UFC Vegas 124 Pre-Event Facts: Several Previous LFA Champions Take to the Octagon This Weekend

 Replacing Gabriel Bonfim and Sean Brady in the main event, heavyweights will rock the cage when Waldo Cortes-Acosta takes on recent divisional debutant Johnny Walker. Before that, a pivotal matchup at women’s strawweight, as Tatiana Suarez and Virna Jandiroba come to blows. 

These are some of the most interesting pre-event facts about the main card fighters of UFC Vegas 124.

UFC Vegas 124: Mantas Kondratavičius vs. Andre Petroski

Mantas Kondratavičius

Kondratavicius was the first male competitor from Lithuania to fight on the Contender Series. He has won six fights by knockout. Prior to his UFC debut, he had won all of his professional bouts by stoppage. He is one of three Lithuanian fighters fighting in the UFC, the others being Ernesta Kareckaite and Modestas Bukauskas

Andre Petroski

Petroski is a two-time Art of War Cage Fighting Middleweight Champion. He is also an alumnus of The Ultimate Fighter Season 29

He has been a part of the UFC roster since 2021, with his record in the promotion standing at 8-5. He holds notable wins over Nick Maximov, Gerald Meerschaert, and Rodolfo Vieira

UFC Vegas 124: Billy Elekana vs. Lucas Fernando

Billy Elekana

Elekana has gone 3-1 in the UFC since making his debut in the organization at UFC 311 last year. He has already competed once in 2026, defeating the much more seasoned Junior Tafa at UFC 325.

He has won three fights by knockout and three by submission

Lucas Fernando

Fernando is a former two-time LFA Light Heavyweight Champion, as well as a former LFA Middleweight Champion. He has won eight bouts by first round stoppage

He is coming off a win over Rafael Tobias this past August. Two of his professional losses have come against future UFC athletes in César Almeida and Azamat Bekoev.

UFC Vegas 124: Ko Seok-hyeon vs. Wellington Turman

Ko Seok-hyeon

Ko is a former AFC Welterweight and Middleweight Champion, having defended both of those belts once each. He has never been submitted as a professional. He has won both of his fights in the UFC since earning his contract with the company in 2024

Wellington Turman

Turman has been a part of the UFC roster since 2019, owning a promotional record of 3-6. His appearance at UFC Vegas 124 marks his first bout since December 2023. He has won eight contests by tap out

He has earned one Performance of the Night award

UFC Vegas 124: Davey Grant vs. Elijah Smith

Davey Grant

Grant has been a professional since 2008, earning the Shock n' Awe bantamweight title before joining the UFC in 2013 after making it to the finals of the Ultimate Fighter Season 18 135-lb tournament. He holds notable wins over Jonathan Martinez, Da'Mon Blackshear, and Marlon Vera

He is a black belt in kickboxing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Elijah Smith

Smith is a former Colorado Combat Club bantamweight champion. He is also the son of previous Ultimate Fighter and UFC veteran Gilbert Smith

He is undefeated in the UFC with three wins in a row after nabbing his contract with the promotion back in 2024. He has earned one Performance of the Night award

UFC Vegas 124: Tatiana Suarez vs. Virna Jandiroba

Tatiana Suarez

Suarez is a former 2008 Pan American Wrestling Championships gold medalist. She is a previous Ultimate Fighter tournament champion, winning the 23rd season of the show. She holds the UFC record for the highest significant strike accuracy in the women's strawweight division history at 59.7 percent. She has earned three Performance of the Night awards.

She is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Virna Jandiroba

Jandiroba is a former Invicta FC Strawweight Champion, having defended that belt once. She holds notable wins in the UFC over Marina Rodriguez, Yan Xiaonan, and Amanda Lemos. She holds the UFC record for the most control time in women's strawweight division history with 1:14:52. She has earned two Performance of the Night awards

UFC Vegas 124: Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Johnny Walker

Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Cortes-Acosta is a former LFA middleweight champion. His appearance at UFC Vegas 124 will mark his fourth bout of 2026. He is tied for the UFC record for the most fights in a calendar year in the promotion’s history, fighting five times in 2025. He has never been finished as a professional mixed martial artist.

He is a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Johnny Walker

Walker is a former European Beatdown and Ultimate Challenge MMA Light Heavyweight Champion.18 of his 23 wins have come by way of knockout.

As a 205-lb fighter in the UFC, he holds notable wins over Ryan Spann, Zhang Mingyang, and Khalil Rountree Jr. His last fight against Mick Parkin at UFC 332 saw him return to the heavyweight class since 2018. He is a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu