UFC Fight Night: Drakkar Klose vs Thomas Gantt Preview & Prediction

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A lightweight prelim in Glendale sees a veteran of nearly a decade in the UFC welcome one of the most decorated wrestlers to arrive on the roster, as Drakkar Klose faces the unbeaten Tommy Gantt.

Drakkar Klose vs Thomas Gantt facts

What time are Drakkar Klose and Thomas Gantt expected to walk out? 12 September 2026 at 8:15 pm

Where is UFC Fight Night: Silva vs Delgado? Desert Diamond Arena, Glendale, USA

Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night: Silva vs Delgado? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night 288

What TV channel is UFC Fight Night: Silva vs Delgado on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – Paramount

Where can I stream UFC Fight Night: Silva vs Delgado? UK – TNT Sports can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and HBO Max / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass

UFC Fight Night: Silva vs Delgado main card

Jean Silva vs Jose Delgado (Featherweight)

Brandon Moreno vs Joseph Morales (Flyweight)

Tommy McMillen vs Marwan Rahiki (Featherweight)

Manon Fiorot vs Alexa Grasso (Women's Flyweight)

Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs Curtis Blaydes (Heavyweight)

David Martinez vs Dan Ige (Bantamweight)

UFC Fight Night: Silva vs Delgado prelims

Tim Elliott vs Edgar Chairez (Flyweight)

Ignacio Bahamondes vs Muslim Salikhov (Welterweight)

Yousri Belgaroui vs Djorden Santos (Middleweight)

Drakkar Klose vs Thomas Gantt (Lightweight)

Rafa Garcia vs Rong Zhu (Lightweight)

Sean King vs Jessie Rosas (Featherweight)

JJ Aldrich vs Regina Tarin (Women's Flyweight)

Drakkar Klose: Can the veteran hold back the prospect on home turf?

Drakkar Klose (16-3-1) makes his 14th walk to the octagon carrying a 10-3 UFC record, and returns from a years layoff having won five of his last six. The 38-year-old outpointed Edson Barboza at UFC 319 in August last year, his only recent blemish being a brutal first-round KO from Joel Alvarez, which broke a four-fight winning streak. Klose marches forward behind constant lead-hand feints, throwing kicks with both legs more for volume than damage, but his best work is his dirty boxing, and in the clinch he possesses foot stomps and short knees to wear opponents down.

Tommy Gantt: The All-American who started late but hasn’t looked back since

Tommy Gantt (12-0, 1 NC) is a very rare fighter, a prospect at the age of 33. An NCAA Division one All-American at NC state with an ACC title and 91 career wins, he didn’t turn professional in MMA until April 2024, then squeezed in ten fights into seventeen months before a first round guillotine earned his contract on the Contender Series. His debut in May was one sided, chaining takedowns before flattening short-notice replacement Artur Minev with ground and pound in the second. Now training under Daniel Cormier in Gilroy, Gantt averages 11.29 takedowns per 15 minutes.

Drakkar Klose vs Thomas Gantt prediction

Klose’s problem is that everything he does well delivers him into where he shouldn’t be. He wants to march forward, tie up on the fence and pour on dirty boxing until his opponents are worn. Against Gantt however, that’s an invitation. Gantt doesn’t have to shoot from range to find his body lock, he just needs Klose to walk into the clinch and give it him, and from there the trips and chain wrestling take care of themselves. 

The usual veteran counter to a hyped up prospect is to weather the early storm and fraud check late, but Gantt doesn’t rely on the first round finishes. Five of his wins have come in the second round and he’s seen a third round and a decision with no issues. Klose’s cardio was always a weapon, but he’s not fighting against a young prospect here, he’s going up against someone with extremely gruelling offensive wrestling that’s training under a whole boatload of top-level experience in Daniel Cormier. 

Klose’s only route is to keep this at range, which is the one department where he’s giving up six inches of reach and the one he’s least specialised in. Expect a wrestling showcase from Gantt and him to drown Klose in takedown attempts until there’s nothing left to defend with.

Prediction: Tommy Gantt to win in round three