UFC 304 primer: High-stakes battles, homegrown heroes set for unconventional all-nighter in Manchester

UFC 304 heads to Manchester, England, on Saturday (10 p.m. ET, ESPN+ PPV). It then continues in Manchester, England, well into Sunday morning, thanks to an unconventional start time that may have fighters rubbing the sleep from their eyes before stepping into the cage.

Local fans may not love the idea of showing up for an event that starts when normal ones would be ending, but a look at this fight card tells you why it’s worth it. There will be plenty for British fans to cheer about with homegrown talent like Leon Edwards, Tom Aspinall, Paddy Pimblett and Arnold Allen. There’s also the added appeal of legitimately high stakes in compelling matchups.

Take the co-main event bout between Aspinall and Curtis Blaydes, for instance. Technically, the “interim” UFC heavyweight title is up for grabs. And when asked if the winner of this fight would face the winner of the actual UFC heavyweight title fight between champ Jon Jones and former champ Stipe Miocic, UFC president Dana White replied with a single word: “absolutely.”

Of course, that’s not necessarily a guarantee White has the power to make. Jones could very well win and immediately retire. He’s dropped more than a few hints that this is exactly what he plans to do, in fact. Which, if everything plays out according to chalk, would leave the winner of this Aspinall-Blaydes rematch as the champion in full.

It’s just that, could you really imagine someone like Jones staying home and letting Blaydes or Aspinall soak up all the glory? Could you imagine him doing it for more than six to nine months? It strains belief, is what I’m saying. Especially if this weekend’s winner comes out with a full head of steam and a throng of screaming supporters, which is very likely to be the case if Aspinall continues his streak of quick, violent finishes.

Here’s what else is happening on the UFC 304 main card from Co-op Live in Manchester:

Arnold Allen vs. Giga Chikadze

Who they are: Both men have taken turns as the new featherweight hotness in the last couple years. Both also had their hype trains slowed by poorly timed losses. Allen is the local boy, giving up some height and reach to Chikadze, but at least this time the UFC has given him a fellow striking specialist who will probably grant his wish to stand and trade.

Why it matters: Each fighter has shown flashes of brilliance, enough that there might well be a future title contender in this pairing. Obviously neither wants to lose here, but it’s Allen who’s in more of a must-win scenario. He’s coming off two losses. Both were to quality opponents, but three straight feels like a potential career-killer. Especially with all those British fans looking on.

Christian Leroy Duncan vs. Gregory Rodrigues

Who they are: “CLD” is the local lad with an extensive MMA history on British soil, first as an amateur and then as a quickly rising pro. Rodrigues is a Brazilian knockout artist who seems to lose right when he’s on the verge of really putting together an impressive streak.

Why it matters: This has the feel of a level-up fight for Duncan. If he beats Rodrigues, he moves forward into more serious business in the UFC’s middleweight division. If he makes enough of an impression, maybe he even slips into the rankings. Rodrigues, on the other hand, is trying for his first three-fight winning streak since joining the UFC. He’d love to break his previous pattern and prove that he’s capable of some consistency.

King Green vs. Paddy Pimblett

Who they are: Green recently changed his name from Bobby to King because, as he told Yahoo Sports, he likes to “keep things interesting.” That’s a good description of his fighting style too, since you’ll usually find him with his hands at his waist, talking to his opponents and their coaches, before flicking out fast punch combos and slickly dodging counters. Pimblett is … not so well-known for his striking. He’s depended on his grappling and his personality to get him to this point, but we’ve seen big holes in his stand-up game.

Why it matters: Pimblett has said this is the last fight on his UFC contract and he might like to see if there’s any YouTuber boxing money waiting for him on the other side. Green is a difficult stylistic matchup for him, which might be why the UFC made this fight at this time, since it could send Pimblett into free agency on a loss that would show just how much he still has to learn about the striking game.

Tom Aspinall vs. Curtis Blaydes

Who they are: Aspinall is the interim heavyweight champ, an athletic big man with an abundance of knockout power. Blaydes is a heavyweight grinder who’s made a living out of being a problem without ever getting close to being a star. If you can’t wrestle, though, he’s the guy who will probably find out.

Why it matters: The winner here will either fight the winner of Jones vs. Miocic (so … probably Jones) or he’ll be crowned the champ by default some time down the road. The betting odds lean heavily toward Aspinall, and the UFC is probably hoping he’ll be the one left standing when the dust clears. Fight fans love a heavyweight with one-punch power. If Aspinall wins this, expect him to start his campaign right away to convince Jones to stick around.

Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad

Who they are: Edwards is the UFC welterweight champ, a title he earned with a dramatic comeback knockout of Kamaru Usman that felt like something out of a movie. Muhammad is the guy who’s been pleading for a title shot while racking up wins, though his lack of star power made it a less than compelling pitch for the UFC.

Why it matters: Not only is the belt on the line, there’s also major bragging rights stakes for two guys who have a history and don’t care for each other. Their fight in 2021 ended in a no-contest after Edwards accidentally poked Muhammad in the eye. The bitterness between them has built to a boil here as Muhammad as vowed to walk through Edwards with ease. As much as they’d each like to win, both would absolutely hate to lose to the other. That might be a stronger motivation even than the title.