This weekend (Sat., March 14, 2026), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will return home to the Meta APEX in Las Vegas Nevada, for UFC Vegas 114. Maybe this is the event that really turns things around and ends the UFC’s miserable 2026 start, but … probably not. Don’t get me wrong, Josh Emmett vs. Kevin Vallejos is a certified slugfest that’s sure to end with somebody taking a snooze, and I like quite a few of the names involved on both the main card and “Prelims.” There is some guaranteed fun on the card, it’s just not the most high-profile of events.
It can’t be worse than UFC 326, right? Let’s dig into the analysis and predictions of the five main card fights leading up to the main event:
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – SEPTEMBER 13: Amanda Lemos of Brazil stands in her corner prior to facing Tatiana Suarez in a strawweight fight during the Noche UFC event at Frost Bank Center on September 13, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Strawweight: Amanda Lemos (+154) vs. Gillian Roberston (-200)
Best Win for Lemos? Mackenzie Dern For Robertson? Marina Rodriguez
Current Streak: Lemos lost her last bout, whereas Robertson has won four in a row
X-Factor: Lemos has major power
How these two match up: This collision of Top 10 Strawweights should be quality fun.
Lemos is a powerhouse built in the mold of Amanda Nunes. Nothing about her game is overly complicated, but she delivers the fundamentals with much more impact than her peers. Even at 38 years of age, she’s real title threat and holds a dominant victory over the current champion. Robertson, meanwhile, has really rejuvenated her career by dropping back down to 115 pounds. She’s a ground specialist with the most submission finishes in UFC women’s history, and this is her shot at breaking into the title mix.
This is a bout that will entirely be decided by the takedown. If Robertson can drag Lemos to the floor, she’s going to dominate and likely submit the older fighter. If not, she’s in for a painful night on the feet! We have seen Lemos in this style match up previously, and her results are quite mixed.
The factor that has me siding with the underdog is quality of competition. Lemos has fought most of the Top 10 already, and she wins as often as not. Robertson, conversely, has built up her win streak against thoroughly okay competition. Her wrestling is working well right now, but it’s much easier to take down unranked opposition.
I think all that elite experience helps Lemos avoid the takedown and land some big shots early to set the tone.
Prediction: Lemos via decision
Sep 6, 2025; Paris, FRANCE; Oumar Sy (red gloves) fights Brendson Ribeiro (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-Imagn Images Per Haljestam-Imagn Images
Light Heavyweight: Ion Cutelaba (+176) vs. Oumar Sy (-230)
Best Win for Cutelaba? Khalil Rountree For Sy? Da Woon Jung
Current Streak: Cutelaba lost his last bout, whereas Sy returned to the win column
X-Factor: Cutelaba is prone to self-destruction
How these two match up: Though hard to predict, Cutelaba fights are usually fun!
I have long since given up on “The Hulk” putting it all together and becoming more than a mid-tier Light Heavyweight. He has serious power and a solid wrestling game but continues to struggle to pace himself. When fights wear on without an early finish, he just has a habit of suddenly falling apart. Sy, conversely, is one of the division’s brighter prospects even if he has yet to really set the world aflame. A tricky kickboxer with serviceable ground skills, France’s Sy could still grow into a contender.
Look, I don’t trust Cutelaba as far as I can throw him, and “Hulk” outweighs me by like 70 pounds. There is always a chance that the stars align, and Cutelaba is suddenly able to jab, build combinations, and wrestling offensively without combusting in the process. At various points in his career, he’s shown the different skills needed to be a ranked fighter, but he hasn’t managed a lick of consistency in 10 years on the roster.
The Sy path to victory requires no such miracle. He just has to kick his opponent in the belly and counter takedown attempts, a pair of strategies that already fit well into his general approach of being a large athlete with an 83” reach.
He might get taken down a time or two, but Sy should be able to return to his feet and outlast his tiring foe.
Prediction: Sy via decision
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 09: (R-L) Andre Fili and Christian Rodriguez trade punches in a featherweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on August 09, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Featherweight: Andre Fili (+240) vs. Jose Delgado (-330)
Best Win for Fili? Dennis Bermudez For Delgado? Hyder Amil
Current Streak: Fili won his last bout, whereas Delgado came up short
X-Factor: Delgado is a young and explosive finisher
How these two match up: Featherweight fireworks are promised.
