Wellmaker Faces Tanzilovi in UFC Fight Night 290 Main Card Bout

Malcolm Wellmaker and Otari Tanzilovi will compete in the opening main card fight of UFC Fight Night 290 at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas, with both bantamweights seeking a victory after recent setbacks.

According to MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom, Wellmaker enters the matchup with a 10-2 MMA record and a 2-2 UFC record. Tanzilovi has a 10-2 MMA record and is 0-1 in the UFC after his debut loss.

MMA Junkie reported that Wellmaker quickly rose after winning his Dana White's Contender Series fight and his first two UFC appearances by first-round knockout. He has since dropped two consecutive fights.

Tanzilovi has gone 1-2 across his last three appearances, according to MMA Junkie. The outlet reported that his unanimous decision loss to Shane Collins in June marked his UFC debut, and this will be his second fight in the same year for the first time since 2022.

Analyst Dan Tom described the contest as a possible high-action bantamweight matchup and selected Wellmaker as his pick. MMA Junkie reported that Tom believes the American fighter can recover after his recent losses.

MMA Junkie also reported that Wellmaker moved his training base to American Top Team in South Florida ahead of the bout. The analyst cited Tanzilovi's lower striking output as a factor in his prediction.

The fight is scheduled to begin with the fighters expected to walk to the cage at approximately 8:10 p.m. ET, according to MMA Junkie. The event streams on Paramount+ and airs on CBS.