Final Combating Championship (UFC) is again after an prolonged Vacation break to stage UFC Vegas 67 from inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. Headlining the ESPN+-streamed occasion will likely be a Mild Heavyweight combat between Nassourdine Imavov and Sean Strickland. Within the co-main occasion, Dan Ige will face Damon Jackson in a Featherweight affair.
What’s Scorching:
Whereas it’s not the unique principal occasion that was deliberate, we’re nonetheless in retailer for scrap. Sean Strickland agreed to fill the void left behind Kelvin Gastelum on account of an damage, and now the trash-talking bruiser has the duty of making an attempt to cease Imavov, who’s on a three-fight win streak and is 4-1 thus far contained in the Octagon. Imavov (ranked No. 12) is eying a spot within the High 10, and he may very effectively get there if he proves victorious come combat evening.
Strickland is solely making an attempt to show issues round for himself after shedding two straight to present division champion, Alex Pereira (before he was champion), and Jared Cannonier. Previous to that, the loud-mouthed combatant had gained six straight, so his latest hunch is uncommon. That stated, he wants an enormous win right here as a result of shedding three straight doesn’t look good on anybody’s resume, even should you took a brief discover combat. Imavov has confirmed to be the actual deal and now will get to indicate off his stuff in his first-ever principal occasion. And, to be sincere, a powerful win over Strickland doesn’t damage the resume. How a lot his inventory will rise at 185 kilos stays to be seen, however a win is a win.
What’s Not:
What on this planet occurred to Sijara Eubanks? At one level in her profession she was thought-about a legit title contender, however she has been in every single place since beginning off her UFC profession with two straight wins. Since then she has solely gone 3-5 and hasn’t come near attending to rivalry. She is 1-3 in her final 4 fights. She was alleged to face Priscilla Cachoeira earlier than the fight was scrapped on account of her weigh-cutting points. That is the second time she has missed weight for a UFC combat, so it doesn’t precisely do her any favors.
Authentic Card Vs. Precise Card:
The unique headlining act was set to function a combat between Gastelum and Imavov, however the promotion was compelled to name on Strickland to fill in last-minute after Gastelum suffered a nasty mouth injury. Additionally, Jeff Molina was compelled out of his combat in opposition to Jimmy Flick and was subsequently suspended after he was linked to the on-going gambling probe targeted on his coach, James Krause. Consequently, Charles Johnson stepped in to fill the void. Additionally, Omar Morales withdrew from his combat in opposition to Mateusz Rebecki on account of undisclosed causes. Nick Fiore agreed to step in to fill the void.
Accidents:
An intriguing Welterweight combat between Shavkat Rakhmonov and Geoff Neal was cancelled after Neal suffered an unlucky damage. The bout will now take place at UFC 285. Additionally, Jarno Errens suffered a shoulder damage and was compelled out of his combat in opposition to David Onama.
New Blood:
Following a 25-second knockout win on the Contender Collection, Claudio Ribiero punched his ticket to the massive present. However he was already wanting worthy previous to that win as a result of he was on a five-fight win streak, all through knockout with 4 of them coming within the first spherical. He will likely be welcomed to the UFC cage formally by Abdul Razak Alhassan, who’s coming off a loss to Joaquin Buckley and is a horrid 1-4 in his final 5 UFC fights.
Mateusz Rebecki will put his 13-fight win streak on the road when he makes his UFC debut in opposition to fellow newcomer, Nick Fiore. Like Ribieiro, Rebecki additionally scored a first-round end on the Contender Collection. Rebecki packs energy in his punches, scoring 9 knockout wins over his professional profession. As for Fiore, he is available in simply as spectacular at 6-0 with all of his wins coming by first-round end, 4 through submission and two through knockout. This one ought to be enjoyable.
Mateus Mendonca can even put his undefeated (10-0) report on the road when he battles Javid Basharat in a Bantamweight affair, and a battle of undefeated contenders as “Snow Leopard” is 13-0 with 11 finishes on his report. It appears a bit odd to have two undefeated prospects matched up in opposition to one another so quickly into their respective UFC careers, however we are able to’t complain for getting an excellent combat.
Nick Aguirre can be coming into his UFC debut having but to style defeat. At 7-0, the proficient Featherweight has but to see the judges scorecards in his profession, and he intends to maintain that streak alive when he battles Dan Argueta, who suffered the primary lack of his MMA profession in his personal UFC debut in opposition to Damon Jackson.
How The ‘Prelims’ Look:
The entire fights talked about within the earlier part will likely be happening on the undercard, so let’s check out the remaining two fights rounding out the “Prelims,” lets?
Within the Flyweight division, Charles Johnson will tackle Jimmy Flick. Johnson cut up his first two fights contained in the Octagon, however he’s 5-1 in his final six fights total. “InnerG” has a well-rounded assault that displays on his report, racking up 5 knockout wins, three through submission and 4 through resolution.
