Preview: UFC Fight Night 217 ‘Strickland vs. Imavov’

The UFC is easing into 2023 with this first event from the Apex, but it comes with a surprisingly solid main card. That, despite a late change at the top of things, as Sean Strickland steps in on less than a week's notice to take on Nassourdine Imavov in what's turned into a light heavyweight bout; it's an interesting matchup that's both a big opportunity for Imavov and a chance for Strickland to rebound from a rough back half of 2022. In the co-main, Dan Ige looks to hold serve as an upper-tier featherweight, taking on the surprisingly effective Damon Jackson. And past that are three fights that offer a solid mix of stakes and action: Punahele Soriano meets Roman Kopylov in a potentially exciting bout, Ketlen Vieira looks to build her case for a title shot with a win over Raquel Pennington, and Umar Nurmagomedov looks to prove his bona fides as yet another elite bantamweight with a win over Raoni Barcelos.

…