Australia has perhaps its best opportunity to establish itself as a rising UFC force, with three fighters taking on well-credentialed opposition in Chicago.
Middleweight champion Robert Whittaker fights Cuban Yoel Romero in the headline bout on UFC 225 at the United Centre on Sunday (AEST).
The Cuban's failure to make the weight means the Sydneysider's title won't be at stake.
However Whittaker is keen to put on a good show to consolidate his already impressive reputation after outpointing Romero in a memorable interim title fight last July.
While he is a proven performer, male heavyweight Tai Tuivasa and female featherweight Megan Anderson are relative newcomers to the UFC.
Both have been pitted against former world champions and, like Whittaker, will be part of the live pay-for-view coverage on Main Event.
Powerful striker Tuivasa's impressive record and quirky personality have piqued the interest of the American media.
He has won all nine of his MMA fights before the end of the first round, the last two coming in UFC contests.
The former rugby league player will do well to get another early stoppage against former world heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski, his strongest opponent to date.
The 39-year-old veteran from Belaus is ranked No.12, three places above Tuivasa, and has won his past two fights following a lean patch.
.American-based Queenslander Anderson will make her long awaited UFC debut against former bantamweight champion Holly Holm.
After winning the Invicta FC featherweight title and racking up four straight stoppage wins, 182cm-tall Anderson signed to the UFC but hasn't fought for 17 months.
She pulled out of a proposed 2017 fight with Cris Cyborg for personal reasons but on Sunday has the chance to stamp herself as a star of the fledgling women's featherweight division.
There's also plenty of quality spread across the other 10 fights in Chicago which don't involve Australians.
Brash American Colby Covington fights former lightweight world champion Rafael Dos Anjos of Brazil for the interim welterweight world title.
There are four other bouts between world top 10-ranked fighters including the heavyweight battle between Dutchman Alistair Overeem and American Curtis Blaydes.
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