UFC 216 preview: Tony Ferguson vs Kevin Lee fight card
Las Vegas plays host to a monster card this Saturday at UFC 216.
Conor McGregor will be among the those glued to the action as rising star Kevin Lee takes on Tony Ferguson for the interim lightweight title and a potential shot at the 'Notorious'.
Flyweight supremo Demetrious Johnson is gunning for a record 11th title defence and former heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum takes on Derrick 'The Black Beast' Lewis. Here, Sportsmail takes you through the main card of action.
Tony Ferguson (left) and Kevin Lee (right) are preparing to fight for the interim title
Tony 'El Cucuy' Ferguson (21-7-1) vs Kevin 'Mo Town Phenom' Lee (16-2-0)
Lightweight interim title fight
Tony 'El Cucuy' Ferguson and the 'Mo Town Phenom' Kevin Lee will go toe-to-toe over 25 minutes in the main event.
The prize at stake could be so much more than the interim lightweight title with the victor likely to face Conor McGregor.
These two are polar opposites. Ferguson keeps himself to himself up in Big Bear California where he trains with a small team in a facility he built himself.
Brash, smooth-talking up-and-comer Lee is doing everything right in the marketing department but crucially has the skills to back it up and believes this is in essence a fight for the real lightweight title given McGregor's extended absence.
The 25-year-old almost missed weight but was given additional hour, finally coming in at 154.5lbs, sparing his embarrassment after he bragged about eating tiramisu before getting on the scales.
Ferguson showed off some his unorthodox movements during an open workout
The 'Mo Town Phenom' is taking the UFC by storm but comes in as the underdog
UFC 216 - FULL CARD Main: Tony Ferguson vs Kevin Lee Demetrious Johnson vs Ray Borg Fabricio Werdum vs Derrick Lewis Mara Romero Borella vs Kalindra Faria Beneil Dariush vs Evan Dunham Preliminary: Tom Duquesnoy vs Cody Stamann Lando Vannata vs Bobby Green Pearl Gonzalez vs Poliana Botelho Early pre-lims: Walt Harris vs Mark Godbeer John Moraga vs Magomed Bibulatov Thales Leites vs Brad Tavares Matt Schnell vs Marco Beltran
Lee is a rising star but this will be a true test of his credentials with Ferguson on a nine-fight winning streak stretching back to October 2013.
The man from Detroit will look to impose his wrestling game on the more experienced opponent but 'El Cucuy' has been peeved at suggestions his ground game isn't up to scratch.
He trains with Brazilian jiu-jitsu expert Eddie Bravo who is constantly innovating the game and adding deadly and unpredictable techniques on the mat.
Both men know that defeat would see them slide back down the pecking order in an absolute shark tank of a division but have been laying the foundations for the biggest fight of their careers should they have their hand raised.
Ferguson goes into this as strong favourite given his incredible run and vast experience, his 24-year-old opponent will never have faced the kind of creative chaos he can generate.
Lee is unlikely to meet fire with fire and would be well advised to suffocate the attacks of his foe but over five five minute rounds that will be easier said than done.
Whoever emerges from the mayhem may well have earned themselves a golden ticket for the most lucrative prize in combat sports.
Conor McGregor will be watching on as two of his rivals square off in the octagon
Lee is giving up plenty of experience to his opponent but is full of confidence
Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson (26-2-1) vs Ray 'The Tazmexican Devil' Borg (11-2-0)
Flyweight title fight
When 'Mighty Mouse' enters the cage on Satuday night many people will believe they are watching the best MMA practitioner of all time.
Given the failed drugs tests of Jon Jones and Anderson Silva, Johnson has been elevated to another level and would unquestionably be a bigger star in a higher weight class.
The 125-lbs champion is gunning for history against Ray Borg and a win would seal a new UFC record for title defences (11).
Demetrious Johnson is currently level with Anderson Silva on 10 title defences
His all-round mastery in the octagon is a joy to behold and his opponents often find themselves overwhelmed with the speed, precision and variety he can bring.
Borg will come in without the weight of expectation and is a speedy, aggressive customer but in terms of technical skill, there's no doubting the superior athlete.
Johnson is the first and only UFC flyweight champion. It will be a huge shock if his seven-year reign comes to an end and his bid for history scuppered at the final hurdle.
Ray Borg will be looking to stop Johnson from making history in Las Vegas on Saturday
Fabricio Werdum (21-7-1) vs Derrick 'The Black Beast' Lewis (18-5-0)
Heavyweight
This one should be fun. 'The Black Beast' is one of the most entertaining characters in the UFC and as his coach puts it: 'If he touches you, you go to sleep.'
Lewis has been pushing himself through the pain barrier in the gym, has slimmed down and looks in the best shape of his career.
Coming off a defeat to Mark Hunt, he will be determined to prove he can mix it with the division's elite fighters and they don't come much more elite than Werdum.
Fabricio Werdum (left) takes on Derrick Lewis in the only heavyweight clash on the main card
The Brazilian is a former champion with a burning desire to seize his belt back after losing it in front of his home support in May last year. Defeat to Alistair Overeem set him back further so this fight is integral to his championship ambitions.
Lewis will want to keep things standing so it would be no surprise if Werdum closes the distance to negate his opponent's thunderous power.
If the man from Porto Alegre decides to engage, we could be in for a real treat.
Mara Romero Borella (11-4-0) vs Kalindra Faria (18-5-1)
Women's strawweight
Some brilliant exposure for these two strawweights on the main card in Las Vegas. Faria will be making her debut in the UFC but has won her last three so comes in full of confidence.
Borella can boast even better recent form, unbeaten in five and the Italian is looking to elevate herself up the rankings.
The 31-year-old is in her prime so if she is to make a run at Joanna Jedrzejczyk's crown, now is as good a time as any to start.
Mara Romero Borella (left) will take on Kalindra Faria who is making her debut in the UFC
Beneil Dariush (14-3-0) vs Evan Dunham (17-6-0)
Lightweight
To kick off the main card of action there are a couple of experienced pugilists battling for consistency among the stacked lightweight division.
Nobody expected Dunham's career resurgence but four straight wins have him ranked No 14. The man two places above him in Dariush looks to overwhelm his opponents but it's tough to separate these two on paper.
Both men are similarly well-rounded so take-downs and volume of attacks could prove crucial in what should be a really even match-up.