The event is scheduled for December 16 in Las Vegas
UFC 296, which will take place on December 16 in Las Vegas (USA), continues to be full of fights. This Friday (22nd), two more have been confirmed for the last pay-per-view of the year, announced on boss Dana White’s social media.
Both duels pit veterans of their respective divisions against athletes who are emerging and winning over fans. One of these brings together the American Stephen Thompson and the Kazakh Shavkat Rakhmonov, this one valid in the welterweight division.
Thompson is one of the most celebrated Ultimate athletes in recent years, largely because he has a more striking-focused style. The ‘Wonderboy’, already a two-time welterweight title challenger, was supposed to fight Michel Pereira in July, but the Brazilian couldn’t make it to the fight and the American refused to duel him in these conditions. So, the last real fight was last December, against Kevin Holland.
Rakhmonov is yet to be defeated in his professional MMA career, with 17 wins in 17 fights. The fighter from Kazakhstan gained the favor of fans due to his dominant style in beating his rivals and, therefore, was considered a candidate to become 77 kg champion. In his last duel, in March, he submitted Geoff Neal.
The other fight scheduled for UFC 296 will feature another representative of the United States, Tony Ferguson, against the Englishman Paddy Pimblett. This fight puts two fighters in very different situations in their moments in the organization.
For years, Tony Ferguson was one of the most feared lightweights in the UFC, racking up 12 straight victories and even reaching the division’s interim belt. But injuries, cancellations of matches (especially against Khabib Nurmagomedov) and even personal problems interfere with the path of ‘El Cucuy’, who is coming off six consecutive defeats, the latest of which against Bobby Green.
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Dana White liked Paddy Pimblett because he is a fan of the style of self-promotion that the Ultimate leader likes so much, with provocations and controversial statements. A star since his time fighting in English events, ‘The Baddy’ has won the four fights he has contested for the organisation, but his most recent one, against Jared Gordon, was contested by fans. Now he has the chance to redeem himself in some way against a veteran.
UFC 296 will feature the marquee clash between Leon Edwards and Colby Covington for the welterweight belt, as well as Alexandre Pantoja defending his flyweight title for the first time against Brandon Royval.
Source: Terra
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