The octagon returns to Glasgow, Scotland for the second time almost exactly two years on from Michael Bispings split decision victory over Thales Leites at the SSE Hydro.
The mixed martial arts promotional leader ventures into Europe for the third time this year following events in London and Stockholm and will visit Rotterdam and Gdansk before the end of 2017.
UFC Glasgow presents a range of opportunities to the British fanbase; by offering the chance to attend a UFC event, which is an experience in itself as those who have done so can vouch for, as well as the peculiar feeling of being able to watch an event at a reasonable hour, with the card beginning at 17:00 and concluding at 23:00.
With six hours of action and twelve fights on a Sunday evening in Scotland, we take a look through the best fights to keep an eye on!
Joanne Calderwood vs. Cynthia Calvillo
Flying the flag for Scotland in the co-main event of the evening is strawweight, Joanne Calderwood. After three wins and two losses in the octagon, she returns home looking to follow her fight of the night decision victory over Cortney Casey in Glasgow in 2015.
Calderwood’s fighting style is exciting. She is always a willing dance partner, happy to march forward and throw strikes, as well as a solid wrestling background. ‘Jo Jo’ is ranked at eighth place in the strawweight rankings, with a win potentially propelling the Scot towards the top five.
Before March of this year, most of the mixed martial arts world hadn’t heard of Cynthia Calvillo. In fact, she only made her professional debut in August last year, making this her sixth fight in less than eleven months.
Two submission victories in her first two octagon bouts, both on pay-per-view cards leave the twenty-nine-year-old in a perfect position. There is no doubt that this is the toughest bout of her career so far, but the American will take comfort in the fact that Calderwood has been defeated by submission on two occasions in the UFC, alongside another submission on the Ultimate Fighter.
Can Calvillo stun the crowd in Scotland? Will Calderwood raise the Scottish flag in victory again?
Danny Henry vs. Daniel Teymur
Scotland gained its fourth and final representative in Glasgow after Danny Henry was added to the card with just over two weeks to go. Henry had recently regained the EFC Featherweight Championship in South Africa, but the fight takes place at lightweight with such short notice.
Henry has won seven of his last eight fights, with only two of those bouts going to the distance. The Scottish prospect is part of the Higher Level Martial Arts team from Edinburgh that contains the aforementioned Calderwood alongside Stevie Ray.
Recognise the name? Daniel Teymur is the brother of UFC lightweight David Teymur and will make his octagon debut after joining the promotion whilst being in unstoppable form.
The Swede has won six out of six since turning professional and has won them all inside the first round. Three submissions, three knockouts, you’d expect fireworks from this man and we might be lucky to see it unfold on Sunday night.
Can Teymur follow in his brother's footsteps? Will Danny Henry become the latest Scottish star?
Gunnar Nelson vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio
You might not find a more likeable, loveable and certainly respectable mixed martial artist than Gunnar Nelson. He just does everything right, remains calm and doesn’t bring along any controversy or trash talking that we have become so accustomed to.
When he fought Alan Jouban in the co-main event at UFC London, there probably wasn’t a louder reaction in the stadium, despite Brits Jimi Manuwa and Brad Pickett also fighting on the night at the O2 Arena.
Nelson submitted Jouban after a dominant performance and the cool Icelandic jiu-jitsu expert will look to reaffirm his position as one of the best welterweights in the world.
Argentinian Santiago Ponzinibbio stands in his way after earning his main event slot with four successive wins. He has never been submitted in his twenty-seven fights.
The fight will see a black belt jiu-jitsu practitioner in Nelson take on another black belt in Ponzinibbio, who hasn’t demonstrated his capabilities on the ground since moving to the UFC.
This fight should make for more of a chess match, rather than a brawl.
Will Iceland reign supreme in Glasgow? Will Ponzinibbio cause an upset in the welterweight division? We will find out Sunday evening!
Stay tuned into The Sportsman for cageside coverage this week from UFC Glasgow.
