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There’s an intriguing mixed martial arts event on Friday night as former Legacy FC champion Myron Dennis and submission savant Fabio Cherant battle for the vacant light heavyweight title at Legacy Fighting Alliance 99. Dennis is a short favorite on the MMA odds.

Dennis vs. Cherant | 2021 MMA Expert Analysis

When: Friday, 9 PM ET (start of main card)
Where: Hartman Arena, Kansas City
TV/stream: UFC Fight Pass
MMA odds: Dennis -120, Cherant -110

Dennis is a 31-year-old American from Oklahoma City who is 18-7 in his career with seven wins by KO/TKO, seven by decision and four by submission.

“The Future” is one of the most popular fighters to have come out of the Legacy FC promotion. He defeated former UFC heavyweight title challenger Paul Buentello to capture the Legacy FC light-heavyweight title at Legacy FC 29.

Dennis also competed in UFC’s reality television show The Ultimate Fighter 23 (TUF 23). He impressed UFC President Dana White with his elite striking skills that helped him advance to the quarterfinals of TUF 23. Once LFA was created after to the merger of RFA and Legacy FC, Dennis would continue his winning ways by defeating current UFC fighter Danilo Marques in the main event of LFA 9.

Dennis returned to Glory Kickboxing in 2018, but made a triumphant return to MMA the following year. He is currently riding a 3-fight win streak with his most recent win coming against Dylan Potter in the co-main event of LFA 95.

The 26-year-old Cherant, from the Boston area, is 6-1 in his career with five wins by submission and one by decision. The Joe Lauzon protégé won his first four professional bouts in 2018. All four of those wins came by way of submission. The first two were via Guillotine Choke, while the second half came by way of Rear Naked Choke.

His lone loss was by second-round TKO to Aleksa Camur in Dana White’s Contender Series, but Cherant has since beaten Eric Murray and Yu Ji.

For Cherant, continuing to build off the momentum he had created for himself in the second half of last year with an impressive performance against Dennis is a goal he’s had in mind for some time.

“I’ve been saying since December that I wanted to start this year off with a bang,” said Cherant. “This is going to be a big statement year for me. I want to make big statements and start this year off right.”

Both Dennis and Cherant are phenomenal strikers, but Cherant is the better grappler. Dennis has several fights in Glory Kickboxing but has been focusing on MMA more consistently as he looks to try and get to the UFC.

“We have a solid game plan from the films we’ve been watching,” Cherant said of Dennis. “He’s a dangerous guy. It’s definitely not going five-rounds. I want to prove everybody wrong that I’m not a grappler. The story of grappler versus striker is funny, but everybody’s going to see what’s up.”