It is going to be some task to steal the limelight from Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal in Las Vegas this weekend.

The welterweight rivals' friends-turned-enemies dispute is a fable well-told and the pair are on a collision course with a five-round blockbuster slated in Sin City.

For Covington, there is no room for error. A man who has embraced his 'heel' persona, a defeat at the hands of Masvidal would serve a catastrophic blow to his reputation as the second-best fighter in the welterweight division. 

Masvidal has a personal grudge to settle and, while defeat won't be anywhere near as damaging for the fan-favourite, losing out to his former team-mate would be crushing from a personal viewpoint. 

Before Covington and Masvidal go head-to-head, though, there is a stacked card of fights to get fans excited prior to the main event. Here, Sportsmail takes a look at which bouts to keep an eye on in the early hours. 

Rafael Dos Anjos v Renato Moicano

It has been a deeply frustrating 16 months since Rafael dos Anjos last set foot in the Octagon. 

Back then, the Brazilian made a winning return to the lightweight division by beating Paul Felder, having been sent packing from the welterweight ranks after four defeats in five.

Yet nearly a year-and-a-half later, dos Anjos has been forced to watch on from afar. Various issues have seen two bouts against Islam Makhachev fall through and the 37-year-old was due to face Rafael Fiziev at UFC 272.

However, a positive Covid test has resulted in the Kyrgyzstani pulling out and Makhachev offered his services to step in. A fight could not be agreed so now dos Anjos takes on fellow countryman Renato Moicano at a catchweight of 160 pounds.

Moicano, an established former featherweight, has won three of his four fights at lightweight and will look to earn a surprise victory over dos Anjos in Sin City.

Edson Barboza v Bryce Mitchell

It's a Brazil-heavy main card with veteran Edson Barboza returning to the Octagon in a featherweight clash against the controversial rising star Bryce Mitchell.

Barboza has had a somewhat mixed time of it since moving down to featherweight after his lightweight exploits. He is 2-2, with his most recent outing a brutal TKO defeat by Giga Chikadze.

Things don't get easier for the 36-year-old this weekend as he takes on a young American brimming with confidence in Thug Nasty.

Mitchell, 27, is living up to the hype after winning The Ultimate Fighter in 2018, putting together a run of four wins while scooping two performance bonuses along the way to maintain his unblemished record of 14-0.

Yet he has certainly divided fans with his political opinions. Last month, he claimed that the 2020 Presidential Election was rigged, the 2017 Las Vegas shooting was an inside job, while suggesting that healthcare is not a 'right'.

Inside the Octagon, he has been pretty inactive, having not competed since October 2020 and Barboza will surely look to capitalise on any signs of ring rust.   

Kevin Holland v Alex Oliveira

Rumour has it, when Kevin Holland is not beating up internet trolls he spends his spare time fighting in the Octagon. 

'I'm not looking to hurt anybody - I don't fight these guys, I simply give them a troll smack,' the 29-year-old told BBC Sport of his unusual way of dealing with his haters. 'I think they can learn some valuable lessons.'

Curiously, though, Holland has received more abuse since posting footage of himself beating up his trolls, with swathes of fans pining for an invite to his gym.

Now, the Trailblazer can focus what he does best: professional fighting, and Saturday will bring pastures new for the American as he drops down to welterweight to face Alex Oliveira.

Holland is without a win in three and his bout with Kyle Daukaus was ruled a no contest after he was knocked out by an accidental clash of heads. Oliveira is also enduring a three-fight skid, with both men desperate to get back on track in Vegas.

Sergei Spivac v Greg Hardy 

Opening the main card on Saturday night will be a heavyweight clash between Sergei Spivac and Greg Hardy.

Former NFL defensive end Hardy arrives in Sin City in the midst of a two-fight skid, having lost out to Tai Tuivasa and Marcin Tybura in his last two fights.

His rival, nicknamed The Polar Bear, is also in need of a morale-boosting victory after suffering at the hands of rising British star Tom Aspinall last September.

Yet despite being at risk of seeing his UFC title dreams slip away from him, Hardy is in bullish mood this week.

'Let's put on a show. I'm here for the show,' Hardy said. 'I'm the greatest entertainer on Planet Earth, I'm one of if not the best athlete on the f***ing planet. I'm No. 2 [at least]. I'm here for the fans and it's gonna be a big one, you know how I roll.

'I am 295 [pounds] right now. Y'all thought I was lighter than that? So for the world to know, I walk around at 310. Ya boy is not a small guy. We packed up — sexy. I'm the biggest, fastest, most dangerous man on this planet, ba-doom.'