Las Vegas – UFC returns to Seattle for the primary time since 2013 with a stacked card that includes former champions, prime contenders, and rising prospects. In the primary occasion, former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion and present No. 7 ranked bantamweight contender Henry Cejudo returns to motion in opposition to No. 8 ranked Music Yadong. Within the co-main occasion, No. 9 ranked bantamweight contender Rob Font takes on fellow veteran and former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz.
takes place Sat., February 22 at Local weather Pledge Enviornment in Seattle, Wash. All the card will stream completely on ESPN+ in English and Spanish starting with the prelims at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT adopted by the primary card beginning at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT.
A 2008 Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling for the USA, Cejudo (16-4) preventing out of Phoenix, Ariz. steps again into the Octagon aiming to remind everybody of the abilities that noticed him develop into simply the fourth fighter in UFC historical past to carry two titles concurrently. Thought-about to be among the many best fight sports activities athletes of all time, Cejudo holds notable wins over TJ Dillashaw, Demetrious Johnson, and Marlon Moraes. He now seems to take out Music in a dominant style.
Music (21-8-1 1NC, preventing out of Heilongjiang, China) plans to make an announcement in his fourth UFC principal occasion and insert himself into the title dialog. Nonetheless solely 27 years outdated, he has already cemented himself as one of many prime abilities within the bantamweight division with wins over Chris Gutierrez, Ricky Sumon, and Marlon Moraes. Music now seeks to safe the largest victory of his profession with a standout efficiency.
The at all times thrilling Font (21-8, preventing out of Woburn, Mass.) intends to begin his 2025 marketing campaign by including one other former champion to his resume. A well-rounded athlete, he holds the second most knockouts in UFC bantamweight historical past with six, together with these over Adrian Yanez, Thomas Almeida, and Matt Schnell. He now has his sights set on defending his spot within the rankings and beginning one other run in the direction of the High 5.
Cruz (24-4) preventing out of San Diego, Calif. returns to motion for the primary time in nearly three years. Among the best bantamweights in MMA historical past, Cruz holds iconic victories over a number of the most notable names within the UFC, together with Urijah Faber, T.J. Dillashaw, and Demetrious Johnson. He now could be targeted on delivering a classic efficiency in his nineteenth look underneath the Zuffa banner.
Additionally on the cardboard we’ll see No. 15 ranked featherweight contender Edson Barboza (24-12) preventing out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil battles fellow striker Steve Garcia (17-5) preventing out of Albuquerque, N.M. in a bout assured to supply fireworks. We’ll see No. 5 ranked UFC heavyweight contender Curtis Blaydes (18-5 1NC, preventing out of Chicago, In poor health.) intends to make an announcement in opposition to UFC debutant Rizvan Kuniev (13-2-1 1NC, preventing out of Dagestan, Russia)
Jean Silva (14-2) preventing out of Sao Paulo, Brazil seems to proceed his undefeated run within the UFC when he faces Melsik Baghdasaryan (8-2) preventing out of Glendale, Calif. in a featherweight contest. High middleweight contenders collide as No. 9 ranked Brendan Allen (24-6) preventing out of Milwaukee, Wisc. faces No. 13 Anthony Hernandez (13-2 1NC) preventing out of Sacramento, Calif.
Adam Fugitt (10-4) preventing out of Eugene, Ore. seems to spoil the UFC debut of Dana White’s Contender Sequence signee Islam Dulatov (11-1) preventing out of Dusseldorf, Germany. An all-action mild heavyweight bout sees Ion Cutelaba (18-10-1 1NC) preventing out of Chisinau, Moldova sq. off with Ibo Aslan (14-1) preventing out of Istanbul, Turkey.
High 5 bantamweight contenders lock horns as No. 3 ranked Ketlen Vieira (14-4) preventing out of Manaus, Brazil) goes toe-to-toe with No. 4 Macy Chiasson (11-3) preventing out of Dallas, Texas. Undefeated Dana White’s Contender Sequence standout Mansur Abdul-Malik (7-0) preventing out of Columbia, Md. goals to impress in opposition to Antonio Trocoli (12-5 1NC) preventing out of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Modestas Bukauskas (16-6) preventing out of London, England by means of Klaipeda, Lithuania, and Rafael Cerqueira (11-1) preventing out of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil meet in a lightweight heavyweight bout.
Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Government Author, Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a ardour for Fight Sports activities and likewise a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s additionally a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer.
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