UFC 239 Is Shaping Up to Be the Most Stacked PPV Card of the Year

The UFC has had an up-and-down start to the new year. It began the new year with ESPN and a champion vs. champion bout between Henry Cejudo and T.J. Dillashaw, but it was also forced to cancel UFC 233 scheduled to take place on January 26 (h/t MMAFighting.com). It lost the Robert Whittaker vs. Kelvin Gastelum main event just prior to UFC 234 but also got Jon Jones back in the fold at UFC 235.

There have been several quality fights, but the UFC has yet to show out with an extraordinary fight card. Expect that to change this July with the promotion's annual International Fight Week event. T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas is set to play host to UFC 239 on July 6.

ONE Championship: A New Era is the leader in the clubhouse for Event of the Year. The four-title-fight main card then ran even deeper with the promotional debuts of Demetrious Johnson and Eddie Alvarez helping to put a spotlight on the growing promotion. The UFC will be looking to take back that mantle with the card it is building for Las Vegas.

The event is three months out, and it is already shaping up to be the can't-miss show of the summer.

Originally, the date looked to be a prime returning slot for Conor McGregor (h/t ESPN.com's Brett Okamoto). After Donald Cerrone dispatched rising prospect Alexander Hernandez, the two discussed the bout on social media. However, the fight never came to fruition and the UFC moved on to other bouts.

Leading the charge are two title tilts featuring the greatest fighters of all-time in their respective divisions. UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes look to defend their belts and continue to cement their legacy in the sport.

Jones teased a UFC 239 tilt with Stipe Miocic on Twitter, but a day, later it was confirmed he would be defending his 205-pound crown against Thiago Santos in the main event, per Brett Okamoto of ESPN.com.

Santos has been a terror at light heavyweight. After moving up in weight, he has gone 3-0 with three knockouts. Per OddsShark.com, Jones is a solid betting favorite at -600 (bet $600 to win $100) with Santos as the +450 (bet $100 to win $450) underdog. Big odds for the main event, but Santos' style should make for an interesting matchup against the champion.

The main event is more about Jones' star power and continued dominance at light heavyweight. The co-main event is a closely contested matchup between the two best bantamweights in the world who have yet to meet face-to-face inside the Octagon.

Nunes and Holly Holm are more known for their brutal knockouts of Ronda Rousey. They sent the former star of the UFC to the WWE and established themselves as the cream of the crop. Since their respective fights against Rousey, Holm was met with some inconsistent performances while Nunes became the greatest female fighter ever.

Not only has Nunes knocked out Rousey, but she obliterated the previously thought-to-be invincible Cris "Cyborg" Santos. This battle of styles should put this on the watchlist for Fight of the Year. Currently, per OddsShark.com, Nunes is a -325 favorite, with Holm being the +265 underdog.

These two main events could shoulder a lackluster undercard if the UFC so desired. Instead, the UFC is bolstering this event with sensational bouts.

First reported by ESPN's Ariel Helwani, former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos and Francis Ngannou will meet in what is likely to be a heavyweight title eliminator that no fan will want to miss. Helwani also reported the addition of a welterweight scrap between Jorge Masvidal and Ben Askren. And, per ESPN.com's Okamoto, UFC 239 will also feature the long-awaited light heavyweight debut of Luke Rockhold as he takes on Jan Blachowicz.

These are merely the first five bouts for UFC 239, and it already stands as the UFC's best card of the year. It could run this five-fight event without the addition of an undercard and be in play for Event of the Year, but we know a strong undercard is still coming.

The UFC has always brought the goods for International Fight Week, and 2019 is no different. A dual-title fight event with tantalizing bouts solidifying the main card are already in play, with more to be announced. This harkens back to the good old days of the UFC and fans tuning into full events instead of just the top of the bill.

Circle UFC 239 on the calendar right now. You will not want to miss this event as the UFC flexes its muscle as to why it's the leader in mixed martial arts.