The fights to watch at UFC 234 in Melbourne, Australia

The first PPV of the year is coming out of Australia, with many big-named matchups for fight fans around the world. The main event features a middleweight championship fight and the co-main even has major title implications. The card also features Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series alums looking for their shot at the spotlight. Take a look at the fights you should keep an eye on during the UFC's return to Melbourne.

This is a huge step up in competition for Devonte Smith, who is coming off a huge win on Dana White's Contender Series. He is riding a huge wave after that fight and is coming into this scrap with a lot of confidence. Hyun Ma is here to kill the hype and set himself up for a big fight in the future. This is going to be a fun one to watch in the lightweight division, which is scheduled to set the tone for the main card.

When you're talking about striking, both of these men are the best at it. It's new school vs old school at UFC 234, although both fighters have very similar fighting styles. It's hard to not compare "The Last Stylebender" to "The Spider," especially as Adesanya has made it known he is fighting one of his inspirations in mixed martial arts. This is a huge matchup that could have title implications too. Although much is at stake for both men, this is going to be a fun scrap to watch for the fans that has potential for a Fight of the Night bonus.

This is a huge championship fight for the division. Since moving back up to middleweight, Gastelum has been on a roll with impressive wins; his last fight being against the dangerous, Jacare Souza. Whittaker is undoubtedly one of the most violent men in the division. He is coming off a five-round war with Yoel Romero in a fight where "The Reaper" showed true championship heart and grit. You don't want to miss this one!