3 fights to look forward to and 2 fights that will likely disappoint at UFC Vegas 30

The final event of June 2021 will go down on Saturday as UFC Vegas 30 takes place at the APEX in the world's fight capital.

A couple of talented strikers will look to provide a rare technical showcase in the heavyweight division in the main event. A familiar face also returns as two victory-hungry big men collide in the co-main event.

There's a scarcity of ranked fighters on this card, but the headliner is definitely a consequential bout. Not a ton of star power either, but there are a few promising fights with barnburner potential.

Overall, UFC Vegas 30 is shaping up to be a decent event that's guaranteed to satisfy a hardcore fan's weekly fight fix. On that note, let's take a look at three fights to look forward to and two fights that will likely disappoint at UFC Vegas 30.

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Fight to look forward to at UFC Vegas 30: Renato Moicano vs. Jai Herbert

An interesting clash of styles will kick off the UFC Vegas 30 main card as Renato Moicano takes on Jai Herbert. A dangerous grappler, Moicano will try to find success in the talent-rich 155-pound weight class against capable striker Herbert.

After spending five years as a top 10 mainstay at the 145-pound division, Moicano decided to change things up following back-to-back losses against top 145-pounders Jose Aldo and 'The Korean Zombie' Chan Sung Jung. He found success against Damir Hadzovic on his lightweight debut but stumbled onto a roadblock against Rafael Fiziev in his most recent outing.

Herbert, meanwhile, finally made it to the big leagues after dominating London-based promotion Cage Warriors. He had a promising start against veteran Francisco Trinaldo but ended up getting knocked out in the final minutes of the third round.

Fight that will likely disappoint at UFC Vegas 30: Nicolas Dalby vs.Tim Means

Welterweight veterans Nicolas Dalby and Tim Means were each scheduled to face different opponents at UFC Vegas 30. However, both of their respective foes were forced to pull out, and that's how they were paired together.

Dalby will try to protect his five-fight unbeaten streak (including two no-contests) in his first UFC appearance this year. He last saw action against Daniel Rodriguez at UFC 255, earning a unanimous decision after three rounds.

Means is enjoying a successful run in back-to-back fights. After losing to Rodriguez in an upset, Means bounced back with consecutive victories against Laureano Staropoli and Mike Perry.

On paper, this matchup should make for a surefire showdown. But given that they were preparing for different opponents as recently as a week ago, this fight might not live up to its billing.

Fight to look forward to at UFC Vegas 30: Andre Fili vs. Daniel Pineda

UFC Vegas 30: Andre Fili vs. Daniel Pineda [Photo credit: touchyfili on Instagram]

Featherweights Andre Fili and Daniel Pineda will lock horns in a 'Fight of the Night' candidate at UFC Vegas 30. The matchup is all but guaranteed to be a crackerjack as both men have a penchant for putting on exhilarating fights.

Fili has spent several years as a gatekeeper for fighters aspiring to earn a spot in the featherweight rankings. However, the 31-year-old hasn't cracked the top 15 himself due to his losses to surging stars Yair Rodriguez, Calvin Kattar, Myles Jury, Sodiq Yusuff and Charles Jourdain.

On the flipside, Pineda has shown promise during his UFC debut, putting Herbert Burns away via TKO at UFC 252. However, he failed his first major test in the octagon when he was knocked out by perennial contender Cub Swanson in his most recent fight.

With both men hungry for redemption, fans can expect fireworks for this main card featherweight showdown.

Fight that will likely disappoint at UFC Vegas 30: Tanner Boser vs. Ovince Saint Preux

UFC Vegas 30: Tanner Boser vs. Ovince Saint Preux [Photo credit: @bulldozerboser on Instagram]

Former light heavyweight standout Ovince Saint Preux will return to the land of the giants against Tanner Boser in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 30. OSP was originally slated to face Maxim Grishin, but the Russian fighter withdrew from the bout for reasons undisclosed.

A contender for several years at 205 pounds, Saint Preux climbed to heavyweight in 2020 and had a poor performance against veteran Ben Rothwell. He then dropped back to light heavyweight, beating Alonzo Menifield to get back in the win column. However, OSP was decimated by up-and-comer Jamahal Hill in his most recent fight.

Boser, meanwhile, is on a two-fight skid after dropping consecutive decisions to Andrei Arlovski and Ilir Latifi. He will make a quick turnaround; his last fight took place just four weeks ago.

OSP has already proven himself unsuitable for the heavyweight division. He's also fighting a replacement who's been active. For those reasons, it's highly possible the 38-year-old veteran would turn in another dud of a performance.

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Fight to look forward to at UFC Vegas 30: Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov

UFC Vegas 30: Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov [Photo credit: @ufc on Instagram]

Heavyweight stars Ciryl Gane and Alexander Volkov will clash in the main event of UFC Vegas 30. Undefeated Frenchman Gane will jockey for position against longtime contender Volkov in a fight that could determine the next heavyweight title challenger.

Gane improved his record to 8-0 with a unanimous decision win over Jairzinho Rozenstruik in his first main event appearance earlier this year. The surging star found himself in a lofty position in the division's top 5 after compiling four wins in a row in the UFC.

Volkov, meanwhile, has showcased a tremendous level of improvement after dropping a unanimous decision to Curtis Blaydes. 'Drago' has recently been on a tear with back-to-back TKO wins over Walt Harris and Alistair Overeem.

The Russian fighter came close to challenging for the title in 2018. He dominated Derrick Lewis for a long stretch in a title eliminator, but 'The Black Beast' scored a last-minute knockout.