Former UFC title challenger Kevin Lee will make his Octagon return against Sean Brady at UFC 264 in July and much, much more — Fightful has all the latest fight announcements in one article.
Kevin Lee vs. Sean Brady booked for UFC 264 in July
Former UFC lightweight title challenger Kevin Lee will make his long-awaited return to the Octagon after missing over a year recovering from two torn ACLs. Lee is expected to face undefeated welterweight Sean Brady at UFC 264 on July 10, first reported by ESPN's Brett Okamoto. Brady is 14-0 overall as a professional so far and is 4-0 in his current run with the promotion, defeating Jake Matthews via a third-round submission due to an arm-triangle choke at UFC 259 in his last outing. Lee is 1-3 in his last four fights and lost his only fight at 170 pounds to former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos via a fourth-round submission due to an arm-triangle choke at UFC Fight Night 152 in May 2019. His last Octagon appearance though came against newly crowned UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira where he was submitted in the third round via a guillotine choke at UFC Fight Night 170 in March 2020.
Kevin Lee holds on after @CharlesDoBronxs forces the tap at #UFCBrasilia pic.twitter.com/k7zXrA8E1k
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) March 15, 2020
Ryan Hall meets Ilia Topuria at UFC 264 in July
Rising featherweight contenders Ryan Hall and Ilia Topuria are set to meet at UFC 264 on July 10, first reported by AdjaraSport's Giorgi Kokiashvili. Topuria is 9-0 professionally so far in his career and 2-0 in the UFC with his latest outing resulting in a first-round TKO win over Damon Jackson at UFC Vegas 16. Hall the winner of the 22nd season of The Ultimate Fighter is 4-0 in his run with the promotion so far and last competed at UFC Fight Night 155 in July 2019 where he won a unanimous decision over Darren Elkins.
Ilia Topuria put Damon Jackson out COLD after some nasty body work -- #UFCVegas16 pic.twitter.com/Hj9lMaZy27
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) December 6, 2020
Lerone Murphy takes on Charles Jourdain at UFC event in August
Undefeated English featherweights prospect Lerone Murphy will fake Charles Jourdain at a yet-to-be-announced UFC Fight Night event on August 14, first reported by Radio Host Ken Wong. Murphy is 10-0-1 as a professional so far and 2-0-1 inside of the Octagon last defeating Douglas Silva de Andrade via a unanimous decision at UFC Fight Island 8. Jourdain on the other hand is 2-2-1 in his current run with the promotion and will try to build off of a third-round TKO victory over Marcelo Rojo at UFC Vegas 21.
Dedicated to Nana Murphy -- @LeroneMurphy was fighting with a heavy heart at #UFCFightIsland8 pic.twitter.com/Ha2xiFa7DS
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 20, 2021
Melissa Gatto vs. Victoria Leonardo targeted for UFC 265 in August
Undefeated Brazillian prospect Melissa Gatto will make her Octagon debut against Victoria Leonardo in a women's flyweight bout at UFC 265 on August 7, first reported by Combate's Raphael Marinho. Gatto's record currently stands at 6-0-2 and has had her previous four debut bouts canceled before this matchup with Leonardo, she last competed and won via a first-round submission due to a kimura over Karol Rosa at Nacao Cyborg 3 in September 2018. Leonardo is an Invicta FC veteran and is 1-1 in her two Octagon appearances, losing her last outing to Manon Fiorot via a second-round TKO at UFC Fight Island 8.
Always a great way to start a card. An impressive debut for Manon Fiorot #UFCFightIsland8 pic.twitter.com/ds8TftVeCH
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) January 20, 2021
Mounir Lazzez meets Niklas Stolze at UFC event in July
Welterweights Mounir Lazzez and Niklas Stolze are set to clash at a yet-to-be-announced UFC Fight Night event on July 31, first reported by MMAJunkie's Farah Hannoun and John Morgan. Lazzez is 1-1 in his two Octagon appearances and will try to bounce back from a first-round TKO loss to Warlley Alves at UFC Fight Island 8, whereas Stolze will try to rebound from a unanimous decision defeat to Ramazan Emeev at UFC Fight Island 3 in his promotional debut.
