UFC Fight Night: RJ Harris vs Alvin Hines Preview & Prediction
Heavyweights throw down on the early prelims, with the returning Alvin Hines taking on the debuting RJ Harris at 265 pounds.
RJ Harris vs Alvin Hines facts
What time are RJ Harris and Alvin Hines expected to walk out?
Where is UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs Usman? Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, USA
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs Usman? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night 281
What TV channel is UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs Usman on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – Paramount
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs Usman? UK – TNT Sports can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and HBO Max / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs Usman main card
Dricus du Plessis vs Kamaru Usman (Middleweight)
Jared Cannonier vs Christian Leroy Duncan (Middleweight)
Chase Hooper vs Mitch Ramirez (Lightweight)
Tommy McMillen vs Alberto Montes (Featherweight)
UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs Usman prelims
Tabatha Ricci vs Fatima Kline (Women's Strawweight)
Austin Bashi vs Jose Miguel Delgado (Featherweight)
Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani vs Ko Seok-hyeon (Welterweight)
Levi Rodrigues Jr. vs Felipe Franco (Light Heavyweight)
Alden Coria vs Stewart Nicoll (Flyweight)
RJ Harris vs Alvin Hines (Heavyweight)
Anna Melisano vs Dione Barbosa (Women's Flyweight)
Marc-Andre Barriault vs TBC (Middleweight)
RJ Harris: The towering heavyweight aims to make good on his shot at the world's premiere MMA promotion
Undefeated in five fights as a pro, RJ Harris (5-0) will be looking for a statement victory in his first bout with the UFC. Boasting four finishes in five fights, “The Hammer” is a gargantuan heavyweight, standing 6’6” tall with an 80’ reach. He’s still raw at 27, but looked solid in two bouts with the LFA, scoring a KO and a submission to punch his ticket to the UFC. Harris has looked pretty unstoppable against regional level competition, but it’s worth noting that he’s been flatlined in his amateur career, catching a nasty head kick from Ben Wunder just over two years ago.
Alvin Hines: Will "Goozie" look like the same fighter after a long time on the sidelines following a PED suspension?
Returning for the first time in over a year after a suspension for PEDs, Alvin Hines (7-1) looks to score his first UFC victory after coming up short to Jhonata Diniz in his only bout with the promotion to date. A prolific finisher with six stoppages in seven professional victories, “Goozie” fought his way to the promotion with a flawless run in LFA, going 5-0 to earn his shot at the big leagues. Hines is no spring chicken at 34 and the manner of his layoff raises the question as to how he’s going to look in his first fight since after a doping suspension and an extended spell on the sidelines.
RJ Harris vs Alvin Hines prediction
This one really could go either way, particularly considering that this is being contested at heavyweight. Neither man has a UFC victory under their belt, have similar levels of experience, and have fought roughly the same caliber of opposition in their MMA careers to date.
Harris is a massive heavyweight and has a considerable edge in height and reach going into this one. He’s the younger man with less miles on the clock has a near 100% finish rate, with KO power and a submission game in his back pocket. “The Hammer” already fought and won in 2026, while Hines is coming off a layoff of more than a year following a doping suspension.
However, in a bout between low level heavyweights, it usually pays to favour the more proven commodity; in this case, Hines. “Goozie” has a UFC bout under his belt and wasn’t completely outclassed by Jhonata Diniz in his sole UFC bout to date, a fighter who’s been in there with some solid levels of competition. Much like his opponent, he’s a dangerous finisher in his own right, with six stoppages in seven pro victories, and is more than capable of bombing Harris out if he’s able to negate the reach advantage.
I wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest if Hines looks atrocious following his doping suspension and gets finished brutally in the first round, but we’re going with his slight edge in experience here. In short, steer clear of the betting lines on this one.
Prediction: Alvin Hines to win
