The UFC’s Octagon heads Down Under for UFC 325, where a card stacked with local talent looks set to entertain the Aussie fans at the Qudos Bank Arena this weekend.

Ahead of fight night in Australia, we take a look at the fight card and pick out three key questions that we’ll get answers to as the action unfolds in the Octagon on Saturday night/Sunday morning.

Can Sean Strickland slow down the Anthony Hernandez train?

Sean Strickland knows what it takes to get to the middleweight mountain top, and he plans to show in-form contender Anthony Hernandez that he’s not ready yet. But what if he is?

Hernandez has been in outstanding form, and heads into Saturday night’s main event in Houston on an eight-fight win streak, while Strickland is scrambling for form after a sub-par display in his failed bid to recapture the title from the man who dethroned him, Dricus Du Plessis.

Strickland will look to impose his usual game of working behind jabs and teeps as he attempts to rack up the score while gradually breaking down his opponent. But he’s facing someone who thrives on disrupting his opponents’ rhythm.

Hernandez is a relentless, in-your-face scrapper, with the ability to finish fights with his strikes or submissions. Another finish would surely propel him into a title fight later in the year. But Strickland will be hoping that his experience and Octagon savvy at the highest level will be enough to stop the Hernandez train on Saturday night.

Can Uros Medic blast his way into the welterweight rankings?

Welterweight striker Uros Medic has had to deal with some patchy form and injury issues over recent years, but now he’s fully fit and back on form, he’s ready to achieve his next goal of establishing himself in the welterweight top 15.

The Serbian striker defeated both of his last two opponents in 63 seconds each, as Gilbert Urbina and Muslim Salikhov were both knocked out in just over a minute in Medic’s last two outings. Now he’s setting his sights on ranked opposition in the form of Geoff Neal.

Neal is looking to bounce back after his buzzer-beater first-round knockout loss to Carlos Prates last time out. He’s an experienced operator, who knows what it takes to win fights at the top level, plus his “Handz of Steel” nickname is a well-earned one.

His willingness to trust his striking against anyone in the division, and against Medic, who also loves nothing more than to stand and trade with anyone in MMA gloves, the fans could be in for a fun welterweight banger between  two talented strikers.

If Medic can get the victory, he’ll find himself in the top 15, but beating Neal is no formality. If he can get it done, it’ll be just what “The Doctor” ordered.

Can Ante Delija become a legitimate contender at heavyweight?

The UFC heavyweight division has come under fire lately for a lack of quality, but in Ante Delija, the UFC has a fighter who could potentially break from the pack and become an exciting challenger at the top of the heavyweight division.

To get to that stage, he’ll have to work his way through the quagmire of mid-range heavyweights, who all offer tough tests without necessarily looking like championship-caliber fighters. 

That label probably applies to Serghei Spivac, who is a big, strong and awkward heavyweight with a dominant top game. But if Delija can keep his back off the mat, he has a significant advantage in the stand-up realm.

If Delija can keep it standing and light up Spivac, a big finish could be on the cards. And if he gets it, a new heavyweight contender could emerge.

UFC Houston: Fight card

MAIN CARD

Sean Strickland vs Anthony Hernandez – middleweight
Geoff Neal vs Uros Medic – welterweight
Dan Ige vs Melquizael Costa – featherweight
Serghei Spivac vs Ante Delija – heavyweight
Jacobe Smith vs Josaih Harrell – welterweight
Zach Reese vs Michel Pereira – middleweight

PRELIMINARY CARD

Chidi Njokuani vs Carlos Leal – welterweight
Ode’ Osbourne vs Alibi Idiris – flyweight
Alden Coria vs Luis Gurule – flyweight
Nora Cornolle vs Joselyne Edwards – women’s bantamweight
Ramiz Brahimaj vs Punahele Soriano – welterweight
Phil Rowe vs Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani – welterweight
Jordan Leavitt vs Yadier Del Valle – featherweight
Juliana Miller vs Carli Judice – women’s flyweight