-- Warlley Alves bringing heavy striking to #UFCFightIsland8pic.twitter.com/na2XLXZHnT
— Fight Network (@fightnet) January 20, 2021
Doo Ho Choi vs. Danny Chavez and Kyung Ho Kang vs. Rani Yahya announced for UFC event in July
Two fights were made official for a yet-to-be-announced UFC Fight Night event on July 31, UFC's Korean affiliate confirmed that Doo Ho Choi will face Danny Chavez in a featherweight bout and Kyung Ho Kang will take on Rani Yahya in a bantamweight matchup. Cho will try to avoid a four-fight skid against Chavez and is coming off of a second-round TKO defeat to Charles Jourdain at UFC Fight Night 165 in December 2019, Chavez is 1-1 in his two Octagon appearances and lost a unanimous decision to Jared Gordon at UFC Vegas 19. Kang is 6-1 in his last seven fights and won his last outing via a split-decision over Liu Pingyuan at UFC Fight Night 165 in December 2019, whereas Yahya is 4-1-1 in his last five UFC appearances and last beat Ray Rodriguez via a second-round submission due to an arm-triangle choke at UFC Vegas 21.
Rani Yahya (@RaniYahyaMMA) is an artist on the ground -- #UFCVegas21
— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) March 14, 2021
(-- @ufc)pic.twitter.com/YOZaBdaqkM
Dalcha Lungiambula vs. Marc-Andre Barriault set for UFC event in August
Dalcha Lungiambula will look to continue to find some momentum at his new home of 185-pounds when he faces Marc-Andre Barriault at a yet-to-be-announced UFC Fight Night event on August 14, first reported by Radio Host Ken Wong. Lungiambula is 2-1 in his three Octagon appearances but is coming off of a successful middleweight debut where he defeated Markus Perez via a unanimous decision at UFC Fight Island 8. Barriault is 1-1 in his last two fights and will also try to build off of a third-round TKO victory over Abu Azaitar at UFC 260.
BARRIAULT LAYING IT ON IN R3!! #UFC260 pic.twitter.com/RL3PiA5ReY
— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) March 27, 2021
Mandy Bohm makes Octagon debut against Talia Santos at UFC event in August
Bellator veteran and undefeated German women's flyweight prospect Mandy Bohm will make her Octagon debut against Talia Santos at a yet-to-be-announced UFC Fight Night event on August 14, first reported by Globo's Marcelo Barone. Bohm is 7-0 so far in her professional career and last competed at Bellator 247 where she won a unanimous decision over Griet Eeckhout. Santos is 3-1 in her four fights with the promotion so far and defeated Gillian Robertson via a unanimous decision at UFC Vegas 17 in her last outing.
"(I) was not scared about her ground game because I was training for this."
— UFC News (@UFCNews) December 19, 2020
-Talia Santos on her victory over Gillian Robertson at #UFCVegas17 pic.twitter.com/HYa9wR60Oh
Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Sasha Palatnikov booked for UFC event in August
Welterweights Ramiz Brahimaj and Sasha Palatnikov are being targeted for a matchup at a yet-to-be-announced UFC Fight Night event on August 21, first reported by MMAJunkie's Farah Hannoun. Brahimaj is coming off a brutal third-round TKO loss to Max Griffin at UFC Vegas 13 in his Octagon debut where his ear was severely injured in the fight. Palatnikov on the other hand is 1-1 in his current run with the promotion and will try to bounce back from a second-round submission defeat due to a rear-naked choke against Impa Kasanganay at UFC Vegas 23.
As Dominick Cruz was saying, scrambles are a great place to snatch a sub outta nowhere. Impa Kasanganay subbing Sasha Palatnikov in R2 #UFCVegas23 pic.twitter.com/tP8s6aURWL
— MMA mania (@mmamania) April 10, 2021
Alessio Di Chirico out, Laureano Staropoli in against Roman Dolidze at UFC Vegas 28
Italian middleweight Alessio Di Chirico has been forced out of his scheduled bout with Roman Dolidze at UFC Vegas 28 on June 5 due to a minor injury and will now be replaced by Laureano Staropoli, the change was first reported during the UFC Vegas 27 broadcast this past Saturday night. Dolidze will try to rebound from the first professional defeat of his career and loss in his middleweight debut where he dropped a unanimous decision to Trevin Giles at UFC Vegas 22. Staropoli on the other hand is 2-2 in his four Octagon appearances and also lost a unanimous decision in his last outing to Tim Means at UFC Vegas 6.
Tim Means (+135) with bad intentions...#UFCVegas6 #UFCFightNight
— SBR Sports Picks (@SBRSportsPicks) August 9, 2020
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