#Knockeando: Notas sobre el MMA y el Boxeo

Pesaje Oficial: Joe Smith Jr. vs. Maxim Vlasov EN VIVO por ESPN, ESPN Deportes y ESPN + Mañana a las 10 p.m. ET

• CLIC AQUÍ para FOTOS Credito: Mikey Williams (Top Rank vía Getty Images)  • CLIC AQUÍ para VÍDEO (Para Uso de TV solamente | Cortesía: Top Rank) (ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT)     •    Joe Smith Jr. 174.8. lbs vs. Maxim Vlasov 175 lbs  (Vacante Título Mundial Semi Pesado de la OMB — 12 Rounds) Jueces: David Sutherland, Pat Russell, Gerald Ritter Referee: Gary Ritter •          Efe Ajagba 239.6 lbs vs. Brian Howard 218 lbs  (Peso Pesado— 10 Rounds) (ESPN+, 5:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. PT) •   Jared Anderson 251.8 lbs vs. Jeremiah Karpency 226.6 lbs  (Peso Pesado — 8/6 Rounds) •         Albert Bell 132.2 lbs vs. Manuel Rey Rojas 132  (Junior Ligero  — 8 Rounds)    •   Robson Conceição 128.4 lbs vs. Jesus Antonio Ahumada 129  (Junior Ligero  — 8 Rounds) •       Trey Lippe Morrison 225.8 lbs vs. Jason Bergman 256  (Peso Pesado  — 8 Rounds)   •      Duke Ragan 125.8 lbs vs. Charles Clark 126.6  (Peso Pluma  — 6 Rounds) •        Jeremiah Milton 231.8 lbs vs. Jayvone Dafney 222.6  (Peso Pesado — 4 Rounds) •        Sonny Conto 230.4 lbs vs. Waldo Cortes 262  (Peso Pesado — 4 Rounds)   ***COMUNICADO DE PRENSA*** El arte se junta con el boxeo para el bien de la juventud en Bayamón Bayamón, PR - Simplemente una obra de arte, así tenemos que describir al Monterrey Boxing Club en Bayamón, ya que los colores y los rostros de varios de los principales campeones mundiales que ha dado Puerto Rico están adornando su fachada, convirtiendo a este gimnasio en uno único y especial. "Esta idea surge, ya que yo quería hacer un mural en la parte del frente del gimnasio con la cara de varios campeones del mundo", indicó Emilio 'Millo' Lozada, entrenador y administrador del gimnasio. "Nos pusimos a la búsqueda de alguien que nos pudiera ayudar con eso. Me mencionaron a Don Rimx, que es un caballo en esto de los murales, pero realmente pensé que sería imposible poder contar con sus servicios. Lo bueno fue que él ya conocía del trabajo que venimos haciendo con la juventud y la comunidad aquí en el Monterrey Boxing. Cuando le hicimos el acercamiento, sin pensarlo se puso a nuestra disposición y literalmente nos regaló su arte. Yo simplemente quería un mural con varios campeones, pero él vino con otro concepto y convirtió esto en una obra de arte". Natural del residencial Nemesio Canales en Hato Rey, el artista internacional Edwin David Sepulveda Cruz, mejor conocido como Don Rimx, no dudó ni por un segundo donar su talento a beneficio de la juventud, el deporte y la comunidad. "Millo está haciendo un trabajo de corazón por la comunidad de Monterrey y sus alrededores, que definitivamente no puede pasar por desapercibido y hay que meter mano para ayudar", manifestó el muralista de profesión y egresado de la Escuela de Artes Plásticas de San Juan, Don Rimx. "Vi esa iniciativa, movida de autogestión, que me 'pompeó' el poder aportar. Buscamos materiales, viajé desde Orlando, y comenzamos a trabajar. Tomamos la decisión de no solo hacer un mural, sino que le metimos mano al gimnasio completo. Traté que esto fuera una inspiración para los chamaquitos. Un recorrido visual, que tuvieran esa experiencia de conectar con el arte. Ellos se involucraron conmigo en el proceso y fue muy bonito. Ese es uno de mis propósitos,  llevar ese mensaje con mi arte, que la gente entienda que de los caseríos sale gente buena, que se puede progresar y que vamos pa' lante". El arte de Don Rimx salió del archipiélago borincano, y ha llegado a Nueva York, Los Ángeles, Miami, México, Panamá, Ecuador, España, Alemania, Israel, entre otros. Actualmente, el artista boricua se encuentra trabajando una de sus obras en el Museo Las Américas en el Viejo San Juan. Por su parte, Lozada espera que esta nueva imagen del gimnasio le de aún más fuerzas al trabajo que viene realizando por más de una década con la juventud de Puerto Rico. "Hace 13 años que fundamos este gimnasio de Monterrey Boxing Club con el fin de trabajar con jóvenes de las comunidades que nos rodean", dijo Lozada, quien también tiene su compañía 'Millo Boquillas', creando protectores bucales para deportistas. "Esta es una misión que me he puesto para ayudarlos a que practiquen el deporte, y así alejarlos de las calles. Con mucho trabajo y dedicación hemos logrado establecer una buena reputación, logrando que boxeadores como Bryan 'Chary' Chevalier y José 'Cheito' Román, que eran propensos a caer en malos pasos, están logrando cosas positivas dentro del boxeo profesional. Al igual, tengo un buen grupo de muchachos jóvenes que han seguido el ejemplo y estamos logrando hacer cosas buenas con ellos. Este es un nuevo impulso para seguir motivando". El Monterrey Boxing Club está ubicado en la calle 21 de la urbanización Rexville en Bayamón. Para mayor información del gimnasio y sus servicios pueden comunicarse al 787-962-4501. La leyenda del fútbol brasileño Dani Alves se une a la celebración de BRAVE CF 50 La leyenda del fútbol Daniel Alves se unió a la avalancha de personas que felicitaban a su alteza Shaikh Khaled bin Hamad Al Khalifa, el fundador de la promoción de más rápido crecimiento en el mundo BRAVE Combat Federation, por el éxito de BRAVE CF 50.  A principios de mes, la organización se convirtió oficialmente en la primera promoción de artes marciales mixtas en visitar 21 países en los 5 continentes durante sus primeros 50 eventos. Dani Alves es ampliamente reconocido como uno de los mejores laterales derechos de todos los tiempos y es el jugador con más victorias en la historia del fútbol.  