The middle of the summer usually signals a lull in the world of sports, with professional hockey, basketball and football all in various stages of their respective off-seasons.
But for fans of UFC that’s not the case as the league has provided its devotees with a fantastic event in UFC 226, which will feature several big-named fighters and a champion versus champion match.

If you haven’t been keeping up with UFC or are a novice fan of the sport, there’s no need to fret–here at SeatGeek we have you covered with a down-and-dirty preview of everything you need to know about the fight card prior to UFC 226 in July.

Where and when is UFC 226 taking place?

UFC 226 is set to take place on July 7, 2018, during UFC’s International Fight Week. This particular event is being held at the newly-constructed T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV.

Where can I watch the fights?

If you’re interested in attending the event in person, tickets can be easily purchased through SeatGeek. SeatGeek has all your ticketing needs covered with plenty of options available for the fight.

Should you prefer to watch the event from the comfort of your own couch, the event will be available to purchase via pay-per-view with the preliminary fights likely airing on Fox Sports One.

Who’s fighting in the main event?

The main event for UFC 226 is set to be an instant classic as heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic is set to square off against current light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier. This particular fight is very unique as it is pitting two current champions against each other, with Cormier moving up to the heavyweight class in order to fight Miocic.

Miocic won the heavyweight championship back in May of 2016 and is the only heavyweight fighter in UFC history to win three consecutive title defenses. The Ohio native has flashed serious knockout power in his career in the UFC, having knocked out his opponent in 13 of his 18 career wins.

Cormier has held the light heavyweight belt for the past three years and is coming off a particularly impressive TKO victory over Volkan Oezdemir back in January. Should Cormier win this fight, he would be only the second fighter in UFC history to become champion in two different divisions at the same time.

What about the other fights?

In addition to the matchup between the heavyweight and light heavyweight champions, featherweight champion Max Holloway is set to take on Brian Ortega. Ortega is the number one ranked contender in the featherweight division and is undefeated in his 14-career mixed martial arts fights. This bout should be a crowd-pleaser as well seeing that Holloway has not lost a fight in just about five years.

In addition to the two huge title fights, there are also some recognizable names fighting in the undercard. Ultimate Fighter: Live winner Michael Chiesa is set to fight former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis, heavyweight knockout artist Francis Ngannou is set to square off with Derrick Lewis, an accomplished Muay Thai fighter Gokhan Saki is paired up with Khalil Rountree Jr.

Predictions for UFC 226

If the early betting lines are any inclination, Stipe Miocic will be a decent favorite to retain his heavyweight title and win his fourth consecutive title defense. Sportsbook.ag currently has Miocic at -215 to win the fight, with Cormier as a +175 underdog. However, the odds clearly suggest that Cormier has a real shot at winning this fight. With that being said, I like Stipe Miocic to handle his business in the main event and Max Holloway to retain his featherweight title as well.