UFC Fight Round-Up: Several bouts announced including key UFC 194 addition
July 23, 2020 | News | No Comments
By Ryan Frederick, WrestlingObserver.com
Monday was a busy day when it comes to fight announcements for several upcoming events, including fights with title implications, one of which is a key addition to December’s big UFC 194 event in Las Vegas.
A middleweight bout between Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza and Yoel Romero was the big addition, joining the already loaded UFC 194 event on December 12 from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The bout was confirmed by UFC officials after an initial report in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Souza and Romero will meet in what is likely a title eliminator bout for the UFC Middleweight Championship, which will be on the line at that UFC 194 event when champion Chris Weidman defends against top contender Luke Rockhold. It also sets up a situation where should one of those fighters get injured, Souza or Romero could slide in as a replacement. This is the third time that Souza and Romero have been booked to fight as injuries to each man have previously caused cancellations of those scheduled fights. That event is headlined by the much anticipated UFC Featherweight Championship bout between Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor.
UFC 192 on October 3 in Houston, Texas saw two fights added to the event, which were first reported by the Houston Chronicle. In a flyweight bout, it will be a battle of former title challengers as Joseph Benavidez takes on Ali Bagautinov. Benavidez is riding a three-fight win streak, and his only losses at 125 pounds have come to Demetrious Johnson, the current title holder. Baguatinov returns from a year-long drug suspension following his title loss to Johnson at UFC 174 in June 2014. Also, in the women’s strawweight division, Rose Namajunas will take on Angela Hill. That event is headlined by UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Daniel Cormier defending against Alexander Gustafsson, and the fight card also includes bouts between Rashad Evans and Ryan Bader, and Johny Hendricks against Tyron Woodley.
Another key flyweight bout with title shot implications was also announced as Henry Cejudo takes on Jussier Formiga at UFC Fight Night 78 in Monterrey, Mexico on November 21. Cejudo, a former Olympic gold medalist in wrestling, is undefeated in his nine career fights, and has won three since joining the UFC. Formiga is riding a three-fight win streak. That event airs on FOX Sports 1 and is headlined by a welterweight bout between Matt Brown and Kelvin Gastelum.