Fili has been in the UFC for more than a decade now, fighting many of the world’s top Featherweights in the process. Known for his long jab and sneaky high kicks, Fili is also an underrated wrestler who does good work in preventing his opponents from building offense. Meanwhile, Delgado is just three fights into his UFC career. The MMA Lab-trained product is an explosive puncher with real venom in his shots, and thus far he’s shown a slick grappling attack as well.
This reads like a kickboxing battle, as both men have similar builds. Delgado is likely to come out of the gate with heavy swings right away, so the pressure is on Fili to endure that initial barrage and make the most of his veteran craft as the fight wears on. In Delgado’s last bout, we saw the prospect slow when Nathanial Wood refused to go away, and Fili’s path to victory may be along similar lines.
Luckily, Fili tends to be quite good at slowing the action with his counter punches and reactive double leg shot. He’ll have to keep his chin tucked early, but I think “Touchy” can win the jab battle and ultimately outpoint his foe at distance across three rounds.
Prediction: Fili via decision
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 14: (R-L) Marwan Rahiki of Morocco kicks Ananias Mulumba of The Democratic Republic of Congo in a featherweight fight during Dana White’s Contender Series season nine, week ten at UFC APEX on October 14, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Featherweight: Marwan Rahiki (-265) vs. Harry Hardwick (+200)
Best Win for Rahiki? Ananias Mulumba For Hardwick? Keweny Lopes
Current Streak: Rahiki debuts at 7-0, whereas Hardwick recently lost his own short-notice debut up at Lightweight
X-Factor: Hardwick has faced the better competition overall
How these two match up: This should be a good scrap between 145-pound prospects.
Rahiki is a knockout artist with a wide array of techniques. He kicks, punches, and elbows with great fluidity, and the Moroccan standout does so at a great rate. Hardwick — for better or worse — very much fits a certain mold of Cage Warriors champion. He’s not the most athletic man on the roster, but Hardwick makes up for a lack of raw speed and power with a quality boxing game and constant pressure.
There are two likely ways this fight can play out. On one hand, Rahiki is younger and more explosive, so he might just blow Hardwick out of the water like he’s done to so many previous opponents. Simultaneously, Hardwick has plenty of championship experiences and is known for being tough as an old shoe, so he might just survive the early goings and teach Rahiki a lesson.
I’m going to settle on something in the middle. I expect Rahiki’s rangy kicks to give Hardwick trouble, but he’s a high output fighter unlikely to gas too early. While a Hardwick rally in round three wouldn’t surprise me, Rahiki should be able to bank at least the first two rounds before his foe’s pace starts getting to him.
Prediction: Rahiki via decision
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 13: (L-R) Steven Asplund punches Sean Sharaf in a heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on December 13, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Heavyweight: Vitor Petrino (-230) vs. Steven Asplund (+176)
Best Win for Petrino? Tyson Pedro For Asplund? Sean Sharaf
Current Streak: Petrino has won two straight, while Asplund recently won his UFC debut
X-Factor: Petrino has been dealing with a broken hand!
How these two match up: As far as unranked Heavyweight fights go, this is pretty decent!
Petrino established himself as a Light Heavyweight to watch on the virtue of his massive power and jiu-jitsu black belt. When the going got tough as the competition level rose, Petrino opted to abandon ship for Heavyweight, resulting in an easy pair of finishes against low-level opposition. Is Asplund a step up? At 7-1 as a pro, “Concrete” is still pretty green overall. That said, he’s big, tough, and pushes a high pace in his efforts to drown opposition with volume.
Prior to learning about the hand injury, I would have backed Petrino to land the early submission. Now? I’m not picking a puffed up 205-pounder who may or may not still have a f—ked hand. By his own admission, Petrino couldn’t fully train for this bout, so I expect his cardio to suffer greatly. Asplund just has to avoid the early KO/submission, and he’s likely to wear out Petrino quickly with his grinding clinch work and close range offense.
Asplund scores the upset win to remain unbeaten inside the Octagon.
Prediction: Asplund via knockout
‘X-Factor’ Picks for 2026: 9-4
To checkout UFC Vegas 114’s final fight card and bout order click here.