UFC returns to the Meta Apex in Las Vegas this weekend with Fight Night 269, headlined by Josh Emmett versus Kevin Vallejos. 

With Vallejos, 24, taking on Emmett, 41, the featherweight main event will see the largest age difference for a UFC main event at 16 years, nine months, and four days. Emmett is coming off back-to-back losses in 2025 while Vallejos is looking to win his fourth fight since securing his UFC contract during the 2024 Contender Series. 

Elsewhere on the card, Amanda Lemos is taking on Gillian Robertson at strawweight, having previously intended to fight in December last year. Lone’er Kavanagh was initially scheduled to face Bruno Gustavo da Silva at this event, but he was replaced by Charles Johnson after stepping to headline against Brandon Moreno two weeks ago. There will also be a pair of additional featherweight clashes and a light heavyweight bout rounding out the main card.

The event will be available to watch on Paramount+ for those in the US, as well as UFC Fight Pass and TNT Sports internationally, with the preliminary fights due to start at 5 PM ET, and the main card at 8 PM ET. 

Main card: 

• Featherweight: Josh Emmett vs. Kevin Vallejos 
• Strawweight: Amanda Lemos vs. Gillian Robertson
• Featherweight: Andre Fili vs. Jose Miguel Delgado 
• Featherweight: Marwan Rahiki vs. Harry Hardwick
• Light Heavyweight: Ion Cutelaba vs. Oumar Sy
• Flyweight: Charles Johnson vs. Bruno Silva

Prelims:

• Welterweight: Chris Curtis vs. Myktybek Orolbai 
• Heavyweight: Vitor Petrino vs. Steven Asplund 
• Bantamweight: Elijah Smith vs. Suyoung You
• Lightweight: Bolaji Oki vs. Manoel Sousa
• Middleweight: Brad Tavares vs. Eryk Anders
• Bantamweight: Bia Mesquita vs. Montse Rendon 
• Bantamweight: Luan Lacerda vs. Hecher Sosa
• Strawweight: Piera Rodrigues vs. Sam Hughes

I completely get why Cody Rhodes did what he did in this MJF story. He was looking to make a new star and put them over in a big way, so having Maxwell Jacob Friedman pick up the big win makes sense. But in a story where your potential in a wrestling company has had a ceiling put on it against your will, you would think that having Cody go over in this match would make the most sense. You can give him the feel good victory, the consolation prize of not challenging for the top prize but taking care of the guy who cost you that chance.

After this story, the world was plunged into darkness with COVID-19, but it’s interesting how Cody never really joined forces with the rest of The Elite around this time. It reached a point where Cody was meant to be part of the first-ever Blood and Guts match with The Elite against The Inner Circle, but when that match was reworked into what became the inaugural Stadium Stampede, Matt Hardy teamed with The Elite and not Cody. “The American Nightmare” did get three reigns with the AEW TNT Championship, a title many thought was designed for him since he couldn’t win the world title, but those reigns could never match what he could have done as the world champion.

It must have really bothered Cody at the time as well. The idea of him never challenging for the AEW Men’s World Championship at the time seemed ridiculous, but as time went on, the main event scene grew and evolved to the point where it actually didn’t need Cody. It had moved past the need for him as the Hangman Page story grew and grew, Kenny Omega’s belt collector gimmick, and Jon Moxley being the ace of the company made people go “Did Cody just shoot himself in the foot?” Yes, yes he did. The stipulation might not have stuck had he stayed with AEW, but I don’t think he stayed in AEW because of the stipulation. The man himself has even said that he became something of a “gatekeeper” for younger talent after he couldn’t challenge for the title, and that was a role he didn’t end up wanting because he still had to finish his story at some point. 

The stipulation of him never challenging for the world title was very stupid for Cody in hindsight, and if it never happened, the landscape of AEW and the wider world of professional wrestling would look very different (don’t worry, we have something on that coming soon). But I think everything worked out for everyone in the long run. When Cody went back to WWE, he got the chance to be the guy in a company that needed a guy like him, it really was a perfect fit. AEW has not just survived, but thrived since his departure, and as for MJF, he’s the current world champion, so it’s safe to say he’s doing alright for himself as well.

