UFC Fight Night: Darren Elkins vs Yadier del Valle Preview & Prediction
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Sixteen years and thirty octagon walks later, Darren Elkins takes his last dance against Cuban prospect Yadier del Valle.
Darren Elkins vs Yadier del Valle facts
What time are Darren Elkins and Yadier del Valle expected to walk out?
Where is UFC Fight Night: Gamrot vs Salkilld? Meta Apex, Enterprise, USA
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night: Gamrot vs Salkilld? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night 284
What TV channel is UFC Fight Night: Gamrot vs Salkilld on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – Paramount
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night: Gamrot vs Salkilld? UK – TNT Sports can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and HBO Max / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC Fight Night: Gamrot vs Salkilld main card
Mateusz Gamrot vs Quillan Salkilld (Lightweight)
Carlos Diego Ferreira vs Billy Quarantillo (Lightweight)
Darren Elkins vs Yadier del Valle (Featherweight)
Amanda Lemos vs Alexia Thainara (Women's Strawweight)
Ty Miller vs Billy Ray Goff (Welterweight)
UFC Fight Night: Gamrot vs Salkilld prelims
Steven Asplund vs Guilherme Pat (Heavyweight)
Diyar Nurgozhay vs Bruno Lopes (Light Heavyweight)
Louie Sutherland vs Jose Luiz (Heavyweight)
Manoel Sousa vs Richie Miranda (Lightweight)
Miles Johns vs Jessie Rosas (Featherweight)
Juliana Miller vs Ravena Oliveira (Women's Flyweight)
Carol Foro vs Giovanna Canuto (Women's Strawweight)
Darren Elkins: “The Damage” makes the octagon walk one final time
Darren Elkins (29-12) has confirmed this will be the last fight of his career, closing out 16 years and 30 appearances in the promotion. He hasn’t fought since April 2025, when Julian Erosa walked him down and destroyed him inside a round, snapping a two-fight win streak over Daniel Pineda and TJ Brown. At 42 he’s taken an enormous amount of damage, but the wrestling is still there, and he owns more takedowns than anyone in the division’s history. Elkins fights light on his feet, sticks behind his straight shots, and is excellent in the scramble.
Yadier del Valle: The Cuban prospect looking to spoil the send-off
Yadier del Valle (10-1) arrived via the Contender Series and opened his UFC run with back-to-back first-round submissions over Connor Matthews and Isaac Dulgarian, though the Dulgarian win has become part of an investigation due to dodgy betting patterns. The hype cooled in February when Jordan Leavitt handed him his first pro defeat, controlling him for long stretches with repeated takedowns. Del Valle stands southpaw, shoots leg kicks at range and works behind his straight shots, but he’s low volume. Once he establishes control he uses his ground and pound to open up submissions.
Darren Elkins vs Yadier del Valle prediction
Del Valle is a huge favourite here and the market has clearly decided Elkins is finished. That Erosa performance did nothing to argue otherwise. However, the Leavitt fight exposed exactly the weakness that Elkins can attack – chain wrestling control and repetitive takedowns.
In close range Elkins is relentless, grabbing onto the body or legs and trying to drive opponents into the mat, and he does his best work on the ground. He isn’t looking to open up on top, he keeps position, throws consistent ground and pound to the body and mixes it to the head when there’s more of an opening, with the occasional elbow thrown in. He makes his fights ugly and gruelling, and that’s where the experience gap tells.
If Valle has a smart game plan, he’ll keep his range, picking Elkins apart and defending the takedowns. He’s in his physical prime and should be able to do it, if he doesn’t jump the guilly instead. That’s where the underdog route opens up. Elkins has survived some very close looking submissions, and he’s never been submitted outside of Charles Oliveira at lightweight, so catching him won’t be easy, and a failed guillotine puts Valle straight onto his back into Elkin’s game.
I reckon Valle will get taken down, but he has the youth and athleticism to reverse and do work on top. Elkins will probably be bloodied up, so the doctor stoppage is live, but the decision is the likeliest route.
Prediction: Yadier del Valle to win by decision