Ha ganado 41 trofeos en sus más de 10 años de carrera y ha jugado en algunos de los clubes más importantes del fútbol europeo.  Alves es mejor conocido por sus contribuciones a un equipo legendario de Barcelona a principios de la última década y también ha representado a la Selección Brasileña en varias ocasiones. En un mensaje de video, Alves felicitó a SS Shaikh Khaled por liderar a la promoción de más rápido crecimiento en el mundo y le envió un mensaje importante sobre el deporte y la importancia que tiene en la vida de las personas a nivel mundial. “Los que practicamos deporte creemos firmemente que transforma la vida de las personas, que da esperanza a la vida de estas personas y no solo cuando la gente invierte en el deporte, sino también cuando pone su alma en ello”, dice Alves.  “Creo que esa es la diferencia de BRAVE CF, su alteza puso su alma en este deporte y por eso puede llegar a tanta gente. Así que felicitaciones, estamos juntos", agregó el brasileño. BRAVE CF ha sido transparente sobre su misión de cambiar la vida de los atletas y reformar el panorama del deporte de las MMA desde su creación en 2016.  Ha brindado oportunidades para los luchadores, estableciendo programas nacionales de desarrollo deportivo y haciendo de cada evento un proyecto nacional para el país anfitrión para que los funcionarios gubernamentales participen en el apoyo a los atletas. La visión de SS Shaikh Khaled ha recibido el reconocimiento de los mejores atletas de todo el mundo y Daniel Alves ahora se une a personas como Conor McGregor para destacar las contribuciones de BRAVE Combat Federation a los deportes de combate en todo el mundo. Enlace de Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CNag4LYDn1A/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Amin Ayoub y Ahmed Amir llevan la rivalidad a nuevos niveles por el oro en BRAVE CF  DISTRITO DE SEEF._ En los últimos meses, los rivales de peso ligero Amin Ayoub y Ahmed Amir han construido una rivalidad en curso que se suponía tendría su resultado decidido en BRAVE CF 50.  Sin embargo, no fue así, ya que Amir terminó retirándose debido a una lesión. Sin embargo, las bromas entre los dos artistas marciales mixtos se extendieron mucho más allá de la jaula, e incluso durante la noche de la pelea cuando Ayoub compitió, y ganó, en un concurso sin título. Curiosamente, Ayoub no fue la figura original en el ojo de Amir cuando el egipcio perseguía vengarse de Cleiton "The Predator" Silva. Silva salió con la mano en alto, por una finalización en el segundo round derrotando a Amir luego de una extenuante guerra. Más de un año después de su primer encuentro, el brasileño capturó el título mundial de peso ligero BRAVE CF a expensas de su compatriota Luan Santiago. Cuando estaba previsto que Silva hiciera su primera defensa contra Ayoub en BRAVE CF 44 en noviembre de 2020, Amir invadió los pesajes y lanzó un desafío dramático. Pero las cosas no salieron según lo planeado cuando Silva sucumbió ante Ayoub por nocaut en el cuarto asalto. Con el francés como campeón mundial, Amir apuntó al monarca recién coronado.  A partir de ahí, se intensificó rápidamente la rivalidad entre estos dos en redes sociales y distintas entrevistas.  Tanto Ayoub como Amir tuvieron la oportunidad de resolver sus problemas entre ellos en BRAVE CF 50, pero este último recibió una noticia desafortunada ya que necesitaba retirarse de la pelea debido a una lesión en el cuello y el hombro. Como resultado, Mashrabjon Ruziboev entró al quite y tomó el lugar de Amir para enfrentar a Ayoub en un combate no titular de 74 kilogramos, donde el campeón francés salió triunfante por decisión unánime. Ayoub estaba en medio de su celebración cuando Amir, sorprendentemente, salió de la nada y se involucró en un acalorado intercambio verbal. Aunque la seguridad y los funcionarios dentro del lugar pudieron aliviar la tensión, la situación sigue acalorada entre los dos.  “Ahmed Amir habla demasiado. Ahora, tiene que ser un hombre y hacer lo que dice que puede hacerme”, afirmó Ayoub. "Él se retiró. Canceló la pelea debido a una lesión. Tuve una lesión hace dos semanas, pero no me retiré como Ahmed Amir", agregó “A pesar de que me lesioné, fui a pelear porque soy el campeón mundial de peso ligero BRAVE CF. Tengo un nombre y una reputación que proteger ”, agregó. Mientras tanto, Amir minimizó las credenciales de Ayoub como competidor en el deporte, creyendo que tiene lo que se necesita para destronar a "Fierceness" como el capo de la división de peso ligero. “Esperaba una actuación mucho mejor de él (Ayoub), pero tuvo una muy mala actuación contra un oponente con poca antelación. ¿Eso es lo que llamas campeón? Si peleara conmigo como lo hizo en su última pelea, no sería el campeón hoy", dijo el contendiente egipcio. "Te prometo que cuando luche ontra él, lo aplastaré", continuó Amir. “Le recordaré sus payasadas infantiles en las redes sociales. Se acabó la charla. Prometo que lo golpearé y le quitaré el cinturón", añadió. VIDEO: Ahmed Amir reta a Amin Ayoub después de la pelea de BRAVE CF 50: https://www.instagram.com/p/CNI0JwkMokI/   THRILLING MIDDLEWEIGHT CONTENDERS (#1) ROBERT WHITTAKER AND (#8) KELVIN GASTELUM COLLIDE IN HIGHLY ANTICIPATED MAIN EVENT     FEATURED BOUT: (#9-FW) JEREMY STEPHENS vs. DRAKKAR KLOSE   Las Vegas – UFC® will deliver a middleweight main event almost three years in the making, as former champion and No. 1 contender Robert Whittaker takes on No. 8 Kelvin Gastelum. In an exciting co-main event, No. 9 ranked featherweight contender Jeremy Stephens returns to lightweight for the first time in eight years to face Drakkar Klose.   UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: WHITTAKER vs. GASTELUM will take place Saturday, April 17 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire card will air on ESPN and ESPN Deportes and be simulcast on ESPN+ (English and Spanish), with the prelims kicking off at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT followed by the main card at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.   No. 13 men’s pound-for-pound fighter Whittaker (23-5, fighting out of Sydney, Australia) looks to build off the recent momentum of two impressive victories over Jared Cannonier and Darren Till. Throughout his run in the 185-pound division, he has delivered memorable wins over Yoel Romero (twice), Jacare Souza and Derek Brunson. Whittaker now has his sights set on another show-stealing performance to stake his claim for an opportunity to regain his crown.   The Ultimate Fighter season 17 winner Gastelum (17-6 1NC, fighting out of Yuma, Ariz. by way of Huntington Beach, Calif.) steps in to replace Paulo Costa to finally get his shot at Whittaker after their UFC 234 encounter was cancelled. A talented striker and grappler, he holds notable wins over Michael Bisping, Johny Hendricks and Tim Kennedy. Gastelum now hopes to take out another former UFC champion and re-enter the middleweight division’s top five.   Perennial fan favorite Stephens (28-18 1NC, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.) has delivered a series of spectacular knockouts during his 14-year stint on the UFC roster. Included on his resume are KO wins against Josh Emmett, Dennis Bermudez and former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos. Stephens now aims to turn heads once again at 155 pounds with another vintage performance.   Klose (11-2-1, fighting out of Glendale, Ariz.) is gunning to make the most of his first UFC co-main event appearance by securing the biggest win of his career. A gritty competitor and striker, he has delivered entertaining victories over Bobby Green, Lando Vannata and Marc Diakiese. Klose now hopes to secure his first UFC finish by taking out another seasoned veteran.   Additional bouts on the card include: Former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski (30-20 2NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) squares off with Chase Sherman (15-6, fighting out of D'Iberville, Miss.) Abdul Razak Alhassan (10-3, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) moves up to middleweight to face Jacob Malkoun (4-1, fighting out of Sydney, Australia) Luis Pena (8-3, fighting out of Gilroy, Calif.) returns to action against Dana White’s Contender Series veteran Alex Munoz (6-1, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) in a lightweight bout Ricardo Ramos (14-3, fighting out of Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil) squares off with Bill Algeo (14-5, fighting out of King of Prussia, Penn.) at featherweight Women’s flyweight prospects collide when Tracy Cortez (8-1, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) faces Justine Kish (7-3, fighting out of Cramerton, N.C.) Alexandr Romanov (13-0, fighting out of Comrat City, Republic of Moldova) takes on Juan Espino (11-1, fighting out of Gran Canaria, Spain) in a battle of surging heavyweights Former women’s strawweight title challenger Jessica Penne (12-6, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif.) returns to the Octagon for the first time in four years when she meets debuting Lupita Godinez (5-0, fighting out of Vancouver, Canada by way of Aguascalientes, Mexico) Bartosz Fabinski (15-4, fighting out of Warsaw, Poland) takes on Gerald Meerschaert (31-14, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) at middleweight Zarah Fairn (6-4, fighting out of Paris, France) goes for her first UFC victory against UFC newcomer Josiane Nunes (7-1, fighting out of Fazenda Rio Grande, Parana, Brazil) in a women’s bantamweight contest Tony Gravely (20-6, fighting out of Christiansburg, Va.) locks horns with Anthony Birchak (16-7, fighting out of Tucson, Ariz.) at bantamweight   For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change. Fakhreddine y Said Maalem reavivan la guerra de palabras después de la cancelación de pelea titular en BRAVE CF 50   DISTRITO DE SEEF._ Mohammad Fakhreddine y Mohammed Said Maalem no tuvieron la oportunidad de resolver sus diferencias dentro de BRAVE CF la semana pasada, ya que Fakhreddine se enfermó horas antes de su pelea por el título mundial de peso semipesado vacante programada.  Pero eso no significa que el calor entre los dos hombres haya disminuido; de hecho, solo ha aumentado.   Un Said Maalem muy irritado publicó un meme de su rival en sus perfiles de redes sociales, que no le cayó bien a Fakhreddine y sus fans, quienes a su vez hicieron varios otros memes dirigidos a Said Maalem.   La potencia argelina luego envió una declaración en video en la que cuestionaba las acciones de Fakhreddine durante la noche de la pelea.  El campeón de peso mediano, que buscaba convertirse en el primer doble campeón mundial en la historia de BRAVE CF, se vio obligado a retirarse de la pelea con horas para el final debido a problemas médicos. Sin embargo, según Said Maalem, estaba buscando una salida.   "Te burlaste de mi boxeo y dijiste que mi lucha es mala, seguiste actuando en los pesajes pensando que te asustaría, luego tu entrenador viene una hora antes de la pelea para decirme que no estás peleando. Tuviste todo el día para hacerme saber que no te sentías bien, pero esperaste hasta el último minuto. Si tuviera dolor de estómago y quedara una hora, pelearía como tú y respetaría a mi audiencia y no sería un cobarde", comentó Said Maalem, quien continuó diciendo que espera que BRAVE CF vuelva a hacer el duelo.   "Realmente espero que reprogramen esto. No puedo esperar para mostrarte lo malo que es mi boxeo y lo malo que es mi lucha para que puedas quedarte muy sorprendido", dijo Maalem, irónicamente.   Si bien ambos hombres han estado yendo y viniendo con ferocidad el uno al otro, reconocen que se trata de ellos y no de sus países o culturas. Said Maalem garantizó que no tenía ningún problema con el pueblo libanés, a excepción de Mohammad Fakhreddine. Listos Joe Smith Jr. y Maxim Vlasov para el enfrentamiento titular de este sábado en Tulsa Los combates Smith-Vlasov y Ajagba-Brian Howard se transmitirán en vivo por ESPN, ESPN Deporetes y ESPN+ a las 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT La transmisión de las peleas preliminares, incluido el regreso de la sensación de peso pesado Jared "The Real Big Baby" Anderson, se transmitirá en vivo por ESPN+ a las 5:30 p.m. ET / 2: 30 p.m. PT  • CLIC AQUÍ para FOTOS Credito de Fotos: Mikey Williams / Top Rank vía Getty Images • CLIC AQUÍ para ver la CONFERENCIA DE PRENSA (Para uso de TV solamente | Cortesía: Top Rank)   TULSA, OK (8 de abril del 2021) - Joe Smith Jr., un propietario de una pequeña empresa y ex trabajador de la construcción sindical de Long Island, solo quiere pelear. Smith, quien opera Team Smith Tree Service con su padre, espera derribar a Maxim Vlasov y ganar el vacante título mundial semipesado de la OMB el sábado por la noche en el Osage Casino en Tulsa, Oklahoma (ESPN, ESPN Deportes y ESPN, 10 p.m. ET). Smith y Vlasov habían visto cara a cara para una conferencia de prensa previa a la pelea, el 11 de febrero en Las Vegas. Vlasov dio positivo por COVID-19 al día siguiente, y la pelea se descarriló temporalmente. Vlasov se recuperó, se fue a su casa en Rusia y luego terminó el campo de entrenamiento en Las Vegas. Smith se casó, pero retrasó su luna de miel para concentrarse en la tarea que tenía entre manos. En lugar de las brillantes luces de Las Vegas, pelearán en el Sooner State frente a una multitud limitada. Antes de la noche de la pelea, en la conferencia de prensa número dos, esto fue lo que dijeron ambos peleadores: Joe Smith Jr. "Estaba 100 por ciento listo para volver en febrero, pero está bien. Tuve tiempo para disfrutar el día de mi boda y ahora estoy listo para pelear una vez más". "Sé a lo que me estoy enfrentando. Es un tipo que tira muchos golpes y es agresivo. Tiene mucha experiencia, pero me he preparado bien y voy a dar el 100 por ciento de mí mismo para salir victorioso". "Convertirme en campeón mundial y escuchar las palabras '¡y el nuevo campeón!' va a ser una sensación increíble. Esto es todo por lo que he estado trabajando desde que tenía 15 años". Maxim Vlasov "Estoy listo. Me he estado preparando bien. He estado mejorando mis habilidades y estoy listo para darlo todo, al 100 por ciento". “A pesar de que soy un peleador experimentado. Me siento igual que un boxeador más joven con menos experiencia porque sé que esta es una gran oportunidad para mí. Es una gran responsabilidad y un gran riesgo. Estoy muy emocionado y motivado por esta pelea". “Me tomé la preparación en serio, vi muchas de sus peleas y aprendí algunas cosas. No me gusta hablar sobre sus puntos más débiles o fuertes ni divulgar estrategias o planes relacionados con la pelea".   CALENDARIO DE NOCHE DE PELEA (sábado, 10 de abril) ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT Joe Smith Jr. vs. Maxim Vlasov, 12 rounds, Vacante Título Mundial Semipesado de la OMB Efe Ajagba vs. Brian Howard, 10 rounds, peso pesado ESPN+, 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT Jared Anderson vs. Jeremiah Karpency, 8 rounds, peso pesado Albert Bell vs. Manuel Rey Rojas, 8 rounds, junior ligero Robson Conceicao vs. Jesus Antonio Ahumada, 8 rounds, junior ligero Trey Lippe Morrison vs. Jason Bergman, 8 rounds, peso pesado Duke Ragan vs. Charles Clark, 6 rounds, peso pluma Sonny Conto vs. Waldo Cortes, 4 rounds, peso pesado Jeremiah Milton vs. Jayvone Dafney, 4 rounds, peso pesado   Si está interesado en acceder a imágenes adicionales de Top Rank disponibles para la licencia más allá del enlace de fotos anterior, vaya a las siguientes páginas de inicio del evento para obtener la licencia de nuestras imágenes: Nombre del evento: Smith vs. Vlasov - Conferencia de prensa Fecha: jueves 8 de abril de 2021 Para cualquier inquietud o pregunta sobre el funcionamiento de Getty, comuníquese con nuestro representante de Getty Images Mark Awad en mark.awad@gettyimages.com o support.na@gettyimages.com para obtener ayuda.   Sobre ESPN+ ESPN+ es el servicio de transmisión de deportes líder en la industria que ofrece a los fanáticos en los Estados Unidos miles de eventos deportivos en vivo, programación original no disponible en las redes de TV lineal o digitales de ESPN y contenido editorial exclusivo de docenas de escritores y reporteros de ESPN. Lanzado en abril de 2018, ESPN+ ha crecido a más de 12.1 millones de suscriptores. Los fanáticos se registran en ESPN+ por solo $5.99 al mes (o $59.99 al año) en ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com o en la aplicación ESPN (dispositivos móviles y conectados). También está disponible como parte de The Disney Bundle que brinda a los suscriptores acceso a Disney+, ESPN+ y Hulu por $12.99 / mes (Hulu sin anuncios) o $18.99 / mes (Hulu sin anuncios).