Matt Hardy has listed a few stars that must be in the WWE Hall of Fame in the future. 

This year’s Hall of Fame class so far includes Stephanie McMahon, AJ Styles, and Demolition. Hardy, on “The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy” podcast, named two late female stars who could be in the reckoning in the future. 

“Elizabeth is one that I feel like is very deserving of it. She was really the first female to kind of break through in pro wrestling, especially with her role with Macho Man. She was a huge part of his act,” he said. “Someone who was a trailblazer and put women in a prominent spot was Chyna, and she was a breakthrough in so many ways. She had a different look, very unique. She would wrestle men. She was such a trailblazer, and she broke so much ground. And yes, it is cool that she did go in with DX, but she is someone who is also deserving of a solo spot.”

Hardy also believes that Owen Hart — with whom he had a good relationship — deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame. 

“I mean, all the circumstances around the whole incident are extremely terrible and unfortunate, but the first person that pops in my mind is Owen Hart more than anybody else, you know, and I understand why that is what it is. He is just an amazing wrestler. He was so great. He was so good. He was a good human, and just his death was so sad.” 

Hardy is doubtful Hart will ever be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, particularly with AEW’s relationship with the Hart family, and also praised how AEW has honored him.

One former WWE world champion who hasn’t been inducted is Sid Vicious, aka Sycho Sid, who Matt Hardy thinks could be considered in the future. 

“He [Sid Vicious] would definitely be worthy of a Hall of Fame induction just because I mean he was around. He just still did so much stuff at WCW. He was a former WWE Champion. He was very limited in his ring work and what he could do as a performer obviously, but I mean he just had like this freakish look,” he said on Sycho Sid.

Hardy also feels that one of his former rivals, someone who played a major part in the great tag team revolution of the 2000s, AEW’s Christian, should also be in the Hall of Fame as a singles star.

[I hope] Christian, gets a singles bid, you know, when it’s all said and done at the end of the day. I guess we’ll see,” he said. I mean, he’s one of the best. He’s one of the best to ever do it. Him and Edge, they were great together. Obviously, I’m going to be biased.”

Hardy also named former WWE referee Earl Hebner as someone who also should get a WWE Hall of Fame induction, and wants to see him get that accolade when he’s still alive. The tag team legend thinks that William Regal, who has had a long career as a wrestler and trainer, will likely be inducted in the future. Hardy, though, doesn’t believe Chris Benoit — despite his talent in the ring — should get a spot in the WWE Hall of Fame, stating that there’s no reason to celebrate his career.

There’s a lot on the line in the main event of Revolution, where MJF will defend his AEW World Championship against “Hangman” Adam Page in a Texas Death match. Not only is the title on the line, Page’s future shots at the gold if he loses this match are, as well. If Page loses here, he can never challenge for the title again, and that’s why 75% of us believe that the champion is retaining here.

We think the stipulation is too specific and serious to be thrown out there if that’s not what’s going to happen. AEW is likely to have learned from its mistakes from the last time this stipulation occurred, causing issues for Cody Rhodes, and Page could always goad the champion, whether that be MJF or another heel, into giving him a title shot, or he could win his ability to challenge for the gold back in another stipulation match. And, honestly, there are plenty of other titles in the company he can compete for, and elevate, if he’s going to be booked away from the main event scene for a while.

MJF also just won the title at Worlds End after a quick Samoa Joe reign. While it could happen, we don’t think AEW would book another short reign so close to the last one. From Swerve Strickland, to Kenny Omega, and even possibly Kyle Fletcher after a confrontation on “Dynamite” on Wednesday, MJF has no shortage of challengers going into the next few months of big AEW pay-per-views.

While Texas Death is Page’s specialty stipulation, we don’t think he’s going over here. While all of us expect a brutal, bloody main event to cap off AEW’s first pay-per-view in almost three months, 75% of us are going with MJF.

Written by Daisy Ruth