Rising welterweight contender Sean Brady takes on former title challenger Gilbert Burns in the main event at UFC Fight Night at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday night (7 p.m. ET on ESPN+, with prelims at 4 p.m. on ESPN+).
Brady, No. 9 in ESPN's welterweight rankings, enters the fight following a third-round submission win over Kelvin Gastelum in his last fight. Burns, ESPN's No. 6 welterweight, has lost back-to-back fights to Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena, respectively.
Also, on Saturday, Bellator returns after nearly three months without action. The promotion will host the next installment of the Bellator Champions Series in San Diego, headlined by lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov putting his title on the line against Alexander Shabliy.
Brett Okamoto spoke to ESPN analyst and veteran MMA coach Din Thomas to get his perspective on the UFC main event. ESPN betting expert Ian Parker adds his insight and analysis on both main events for this weekend and other intriguing bets he likes on the cards.
Editor's note: Responses have been edited for brevity and clarity.