UFC Vegas 110 preview and predictions: Steve Garcia or David Onama — who breaks through?

The stretch of no UFC APEX events has come to an unfortunate end after a solid three months of shows on the road — and the UFC is showing no mercy with its the upcoming cards. There’s no way to sugarcoat this, folks. These next two weeks may very well feature the worst UFC cards of all time.

There are only two fights of real note at UFC Vegas 110. One is the main event between hopeful featherweight contenders Steve Garcia and David Onama; the other is the fourth fight of the night, which somehow features championship implications. That’s about all you need to know about how much the UFC cares to promote anything related to some of these divisions and title pictures at this juncture.

While Garcia vs. Onama has the potential to be fun and is the best fight on the card — which is why it’s at the top of the billing — that doesn’t make it anywhere near a main-event caliber fight.

👑 UFC Vegas 110’s lineup Crown grade: F. 👑

Betting odds via BetMGM.

Steve Garcia is making noise in the featherweight division.

(Jeff Bottari via Getty Images)

145 pounds: Steve Garcia (-135) vs. David Onama (+110)

Alright, we’re going to do our best to bring positivity to this event, because that’s the preference, right? We inherently want things to be good, especially from the premier MMA promotion on Earth.

Garcia vs. Onama has a post-fight bonus check or two written all over it — which might not be saying a lot, considering their past opposition.

OK, OK. Let’s be serious now, for real.

Garcia is a chaos merchant through and through — 14 of his 18 wins have come by knockout, and he often doesn’t know how to take a backward step. He’ll walk through fire to land his left hand, and usually someone falls over shortly thereafter. That kind of recklessness has burned him before, but it’s also what makes him so damn dangerous. With six straight wins in the UFC, five of which were knockouts, “Mean Machine” appears to be putting everything together and finding his stride at age 33.

Onama, meanwhile, is cut from the same cloth. He’s a touch smoother, more technical, and arguably the sharper counterpuncher of the two, but he’s also been hurt before and has suffered through some insane wars, such as his 2022 classic against Nate Landwehr in a losing effort. Garcia’s relentless pressure is exactly the kind of thing that can break Onama if the latter doesn’t stay composed.

Expect violence early. Garcia’s durability and volume feel like the difference-maker here, but with these two, it’s really just whoever connects clean first. Despite taking relatively different paths to this main event, their competition levels have been pretty similar. Garcia has just looked like the better fighter of the two.

Pick: Garcia

265 pounds: Waldo Cortes‑Acosta (+110) vs. Ante Delija (-135)

The days of Ante Delija UFC co-main events have arrived — and even if it’s an APEX event, I couldn’t be more surprised after his PFL run.

At least Delija has carried over the same style he presented to PFL audiences, which helped him run through tournament after tournament. That being said, if you’re hoping for a heavyweight banger, brace yourself because he’s matched with Waldo Cortes-Acosta. We may be in for more thud than boom.

Delija’s sophomore UFC appearance comes after years of being the “that guy from PFL who kind of looks like Mirko Cro Cop’s younger cousin.” He’s a grinder with decent power and solid wrestling, but he’s never been accused of fighting with urgency. On the other side, Cortes-Acosta has shown off decent hand-speed throughout his UFC run, but carries the fight IQ of someone texting mid-combination. His jab is sharp but every other punch comes from the waistline. Standard heavyweight things in 2025.

This one probably turns into a plodding affair with Delija slowly bullying “Salsa Boy” against the fence while fans check their phones between rounds. Cortes-Acosta has the tools to win, but Delija’s consistency (and, let’s be real, general competency) should get him through, and maybe even find a late finish if the pace is … well, grueling feels like the wrong word. Let’s just say “long.”

Pick: Delija

170 pounds: Jeremiah Wells (+115) vs. Themba Gorimbo (-140)

Jeremiah Wells vs. Themba Gorimbo is a pretty clear clash between chaos and calculation.

Wells fights like he’s double-parked outside the APEX and needing to make his exit as soon as possible. When he can’t make that happen, it’s generally been tough sledding, especially against more seasoned, experienced opposition. Gorimbo, on the other hand, is calmer and cleaner, using his length and grappling to grind out wins without much flash.

