A change to UFC 198 and several additions to July’s UFC International Fight Week events are in the news today, as matchmakers Joe Silva and Sean Shelby get the week off to a rousing start.
Former Ultimate Fighter standout Kamaru Usman has been forced out of his UFC 198 bout in Brazil against Sergio Moraes, setting up an all-Curitiba showdown between Moraes and Octagon newcomer Luan Chagas, a black belt in jiu-jitsu and karate, on May 14.
The July 7 event in Las Vegas that kicks off three consecutive nights of Octagon action got a jolt of new fights featuring several rising stars and seasoned vets.
Three welterweight bouts take center stage when it comes to these fight announcements, with all-action Alan Jouban facing surging Nordine Taleb, Mike “Quicksand” Pyle getting a home game against unbeaten Alberto Mina, and Alvaro Herrera taking on Vicente Luque.
In the lightweight division, the UFC 199 bout between John Makdessi and Mehdi Baghdad has been moved to the July 7 event at the MGM Grand, and joining them will be the fight pitting Gilbert Burns against Lukasz Sakewski.
Also featured on the same card will be a bantamweight meeting between Reginaldo Vieira and Marco Beltran.
Last but not least, the TUF 23 Finale card on Friday, July 8 received an intriguing showdown today, as South Korean knockout artist Dooho Choi faces veteran contender Thiago Tavares.
Fans voices come first
Favorite athlete? Fantasy match-ups? Comments? Leave 'em here!
