:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72088487/1240569662.0.jpg "UFC 286: What time does Gaethje vs. Fiziev start?")
UFC 286 kicks off with a five-fight main card that is headlined by a UFC welterweight title fight between champion Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman. The event will take place live from the O2 Arena in London, England on Saturday, March 18.
The co-feature on the main card will be an action fight between top-ranked lightweights Justin Gaethje (23-4) and Rafael Fiziev (12-1). Gaethje is ranked third in the division and Fiziev is ranked sixth.
Gaethje (23-4), one of the most popular action fighters in the UFC, hasn't been in the octagon since losing by submission to Charles Oliveira in the main event at UFC 274 in May 2022. It was his third time fighting for the UFC lightweight title, losing all three times. “The Highlight” has major victories over Michael Chandler, Tony Ferguson and Donald Cerrone. Gaethje may be a long way from another title shot, but he remains a top-five gatekeeper and a major draw in the division.
Fiziev (12-1) is on a six-fight win streak with his more recent win coming by a fifth-round knockout against Rafael dos Anjos on July 9 in the main event of UFC Vegas 58. Wins over dos Anjos, Brad Riddell and Bobby Green earned Fiziev either Performance of the Night or Match of the Night bonuses. Fiziev is considered the most avoided lightweight in the division. He will get his shot against a top-five opponent Saturday.
Fiziev is a -225 favorite in the rematch at DraftKings Sportsbook.
The full event will get started with the early prelims at 1 p.m. ET followed by the prelims at 3 p.m. The main card for UFC 286 will be live-streamed on ESPN+ PPV, which will cost $79.99 for the full card. The link provides an option for simply buying the card or buying the Disney Plus bundle that includes Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN+.
The main card for the event is scheduled to get started at 5 p.m. ET and will be available for purchase through ESPN+ PPV. The main event bout is likely to get going around 7:30 p.m. ET, depending on the length of the undercard and previous bouts on the card.