One fighter has a chance to silence doubters when he steps into the Octagon for his second appearance.
The UFC will kick off its 2026 schedule at the newly renamed Meta Apex on February 7, marking the third event of the year.
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But fans will have to wait until after back-to-back pay-per-views before action returns to Meta Apex, with another event scheduled for March 14th.
Following Mario Bautista’s attempt to recover from his defeat to Umar Nurmagomedov against Vinicius Oliveira in the first Meta Apex main event, UFC action returns there again on March 14.
Some recent matchup announcements for that card include a return bout for a fighter who came under heavy criticism in his debut.
Harry Hardwick returns after a nightmare start to life in the UFC last year
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
After stepping in for Fares Ziam at UFC Paris back in September, Harry Hardwick’s debut ended with him leaving the arena in a wheelchair.
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The Briton was stopped in the first round by Brazil’s Kaue Fernandes, who did most of his damage by landing leg kicks.
One of MMA’s most respected names, Cub Swanson, didn’t hold back afterward and suggested that Hardwick may be the worst fighter currently signed to the UFC.
Prior to that setback, the 31-year-old had been unbeaten in nine fights. He was also coming off two successful defences of his Cage Warriors featherweight title—a belt previously held by both Conor McGregor and Paddy Pimblett.
Earlier this week, it was confirmed that Hardwick will return on March 14 at UFC Vegas 114, where he’ll face Marwan Rahiki.
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The 23-year-old made a strong impression last season on Dana White’s Contender Series when he stopped Ananias Mulumba in the second round to earn himself a contract with the promotion.
UFC Vegas 114: Card starting to fill out despite no main event announcement
No headline fight has been confirmed yet for UFC Vegas 114 on March 14, but the undercard is beginning to take shape.
While the UFC hasn’t officially announced every matchup, several bouts have already been reported for the event.