As for Flick, he’s ending his two-year retirement and was final seen defeating Cody Durden in Dec. 2020. After Jeff Molina was suspended by the NSAC, Flick was compelled to show his consideration towards Johnson, and now he’s trying to prolong his win streak to 5 straight.
Staying at 125 kilos, Allen Nascimento takes on Carlos Hernandez in an attention-grabbing pairing. Hernandez is at the moment on an eight-fight win streak and hasn’t tasted defeat in over 5 years in what was his professional MMA debut. Nascimento, in the meantime, has alternated wins and losses over the past six years and is coming off a victory over Jake Hadley.
Who Wants A Win Badly:
There was a time when Dan Ige was thought-about a legit title contender at 145 kilos, however after his latest woes, that’s now not the case. After beginning his UFC run with a 7-1 report, Ige has now misplaced his final three fights. He now goes into his combat in opposition to Damon Jackson with immense strain as a result of “Motion” has gained 4 fights in a row and has been on hearth. With the prospect to choose up a win over Ige in entrance of him, he’ll come out weapons blazing prepared at hand his foe his fourth straight loss. What is going to turn into of Ige’s UFC profession ought to he endure one other setback is unclear, however I’m positive he’ll do all he can to ensure he doesn’t have to search out out.
However let’s not overlook concerning the different half of the equation of the co-main occasion as a result of Damon Jackson has gone on a pleasant, quiet run by successful 4 straight and bettering his UFC report to 5-1 his second time round. The previous interim LFA Featherweight champion is slowly climbing the ranks and a win over Ige would increase his inventory tremendously.
Curiosity Degree: 6.5/10
The remainder of the primary card contains a trio of nice matchups, together with an intriguing Bantamweight bout between Umar Nurmagomedov and Raoni Barcelos. Undefeated at 15-0, 3-0 contained in the Octagon, Nurmagomedov is shortly climbing the ranks and is already locked in because the No. 11 ranked fighter within the division. With Workforce Khabib on his facet, Nurmagomedov has all of the makings of a future champion, however he has a stiff take a look at forward of him in Barcelos, who’s 6-2 contained in the UFC cage.
Within the ladies’s 135-pound division, former title contender Raquel Pennington returns after a nine-month layoff and places her four-fight win streak on the road in opposition to Ketlen Vieira, who’s coming off back-to-back wins over former champions Holly Holm and Miesha Tate. Ranked No. 2, Vieira may very effectively get the subsequent shot on the strap with a win over “Rocky.”
In additional motion, Punahele Soriano makes an attempt to choose up his second straight win when he battles Roman Kopylov. Soriano is coming off an enormous knockout win over Dalcha Lungiambula, which ended his two-fight shedding streak. Kopylov, in the meantime, can be trying to construct off the momentum after his knockout win over Alessio Di Chirico.
In all seriousness, this card began off manner higher than it’s now (which isn’t all that dangerous), however accidents did take it a couple of pegs down with regards to the wow issue. However it’s nonetheless a stable total card to kick off UFC’s 2023 marketing campaign.
Full UFC Vegas 67 Fight Card:
UFC Vegas 67 Important Occasion On ESPN+:
205 lbs.: Nassourdine Imavov vs. Sean Strickland (Kelvin Gastelum injured)
UFC Vegas 67 Important Card On ESPN+ (7 p.m. ET):
145 lbs.: Dan Ige vs. Damon Jackson
185 lbs.: Punahele Soriano vs. Roman Kopylov
135 lbs.: Raquel Pennington vs. Ketlen Vieira
135 lbs.: Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Raoni Barcelos
UFC Vegas 67 ‘Prelims’ Card On ESPN+ (4 p.m. ET):
185 lbs.: Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Claudio Ribeiro
155 lbs.: Mateusz Rebecki vs. Nick Fiore
135 lbs.: Javid Basharat vs. Mateus Mendonca
125 lbs.: Carlos Hernandez vs. Allan Nascimento
145 lbs.: Daniel Argueta vs. Nick Aguirre
125 lbs.: Charles Johnson vs. Jimmy Flick135 lbs.:Priscila Cachoeiravs.Sijara EubanksCANCELED
*Combat card, bout order and variety of fights stay topic to alter.*
Do not forget that MMAmania.com will ship LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow protection of your entire UFC Vegas 67 combat card proper here, beginning with the ESPN+ “Prelims” matches, that are scheduled to start at 4 p.m. ET, then the remaining principal card stability (additionally on ESPN+) at 7 p.m. ET.
To take a look at the newest and best UFC Vegas 67: “Strickland vs. Imavov” information and notes make sure to hit up our complete occasion archive right here.
