The octagon touches down in Utica, New York ahead of the promotion’s debut in the city, with highly rated bantamweights Jimmie Rivera and Marlon Moraes looking towards a title shot in the main event.
After a perfect 7-0 amateur career, New Jersey’s Jimmie Rivera’s sole professional loss in his second fight in 2008 remains the only blemish on his record. His only other loss came in an exhibition bout with Dennis Bermudez during The Ultimate Fighter Season 14.
Rivera’s UFC record stands at an impressive 5-0, with the twenty-eight year old positioned at #4 in the latest bantamweight rankings. His opponent, Brazil’s Marlon Moraes is ranked just below at #5.
Moraes rose to fame after clinching the World Series of Fighting title back in 2014. The Brazilian defended his crown four times before joining the UFC less than twelve months ago. His compatriot and fellow ranked bantamweight Raphael Assuncao handed him a split decision defeat on his octagon bow.
After that defeat, questions were raised about how good Moraes actually is, with many considering World Series of Fighting to be a lower tier of mixed martial arts. The doubters were proved wrong, with two wins in less than a month at the back end of 2017. A decision victory over perennial contender John Dodson and a devastating knockout victory over the ever-popular Aljamain Sterling proved Moraes to have title credentials at 135lbs.
Long Island’s own Gregor Gillespie takes the co-main event slot against Vinc Pichel, with Gillespie looking to maintain his unbeaten record in his toughest test to date!
Gillispie is 4-0 since joining the promotion, with three of those victories coming by way of stoppage. The thirty-one year old has a renowned wrestling background, holding the title of being an NCAA Division I All-American as well as a national champion out of Pennsylvania.
Vinc Pichel is currently riding an impressive four-fight winning streak, dating back to his sole loss to Rustam Khabilov in 2012. Despite his impressive form, Pichel is a sizeable underdog.
Knockout artist Walt Harris will hope to improve his 3-6 octagon record as he takes on Daniel Spitz on the main card, whilst Jake Ellenberger makes his twentieth promotional appearance against the much-taller Ben Saunders.
The main card opener features popular light heavyweights Gian Villante and Sam Alvey. Both men will be looking to infiltrate the top fifteen of a shallow 205lbs division.
We also have British interest in the early portion of the evening, with former Cage Warriors bantamweight champion Nathaniel Wood making his UFC debut against thirty-nine fight veteran Johnny Eduardo.
At just twenty-four years old, London’s own Nathaniel Wood will look to carry his impressive recent form, winning five fights in succession, with all five ending inside the distance. Wood clinched the Cage Warriors bantamweight title back in June of 2017 and defended it twice, with all of those victories coming by way of first round knockout.
The popular Londoner is flanked by MMA legend Brad Pickett, who knows a thing or two about making the octagon walk having done so on fourteen occasions. At thirteen years his senior is Brazil’s Johnny Eduardo, who is making his seventh appearance under the UFC banner, with his record split at 3-3.
Who wins big in Utica? The fight card will get underway at 23:30PM UK time on Friday evening!
Full Fight Card
Main Card (03:00AM on BT Sport)
Bantamweight: Jimmie Rivera vs. Marlon Moraes
Lightweight: Gregor Gillespie vs. Vinc Pichel
Heavyweight: Walt Harris vs. Daniel Spitz
Welterweight: Jake Ellenberger vs. Ben Saunders
Featherweight: Julio Arce vs, Daniel Teymur
Light Heavyweight: Gian Villante vs. Sam Alvey
Prelims (01:00AM on BT Sport)
Women’s Flyweight: Lauren Murphy vs. Sijara Eubanks
Lightweight: David Teymur vs. Nik Lentz
Welterweight: Chance Rencountre vs. Belal Muhammed
Lightweight: Desmond Green vs. Gleison Tibau
Early Prelims (23:30PM on UFC Fight Pass)
Women’s Strawweight: Jessica Aguilar vs. Jodie Esquibel
Bantamweight: Johnny Eduardo vs. Nathaniel Wood
Flyweight: Jarred Brooks vs. Jose Torres