 

#Knockeando: Notas y Resultados recientes de la UFC

UFC FIGHT PASS^® MAKES RICO vs BIGFOOT COLLISION FREE

GLORY HEAVYWEIGHT KICKBOXING CHAMPION TAKES ON FORMER UFC TITLE CHALLENGER THIS SATURDAY

Las Vegas – The world’s greatest kickboxer – GLORY world heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven – collides with former UFC heavyweight title challenger Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva this Saturday, October 14 in the main event of GLORY 46 SuperFight Series. The historic event from Guangzhou, China, can be seen FREE for fight fans around the world via UFC FIGHT PASS, the UFC’s digital streaming service, and GLORY, the world’s premier kickboxing promotion.  The platform and the promotion have worked together to make the entire seven-fight GLORY SuperFight Series available both live and on a video-on-demand basis. 

Fans who download the UFC App or click HERE on their desktop will be able to enjoy the action, whether they currently have a subscription to UFC FIGHT PASS or not.

The live event begins streaming at 6am ET, with Bigfoot and Verhoeven expected to clash around 8am ET. After the live stream, the event will be available on a video-on-demand basis – for FREE – for a period of one week.  

As FIGHT PASS subscribers are well aware, 28 year old Dutchman Verhoeven has established himself as kickboxing’s No.1 star. Standing 6ft 5l and weighing 260lbs, “The King of Kickboxing” is riding a 13-fight winning streak inside the GLORY ring that includes five defenses of his heavyweight title and victories over a who’s who of the division including kickboxing icons Badr Hari, Daniel Ghiță and Peter Aerts.

Verhoeven describes facing former UFC contender Silva as a new challenge: 

“Fighting MMA fighters in cross-over fights is interesting and I’m always looking for new challenges and new ways to keep entertaining the fans. Bigfoot always brings a war in his fights and that’s what the fans want to see. If I take him lightly, I will put myself in a dangerous position. He can hit hard from all angles and has real heavyweight power, so I know I can’t lose concentration for an instant.”

“Bigfoot is dangerous throughout the fight – I know we will have an exciting fight this Saturday.”

The Brazilian-born Silva, who will be making his kickboxing debut in China, is well-known to MMA fans. The 6ft 4, 265lbs brawler boasts 14 knockouts from his 19 wins in MMA and holds stoppage wins over the likes of former UFC heavyweight champions Ricco Rodriguez and Andrei Arlovski along with PRIDE FC champ Fedor Emelianenko.

“Bigfoot” relishes the challenge of competing under kickboxing rules, especially in a sprint of a fight which will be contested over three, three-minute rounds: 

“Rico is one of the best in the world, a champion and has a lot of power and explosiveness - but I’m very relaxed about this fight. I’ve fought the best strikers in the world – Mark Hunt, Alistair Overeem and others from kickboxing – and I believe one punch will finish this fight.”

“I have kicks in my game, but I really believe in the power of my hands. If I can put one punch on his, I will put him down.”

The full GLORY 46 SuperFight Series is below:

GLORY 46 SuperFight Series
Heavyweight: Rico Verhoeven vs. Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva
Catchweight (75 kg): Shanghai Gao vs. Alan Scheinson

Middleweight: Wei Zhou vs. Andre Walker
Catchweight (53 kg) Bout:  Jia Liu vs. Zaza Sor. Aree
Catchweight (68 kg) Bout: Lei Xie vs. Petchpanomrung Kiatmookao
Lightweight Bout: Qinghao Meng vs. Pascal Schroth

Professional Sanda Bout: Hongxing Kong vs. Yang Sun

For more information, please visit UFCFightPass.com .

FORMER CHAMPS COLLIDE

AS UFC^® RETURNS TO WINNIPEG

TICKETS FOR UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: LAWLER vs. DOS ANJOS

AT BELL MTS PLACE GO ON SALE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20

Winnipeg, Canada – A pair of former UFC^® world champions will throw down in a welterweight thriller at Bell MTS Centre on December 16. UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: LAWLER vs. DOS ANJOS will see former welterweight champion and No.1-ranked contender Robbie Lawler (28-11 1NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Florida, USA) look to take another step back towards a title shot when he meets one-time lightweight titleholder and No. 5 ranked welterweightRafael dos Anjos (27-9, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).

A dangerous knockout artist, Lawler has engaged in some of the most memorable bouts in UFC history. During his 170-pound title reign, he earned legendary wins over Rory MacDonald and Carlos Condit. Following a loss to current champ Tyron Woodley, he rebounded with a sensational victory over Donald Cerrone in July. Undefeated since moving up to 170 pounds earlier this year, dos Anjos immediately cemented his contender status with an impressive victory over Tarec Saffiedine. He then followed up his welterweight debut with a dominant submission win against Neil Magny.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: LAWLER vs. DOS ANJOS will also feature a battle of light heavyweight contenders, as No.3 ranked Glover Teixeira (26-6, fighting out of Danbury, Connecticut, USA by way of Sobralia, Minas Gerais, Brazil) faces No.8 Misha Cirkunov (13-3, fighting out of Toronto, Canada by way of Riga, Latvia).

A one-time title challenger, Teixeira has fought the who’s who of the light heavyweight division. He holds victories over Rashad Evans, Ovince Saint Preux, Ryan Bader and Quinton Jackson. In his last outing, he came up short in a Fight of the Night effort against Alexander Gustafsson. Cirkunov burst into the UFC’s 205-pound scene with four consecutive stoppage wins against Nikita Krylov, Ion Cuțelaba, Alex Nicholson and Daniel Jolly. The Latvian-born fighter aims to use Teixeira as a stepping stone into title contention.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: LAWLER vs. DOS ANJOS will also boast the following fights:

-        No.11-ranked light heavyweight Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (22-7, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) squares off with No.15 Jared Cannonier (10-2, fighting out of Anchorage, Alaska, USA)

-        In a clash of dynamic flyweights, No.11-ranked Tim Elliott (15-8-1, fighting out of Lee's Summit, Missouri, USA) takes on Justin Scoggins (11-4, fighting out of Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA)

-        The Ultimate Fighter Nations^® winner Chad Laprise (13-2, fighting out of Chatham, Ontario, Canada) looks to continue his momentum at welterweight against dynamic striker Galore Bofando (5-2, fighting out of London, England by way of Democratic Republic Congo)

-        Talented kickboxer John Makdessi (14-6, fighting out of Montreal, Canada) locks horns with heavy-hitting Abel Trujillo (15-6 1NC, fighting out of Boca, Raton, Florida, USA)

-        Tristar Gym’s Nordine Taleb (13-4, fighting out of Montreal, Canada by way of St. Tropez, France) meets Sambo specialist Sultan Aliev (14-2, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Florida, USA by way of Dagestan, Russia)

-        Italian prospect Alessio Di Chirico (10-2, fighting out of Rome, Italy) faces dangerous striker Oluwale Bamgbose (6-3, fighting out of New York City, USA) in a middleweight bout

-        In a battle of knockout artists, Vitor Miranda (13-6, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) welcomes Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series standout Julian Marquez (6-1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nevada, USA)

For more information or current fight news, visit ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

The credential link is open on the UFC^® Press Portal. Please apply before Thursday, November 16. No applications will be accepted after this deadline.

Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: LAWLER vs. DOS ANJOS go on sale Friday, October 20 at 10 a.m. CDT. Prices will be announced soon. Tickets are available for purchase via Ticketmaster.ca and limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club^® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, October 18 at 10 a.m. CDT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, October 19 starting at 10 a.m. CDT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter throughUFC.com.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT^®: LAWLER vs. DOS ANJOS will air live on Saturday, December 16 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on FOX. In Canada, the event will be broadcast on CTV TWO and RDS 2.

Since 2008, the UFC has staged 24 events in the Great White North, across 10 different cities – Calgary, Edmonton Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City, Saskatoon, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg. UFC events have set single-day event gate records in five Canadian venues: Calgary’s Scotiabank Saddledome (UFC 149), Montreal’s Bell Centre (UFC 124), Ottawa’s The Arena at TD Place (UFC Fight Night), Toronto’s Rogers Centre (UFC 129) and Winnipeg’s MTS Centre (UFC 161). 

FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION MAX HOLLOWAY TO DEFEND WORLD TITLE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MOTOR CITY AGAINST MMA LEGEND FRANKIE EDGAR

Plus: (#1) ALISTAIR OVEREEM vs (#4) FRANCIS NGANNOU (#3) EDDIE ALVAREZ vs (#5) JUSTIN GAETHJE TICKETS FOR UFC® 218: HOLLOWAY vs EDGAR AT LITTLE CAESARS ARENA ON SALE FRIDAY, OCT. 13 Las Vegas – UFC® will make its first appearance in Detroit in more than 20 years with the 145-pound world title on the line when Max Holloway makes his first walk as champion against No. 2 ranked Frankie Edgar in the main event of UFC® 218: HOLLOWAY vs EDGAR.Setting the stage for the main event will be two bouts with title implications as No. 1 ranked Alistair Overeem and No. 4 Francis Ngannou clash in a heavyweight tilt, and top lightweight contenders No. 3 Eddie Alvarez and No. 5 Justin Gaethje try to position themselves in the stacked l55-pound division. The event takes place Saturday, Dec. 2 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit and will air live on Pay-Per-View. Featherweight champion Holloway (18-3, fighting out of Waianae, Hawaii) was considered the future of the division, and the future is now. Coming off a dominant third-round knockout of long reigning champion Jose Aldo, Holloway marked his arrival as champion in emphatic fashion. Edgar (21-5-1, fighting out of Toms River, N.J.) hopes to make history of his own by becoming only the fourth athlete in UFC history to become a two-division champion (Conor McGregor, BJ Penn, Randy Couture). The New Jersey native won the 155-pound title in 2010 against Hall-of-Famer BJ Penn and held it until a 2012 loss to Benson Henderson. In the co-main event, top-ranked Overeem (43-15, 1 NC, fighting out of Amsterdam, The Netherlands) looks to earn another crack at the heavyweight title with an impressive performance against budding phenom Ngannou (10-1, fighting of Paris, France). Overeem is one of the best heavyweights in MMA history and has been a champion in almost every promotion he has competed in, with only the UFC title eluding him. Overeem has finished 38 of his 43 wins, 21 by knockout and 17 by way of submission, proving that he is versatile and capable of ending the fight wherever it goes. On the other side, Ngannou is a knockout artist who possesses the one punch power that makes him one of the most feared competitors in MMA today. With his meteoric rise, a win over someone with the credentials Overeem has would make it nearly impossible to deny him a shot at current champion Stipe Miocic in his next bout. Additionally, an electrifying lightweight matchup between the coaches of this season of The Ultimate Fighter®, Alvarez (28-5, 1 NC, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn.) and Gaethje (18-0, fighting out of Arvada, Colo.) will also be featured on the main card. The two strikers have combined for 37 finishes, 31 by way of knockout and 20 in the first round, so don’t expect for this bout to go the distance. Alvarez is a former UFC champion who hopes a win over the undefeated Gaethje will propel him back into title contention. Gaethje is coming off a Fight of the Year candidate performance against perennial contender Michael Johnson in his promotional debut and knows a win over a recent champion will confirm that he’s knocking on the door of a shot at the 155-pound crown. Additional bouts: · Olympic gold medalist, No. 2 ranked flyweight Henry Cejudo (11-2, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) clashes with No. 4 Sergio Pettis (16-2, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) with both men eyeing a title shot · Michigan native Drakkar Klose(8-0-1, fighting out of Glendale, Ariz.) returns home to meet Swedish striker David Teymur (6-1, fighting out of Stockholm, Sweden) in a lightweight duel · In a battle of high ranked strawweights, No. 9 Felice Herrig (13-6, fighting out of Crystal Lake, Ill.) and No. 12 Cortney Casey (7-4, fighting out of Maui, Hawaii) look to take one step closer to title contention · Michigan’s own Amanda Cooper (3-3, fighting out of Bath, Mich.) takes on fellow The Ultimate Fighter alum Angela Magana (11-8, fighting out of Phuket, Thailand) at 115-pounds · Light heavyweight power puncher Jeremy Kimball (15-6, fighting out of Colorado Springs, Colo.) meets undefeated striking sensation Dominic Reyes (7-0, fighting out of Victorville, Calif.) For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change. Visit the UFC® Press Portal for information and content to support your UFC coverage. UFC® 218: HOLLWAY vs EDGAR will air live on PPV at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on Saturday, Dec. 2, with the prelims kicking off the evening on FS1 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and on UFC FIGHT PASS® at 6:15 p.m. ET/3:15 p.m. PT. Tickets for UFC® 218: HOLLWAY vs EDGAR go on sale Friday, Oct. 13 at 10 a.m. ET and are priced at $250, $175, $125, $100, $75 and $50 (prices do not include applicable service charges and handling fees). To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, Oct. 11 at 10 a.m. ET via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, Oct. 12 starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.                               