UFC Fight Night: Marcio Barbosa vs Ryan Kuse Preview & Prediction

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A featherweight prelim at UFC Sacramento sees Brazilian knockout artist Marcio Barbosa against Miami’s Ryan Kuse, who walks into the octagon for the first time.

Marcio Barbosa vs Ryan Kuse facts

What time are Marcio Barbosa and Ryan Kuse expected to walk out? 22 August 2026 at 11:50 pm

Where is UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs Rodrigues? Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, USA

Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs Rodrigues? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night 285

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

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

UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs Rodrigues main card

Anthony Hernandez vs Gregory Rodrigues (Middleweight)

Serghei Spivac vs Vitor Petrino (Heavyweight)

Reinier de Ridder vs Roman Dolidze (Light Heavyweight)

Mason Jones vs MarQuel Mederos (Lightweight)

Carli Judice vs Jeisla Chaves (Women's Flyweight)

Terrance Chatman vs Anthony Wint (Heavyweight)

UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs Rodrigues prelims

Jamall Emmers vs Lerryan Douglas (Featherweight)

Kennedy Nzechukwu vs Shamil Gaziev (Heavyweight)

Nasrat Haqparast vs Chris Padilla (Lightweight)

Marcio Barbosa vs Ryan Kuse (Featherweight)

Gauge Young vs Stanley Dorsainvil (Lightweight)

Wesley Schultz vs Jackson McVey (Middleweight)

Shanelle Dyer vs Elise Reed (Women's Strawweight)

Marcio Barbosa: The Brazilian sledgehammer who doesn’t do long nights

Marcio Barbosa (18-2) does not do long nights at the office. 15 of his 18 wins have come by first round knockout, and has only seen the judges once in his 20 bouts. The 28-year-old announced himself in April at UFC Winnipeg, flattening Dennis Buzukja with a counter left to bank a Performance of the Night bonus on debut. He fights behind a tight, high boxing guard, sits heavy on his front foot, and hunts counters the moment an opponent opens up. Both of his career losses came by stoppage in round two.

Ryan Kuse:  The “3rd Street Savage” gets thrown straight into the deep end

Ryan Kuse (9-2) arrives at the age of 32 having built his record on the regional scene. Kuse is an orthodox pressure fighter who feints heavily with the lead hand, enters behind the overhand, and chains it into clean body lock takedowns. He’s at his most dangerous on top, where his elbows and ground and pound do good damage. At 5’9” with a 74-inch reach, he has serious length over the 5’6” Brazilian.

Marcio Barbosa vs Ryan Kuse prediction

Barbosa is being handed a debutant off the back of the loudest knockout of career, and everything about the pairing suggests the promotion wants another highlight for the reel.

Kuse’s path to victory will be the body lock takedowns that he sets up off the overhand, but that entry means walking into the exact range where Barbosa is most comfortable. Barbosa’s entire game is countering out of that high guard, hooks fired the instant an opponent commits, and the regional opponents Kuse was catching with that entry are not the calibre of the man standing opposite to him now.

Another thing worth noting is that Barbosa’s volume drops noticeably at kicking distance, he wants to work with his hands, and Kuse has the range to keep the fight at bay. If Kuse stays long and refuses to trade we could see a massive upset. But lets not overthink this.

Prediction: Marcio Barbosa to win by KO/TKO in round one