All 26 Fighters Make Weight for Noche UFC as Jose Delgado Steps In for Injured Yair Rodriguez

All 26 fighters booked for Noche UFC made weight Friday morning at the event's host hotel in Glendale, Arizona, according to MMA Junkie and the UFC's own weigh-in results. That means all 13 bouts on Saturday's card are official, with zero scratches, zero missed weight, and zero last-minute scrambling on fight night.

The event itself, UFC Fight Night 288, marks the promotion's fourth annual Noche UFC show and its first-ever event at Desert Diamond Arena, according to the UFC. The card is built around Mexican Independence Day and features eight Mexican fighters, per Forbes contributor Brian Mazique. Prelims start Saturday at 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT, with the main card following at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT, all streaming on Paramount+.

The Main Event Wasn't Supposed to Be This Main Event

Jean Silva was originally booked against former UFC interim featherweight champion Yair Rodriguez. Rodriguez pulled out with an injury, and Jose Miguel Delgado stepped in on short notice, according to Forbes. Silva weighed in at 145 pounds, Delgado at 145.5.

This isn't Silva's first rodeo at Noche UFC. He headlined last year's edition and lost by TKO to Diego Lopes, the first defeat of his UFC career, according to Forbes. He rebounded in January with a decision win over Arnold Allen and now sits at 17-3 overall, 6-1 in the UFC. Delgado enters at 12-2 overall, 4-1 in the UFC, riding a two-fight win streak, and this is his first UFC main event.

Co-Main and the Rest of the Card

Former flyweight champion Brandon Moreno (23-10-2 MMA, 11-7-2 UFC) takes on Joseph Morales (14-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) in a three-round co-main event, both weighing in at 125.5 pounds, per MMA Junkie.

The rest of the main card, per weigh-in results confirmed by MMA Junkie, Cagesidepress and the UFC:

• Tommy McMillen (145.5) vs. Marwan Rahiki (145.5), Featherweight
• Manon Fiorot (125) vs. Alexa Grasso (125), Women's Flyweight
• Waldo Cortes-Acosta (262) vs. Curtis Blaydes (260), Heavyweight
• David Martinez (135) vs. Dan Ige (135.5), Bantamweight

The Fiorot-Grasso fight carries real stakes. Both women are coming off stoppage wins, and Cagesidepress reports the winner could be next in line for a title shot, depending on the outcome of the flyweight championship picture between Natalia Silva and Wang Cong. Cortes-Acosta, ranked No. 5 at heavyweight, meets No. 6 Curtis Blaydes in what Forbes calls a pivotal clash in a division that's been reshuffling all year. Dan Ige is making his first walk to the bantamweight cage after years at featherweight, drawing a tough test in rising Mexican prospect David Martinez.

Prelims

The preliminary card, per Cagesidepress and UFC weigh-in results, includes:

• Tim Elliott (130) vs. Edgar Chairez (130), Catchweight
• Ignacio Bahamondes (170) vs. Muslim Salikhov (170.5), Welterweight
• Yousri Belgaroui (185.5) vs. Djorden Santos (185), Middleweight
• Drakkar Klose (155.5) vs. Thomas Gantt (155.5), Lightweight
• Rafa García (155) vs. Rongzhu (155), Lightweight
• Sean King III (145.5) vs. Jessie Rosas (145.5), Featherweight
• JJ Aldrich (125) vs. Regina Tarin (125), Women's Flyweight

Belgaroui, a Netherlands-based fighter facing Brazil's Djorden Santos, opened as the biggest betting favorite on the entire card at minus-850, according to Forbes. Jessie Rosas is making his UFC debut. Regina Tarin, who has publicly said she's interested in a crossover into WWE, opens the show against American veteran JJ Aldrich.

Beyond the main event shuffle, the card doubles as a proving ground. A Fiorot win over a former champion in Grasso would put her squarely in flyweight title contention. A Blaydes win over Cortes-Acosta keeps him in the heavyweight top five conversation heading into whatever comes next for that division.

The fighters made weight. The card is set. What isn't settled is whether Delgado, stepping into his first UFC main event on short notice, can spoil Silva's second straight run at Noche UFC headliner duty, after Silva's only previous UFC loss came in this same slot a year ago.