UFC® ANNOUNCES NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH BODYARMOR® Las Vegas – UFC®, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, today announced a multi-year partnership with BODYARMOR® Sports Drink, establishing the isotonic brand as the first-ever “Official Sports Drink” of UFC. As part of this ground-breaking collaboration, which covers the United States and begins in 2018, BODYARMOR will supply its line of high-end sports hydration products: BODYARMOR sports drink and BODYARMOR LYTE, to the UFC Performance Institute’s two “BODYARMOR Hydration Stations”. “BODYARMOR is an industry leader in sports hydration and they are a perfect fit to partner with UFC,” UFC President Dana White said. “Providing UFC athletes with safe, nutritional products while training at the UFC Performance Institute is an important part of helping them maximize their overall performance and BODYARMOR will help us do that.” “With the explosive growth that BODYARMOR has seen in recent years – it’s an exciting time for the brand to team up with UFC,” said Mike Repole, co-founder and chairman, BODYARMOR. “A partnership between the fastest-growing sports drink and the fastest-growing sports organization creates a tremendous opportunity for BODYARMOR to play an important role in the hydration needs of some of the best athletes in the world.” In addition to product placement at the UFC Performance Institute, BODYARMOR will also serve as the presenting sponsor of select UFC weigh-in events, along with providing corner branding of stools, towels and buckets inside UFC’s world-famous Octagon® during all U.S.-based events. BODYARMOR will also have a presence on UFC.com and live-event programming, as well as being integrated across multiple UFC-based social and digital platforms. BODYARMOR is the fastest growing sports drink in its category, having seen a 110% increase in sales from last year. The consumer demand for a better-for-you sports drink has made BODYARMOR the #3 sports drink in the U.S. Kobe Bryant is the number three shareholder in BODYARMOR. “BODYARMOR offers a better-for-you hydration option at a time when athletes in every sport are paying more attention to what they put into their bodies,” said Bryant. “UFC athletes demand the best in hydration and nutrition, and we’re excited to be partnering with the UFC on such a large scale.” BODYARMOR has amassed a superstar roster of professional athletes who are also investors in the company, including James Harden, Mike Trout, Andrew Luck and Dustin Johnson, among others.                                 UFC® AND MODELO® ANNOUNCE NEW PARTNERSHIP   Las Vegas – UFC®, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization and Modelo Especial, the nation’s fastest growing imported beer1, today announced a new multi-year marketing partnership that establishes Modelo as the “Official Beer and Malt Beverage” sponsor of UFC in the United States. “Modelo is an amazing brand that shares UFC’s unmatched commitment to its fan base,” UFC President Dana White said. “I love Modelo and we’re already talking about doing a lot of exciting things together.”  “Uniting the passionate fans of UFC with Modelo, a brand that stands for the fighting spirit is an ultimate win for our consumers and our company,” said Ann Legan, Vice President of Marketing for Casa Modelo with Constellation Brands Beer Division. “With both UFC and Modelo driving unprecedented growth for our respective industries, this partnership is a game-changer for Modelo and we look forward to creating new experiences for fans.”             For the past five years Modelo has been the #1 growth leader in the U.S. beer industry and has posted double-digit growth for 32 years. As part of this expansive, multi-million dollar partnership that begins in 2018, Modelo will be the presenting sponsor for select UFC Pay-Per-View events and VIP Experiences based in the U.S., along with signage and branding inside UFC’s world-famous Octagon®. Modelo will also feature UFC athletes and personalities in advertising. In addition to in-venue programming exposure via multimedia platforms, retail point-of-sale, live-viewing parties at select UFC events and a national sweepstakes campaign, Modelo will also have a presence during live-event broadcasts and on UFC.com, as well as being integrated across multiple UFC-based social and digital platforms. UFC and Modelo will also work together to create unique and engaging content to inspire their fans. NO. 8 LIGHTWEIGHT DUSTIN POIRIER TO FACE FORMER CHAMPION ANTHONY PETTIS IN UFC NORFOLK MAIN EVENT SATURDAY, NOV. 11 Plus: MATT BROWN vs. DIEGO SANCHEZ (#11) ANDREI ARLOVSKI vs. (#12) JUNIOR ALBINI TICKETS FOR UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: POIRIER vs. PETTIS ON SALE FRIDAY, SEPT. 22 Las Vegas – UFC® touches down in Norfolk, VA. for the first time, Saturday, Nov. 11, headlined by two of the lightweight division’s most fearless and entertaining athletes. No. 8 Dustin Poirier squares off in the main event against former champion No. 13 Anthony Pettis with both fighters hoping a win will land them in title contention. UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: POIRIER vs PETTIS airs live on FS1 at Ted Constant Convocation Center on Saturday, Nov. 11. Poirier (21-5, 1 NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) looks for his sixth win in his eighth bout since moving up to the highly competitive lightweight division. Poirier has 16 finishes in 21 career victories and has faced a who’s who of MMA fighters including Conor McGregor, Eddie Alvarez and Max Holloway. Pettis (20-6; fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) will push Poirier’s skills to the limit with his savvy striking techniques. Pettis, who has also recorded 10 wins by knockout and six by submission, hopes to earn his third victory in his last four fights. Another don’t blink matchup features popular veterans Matt Brown (22-16, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) and Diego Sanchez (29-10, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) in a welterweight bout that is sure to please the crowd. The intense Brown has registered 13 career knockouts, seven submissions and has earned five post-fight performance bonuses. Sanchez is also an aggressive fighter who makes his return to the 170-pound division for the first time since a February 2012 matchup with Jake Ellenberger. Additional bouts: A heavyweight bout between veteran former champion, No. 12 Andrei Arlovski(25-15, 1 NC, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) and up and coming, No. 13Junior Albini (14-2, fighting out of Paranagua, Parana, Brazil) Crowd-pleasing veterans Clay Guida (33-14, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) and Joe Lauzon (27-14, fighting out of Bridgewater, Mass.) collide