The world leader in MMA sets up shop at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for UFC on ESPN 2.

If the ultra-violent main event featuring Edson Barboza and Justin Gaethje isn’t enough to make you want to tune in on Saturday night, you might not have a pulse.

All jokes aside and this UFC on ESPN 2 card has a ton of compelling reasons why you should be watching. Let’s take a look.

A Featherweight Barn-burner

The main card will kick off when Sheymon Moraes and Sodiq Yusuff meet in the center of the Octagon for a featherweight scrap.

Moraes is a heavy-handed Brazilian who loves a good war. He has gone a respectable 2-1 with the UFC, his only loss since being with the promotion is to Zabit Magomedsharipov.

As for Yusuff. The 25-year-old fighter is riding a three-fight winning streak with his last two coming under the UFC banner. He won his promotional debut via KO in just 2:14.

Josh Emmett Comeback

Everyone loves a good comeback story, and Josh Emmett sure has one hell of a story to tell.

Since suffering a knock out loss to Jeremy Stephens at UFC on FOX 28, Emmett has gone through a bevy of tests, procedures, and surgeries.

That’s the past as Emmett will tell you, and on Saturday night he looks to complete his long, arduous road back to the Octagon. In many ways he has already won regardless of the outcome, but make no mistake about it, Emmett wants to get his hand raised.

A Middleweight Contender Will Emerge

Maybe it is because his nickname is “The Joker”, and that is why Jack Hermansson doesn’t get the respect he deserves at 185 pounds.

I believe all that will change on Saturday night when Hermansson meets David Branch in the co-main event of the evening. “The Joker” is a big, strong middleweight that, as of late has had a real mean streak in him.

If Hermansson does pass his toughest test to date in Branch, then a top 10 middleweight would seem like the next logical step for “The Joker.”

Edson Barboza Vs. Justin Gaethje Main Event

The MMA universe took a collective sigh when this main event was announced in hopes that neither Barboza or Gaethje would be forced off this card.

By all accounts, we made it, less than 24 hours away and the entire community is still buzzing about this fight.

While this fight is scheduled for 5 rounds of pure unadulterated violence, I cant, for the life of me, fathom how this fight makes it into he championship rounds. Regardless we all win.

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 3/29/2019.