Diego Sanchez (+500) vs. Jake Matthews (-700) It’s always an occasion whenever 38-year-old Diego Sanchez is part of a card, and the veteran hopes to pull off one of the biggest shocks in recent memory with a win over Jake Matthews in Abu Dhabi.

Odds & Picks: Brad Riddell (-330) vs. Alex da Silva (+260) Just prior to the main-card festivities on Fight Island, Brad Riddell faces Alex da Silva in a lightweight duel that’s tilted heavily in favor of the New Zealander on paper.

Odds/Predictions: Hakeem Dawodu (+100) vs. Zubaira Tukhugov (-120) Fireworks look certain in a flyweight fight between Hakeem Dawodu and Zubaira Tukhugov, which opens Saturday’s main card in a fixture where the margins are incredibly close.

A singular women’s fight will grace the card at UFC 253, with Ketlen Vieira attempting to get back on the winning track against a surprise opponent in Sijara Eubanks. Eubanks finds herself on the main card after taking this fight on short notice, stepping in as a replacement for Marion Reneau on one week’s notice, per ESPN’s Brett Okamoto: Sijara Eubanks replacing Marion Reneau in next week’s fight against Ketlen Vieira at UFC 253, per multiple sources.

UFC 253 Odds/Prediction: Kai Kara-France (-230) vs. Brandon Royval (+190) Kai Kara-France is one of four New Zealanders looking to make a statement on Fight Island, but the slanted odds in his favor threaten to disguise the threat posed by opponent Brandon Royval (11-4).

Odds/Prediction: Dominick Reyes (-280) vs. Jan Blachowicz (+230) The less-talked-about championship fight set to entertain at UFC 253 sees Dominick Reyes and Jan Blachowicz go head to head for the vacant light heavyweight belt.