in a lightweight duel Veteran middleweight Nate Marquardt (38-18-2, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) clashes with heavy-handed Cezar Ferreira (12-6, fighting out of Miami, Fla.) Rising contenders Angela Hill (7-3, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.) and Nina Ansaroff (7-5, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) meet in a battle of strawweights hoping to crack the top-15 rankings Jake Collier (10-4, fighting out of Cuba, Mo.) and Marcel Fortuna (9-2, fighting out of Tubaro, Santa Catarina, Brazil) meet in a light heavyweight showdown Popular welterweight Court McGee (19-6, fighting out of Orem, Utah) takes on the always game Sean Strickland (18-2, fighting out of Corona, Calif.) Middleweight Darren Stewart (7-1, 1NC, fighting out of London, England) faces undefeated Karl Roberson (5-0, fighting out of Neptune, N.J.) The Ultimate Fighter® season 23 champion Tatiana Suarez (5-0, fighting out of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) meets Viviane Pereira (13-0, fighting out of Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil) in a battle of undefeated strawweights For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit www.ufc.com.  All bouts live and subject to change. THREE WORLD TITLE FIGHTS AND THE RETURN OF A LEGEND SLATED FOR MADISON SQUARE GARDEN WHEN BISPING CLASHES WITH ST-PIERRE, GARBRANDT SETTLES THE SCORE WITH DILLASHAW AND JEDRZEJCZYK CHASES HISTORY AGAINST NAMAJUNAS Plus: (#1) STEPHEN THOMPSON vs (#4) JORGE MASVIDAL (#8) COREY ANDERSON vs (#12) PATRICK CUMMINS JOHNY HENDRICKS vs PAULO BORRACHINHA TICKETS FOR UFC® 217: BISPING vs ST-PIERRE AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN ON SALE FRIDAY, SEPT. 15 Las Vegas – The historic Madison Square Garden will once again play host to a mammoth event when the Octagon® touches down in New York City on Saturday, Nov. 4 for UFC® 217: BISPING vs ST-PIERRE. The main event features middleweight champion Michael Bisping defending his world title against future Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre, and in the co-main event, the bad blood will finally come to a halt when bantamweight kingpin Cody Garbrandt puts his title on the line against rival TJ Dillashaw. Plus, Joanna Jedrzejczyk hopes to make history when she looks to defend her strawweight title for the sixth time againstRose Namajunas. The event airs live on Pay-Per-View. Bisping (31-7, fighting out of Manchester, England) is one of the most polarizing figures in UFC® history. His 20 Octagon wins are the most in UFC history, and coupled with his brash, in your face trash talk and his ability to back it up, the 185-pound champion has become a must-see every time he competes. In what could be his most intriguing matchup to date, he’ll welcome one of the most celebrated mixed martial artists of all-time back to competition when he meets St-Pierre (25-2, fighting out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada). One of the most dominant champions ever, St-Pierre will move up from 170 pounds to challenge for the middleweight title, hoping to become only the fourth fighter to win UFC titles in two divisions (Conor McGregor, Randy Couture, BJ Penn). With wins over Johny Hendricks, Nick Diaz, BJ Penn and Matt Hughes, GSP has beaten a who’s who of MMA in the last decade. In the co-main event, newly minted 135-pound champion Garbrandt (11-0, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) will put his undefeated record and world title on the line against former teammate and current nemesisDillashaw (14-3, fighting out of Denver, Colo.). Garbrandt packs one of the most powerful punches in the division and has nine wins by knockout – seven in the first round. Coming off a dominant victory over Dominick Cruz to win the belt, the 26-year-old has his sights set on another former champion in Dillashaw. Looking to regain the title he feels is rightfully his, Dillashaw is one of the most athletic and dynamic athletes in the sport. He has six knockouts and three submissions and wins over the likes of John Lineker, Raphael Assuncao and Renan Barao on his resume. When these two finally clash, there will be more than a world title on the line, as bragging rights will go to the victor at the end of arguably the most publicized feud in UFC history. Plus, Jedrzejczyk (14-0, fighting out of Olsztyn, Poland) has the chance to tie Ronda Rousey’s record of six consecutive successful title defenses in the women’s divisions of the UFC with a win over Namajunas (7-3, fighting out of Denver, Colo.). A multiple-time world Muay Thai champion, Jedrzejczyk is considered to have one of the best striking attacks in MMA, regardless of gender. She has become one of the most dominant champions to grace the Octagon and hopes to keep her perfect record intact in New York City. In order for Namajunas to leave the Big Apple as just the third champion in the division’s history, she’ll look to close the distance and take the fight the ground where she excels at jiu-jitsu, as six of her seven wins as a pro have come via submission. At just 25 years old, Namajunas has a shot at history of her own, because a win over Jedrzejczyk will make her the youngest female champion in UFC history. Additional Bouts: Top-ranked welterweight Stephen Thompson (13-2-1, fighting out of Simpsonville, S.C.) collides with No. 4 Jorge Masvidal (32-12, fighting out of Miami, Fla.) in an early Fight of the Night contender No. 8 Corey Anderson (10-3, fighting out of Robbinsville, N.J.) looks to continue his ascent up the light heavyweight division rankings when he meets No. 12 Patrick Cummins (10-4, fighting out of Dana Point, Calif.) Former welterweight champion Johny Hendricks (18-7, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) clashes with highly touted undefeated prospect Paulo Borrachinha (10-0, fighting out of Belo Horizonte, Brazil) in a middleweight showdown In a battle of fast rising heavyweights, No. 9 Aleksei Oleinik (52-10-1, fighting out of Moscow) meets No. 13 Curtis Blaydes (7-1, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) Submission ace, No. 15 Gadzhimurad Antigulov (20-4, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) meets heavy-handed Ion Cutelaba (13-3, fighting out of Chisinau, Moldova) at 205-pounds Undefeated bantamweight prospect Aiemann Zahabi (7-0 fighting out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada) and Brazilian jiu-jitsu star Ricardo Ramos (10-1, fighting out of Campinas, Brazil) meet in a 135-pound duel For the latest information on additional bouts for this event, please visit www.ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change.