day, had a fight scrapped on fight day, had a fight scrapped due to an opponent medical issue months out … it’s been erratic.

The two already have 15 minutes in the cage together nearly three years ago, when Kape won by split decision. Nicolau won three straight after that, but Saturday will be looking to rebound from his first loss since 2018 – a first-round knockout loss to recent title challenger Brandon Royval.

UFC debut: Jean Silva

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 05: (L-R) Jean Silva of Brazil battles Kevin Vallejos of Argentina in a featherweight fight during Dana White’s Contender Series season seven, week five at UFC APEX on September 05, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Brazil’s Jean Silva (11-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) beat Kevin Vallejos on a Dana White’s Contender Series show this past September. That was his eighth straight win. He’ll go for nine on the prelims against another recent UFC first-timer, Westin Wilson (16-8 MMA, 0-1 UFC).

UFC debut: Tom Nolan

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 08: (L-R) Tom Nolan of Australia elbows Bogdan Grad of Romania in a lightweight fight during Dana White’s Contender Series season seven, week one at UFC APEX on August 08, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Powers/Zuffa LLC)

23-year-old lightweight Tom Nolan (6-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), from Australia, had one of this past season’s best and fastest knockouts on Dana White’s Contender Series. It was his fourth straight finish after two decisions to start his pro career. He’ll chase five stoppages and seven straight overall against Nikolas Motta (13-5 MMA, 1-2 UFC).

UFC debut: Felipe Bunes

Things have been up and down for 34-year-old Brazilian flyweight Felipe Bunes (13-6 MMA, 0-0 UFC), who finally will make his UFC debut against Joshua Van (9-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) to jerk the curtain in Las Vegas. He started his career 10-2, but then lost four times in five fights. He’s back on the upswing now with three wins in his past four fights, but this will be his first fight in more than a year.