If Wells connects early, it could be lights out. But he’ll have to search and make moments happen, because when this drags past the first round, Gorimbo’s control and composure will take over. Expect a scrappy one here that looks great for maybe about three minutes.

Pick: Gorimbo

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 07: Isaac Dulgarian reacts after his submission victory against Brendon Marotte in a featherweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on September 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) — Isaac Dulgarian can get back on a winning streak at UFC Vegas 110.

(Chris Unger via Getty Images)

145 pounds: Isaac Dulgarian (-250) vs. Yadier del Valle (+200)

This fight feels like a battle between two guys who might just sprint at each other until someone falls. If we’re lucky, that’s how it’ll play out.

Isaac Dulgarian’s near-flawless 7-1 record has come mostly from pure aggression — he doesn’t overthink, he just smashes. Del Valle’s a tricky UFC sophomore with fast hands and a bit of flair, but he’s also hittable, and that’s a dangerous trait against a tank like Dulgarian. In contrast to his opponent, del Valle has also been more sub than club.

If Dulgarian stays patient for even 30 seconds, he probably bulldozes his way to another finish. If not, del Valle could catch him in the madness. Either way, it shouldn’t take long. I’ve liked a bit more of what we’ve seen from Dulgarian.

Pick: Dulgarian

170 pounds: Charles Radtke (-170) vs. Daniel Frunza (+140)

Charles Radtke’s been a bit of a wild card in and out of the Octagon since joining the UFC, with bursts of intensity that can either overwhelm or completely gas him out and end in disaster.

Daniel Frunza looks to rebound from his nightmarish debut loss to Rhys McKee — a fight that was supposed to be a layup. Instead, Frunza got dropped three times. As seen in that bout, Frunza tends to rely on his toughness over technique, and that’s not exactly a recipe for long-term success against someone who throws heat like Radtke.

Trusting Frunza after a performance like his last is nearly impossible. But Radtke isn’t some superstar in the making himself, so we’ll see. If Radtke keeps his composure (a big if), he should edge this one out.

Pick: Radtke

125 pounds: Allan Nascimento (-250) vs. Cody Durden (+200)

This is fully make-or-break for Cody Durden, as he’ll enter the bout have gone 1-4 in his past five. A loss to Allan Nascimento would mark his third straight.

This matchup on the surface feels like one where someone’s going to get smothered — the only question is who ends up trapped underneath the other.

Nascimento’s grappling is slick, fluid and technical — the kind of jiu-jitsu that makes flyweight scramblers panic. Durden, meanwhile, is a grinding wrestler with a gas tank and a mean streak, happy to turn every exchange into a gritty, miserable wrestle-fest. He’s not flashy by any means, but he’s persistent, and that’s gotten him some solid wins against similarly talented foes in the past.

The problem for Durden is that Nascimento thrives in chaos on the mat. If he gets a grip on any limb, it’s a wrap. Still, Durden’s pace and pressure could frustrate him enough to make this close. If it hits the ground — and it will — it’s Nascimento’s world to lose.

Pick: Nascimento

Sep 14, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Irene Aldana of Mexico (red gloves) fights Norma Dumont of Brazil (blue gloves) during Riyadh Season Noche UFC 306 at The Sphere. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images — Norma Dumont has been patiently awaiting a potential UFC bantamweight title shot.

(USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect / Reuters)

Preliminary Card

Circling back to the introduction of this UFC Vegas 110 preview, the other fight I alluded to that actually matters is Ketlen Vieira vs. Norma Dumont.

Both bantamweight contenders have toyed with title contention for several years now — and in Vieira’s case, she’s been arguably a scorecard away from a title shot on multiple occasions. But Dumont is surging like never before, riding a five-fight win streak into this bout. Dumont should arguably be fighting for the belt without needing to beat Vieira first, but alas, it’s the rough state of affairs at 135 pounds.

Dumont possesses one of the best fight IQs among all the current UFC bantamweights, and who could forget the absolutely horrific things she did to Irene Aldana in her last fight? I wish I could, I’ll tell you that much.

Quick picks: