Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Check out the photos from the UFC 279 official weigh-ins at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Check out the photos from the UFC 278 official weigh-ins at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas (Images by Ken Hathaway–MMA Junkie)
Slowly but surely the UFC 279 lineup is filling out.
Slowly but surely, the UFC 279 lineup is filling out.
[autotag]Jamie Pickett[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Denis Tiuliulin[/autotag], a matchup originally scheduled for July 9, has been added to the event scheduled for Sept. 10 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, MMA Junkie has learned.
Two people with knowledge of the booking recently informed MMA Junkie of the matchup but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion is yet to make an official announcement.
The bout was moved after Tiuliulin suffered an injury the week of the original fight.
Pickett (13-7 MMA, 2-3 UFC) looks to get back in the win column after a first-round submission loss to Kyle Daukaus in February. The defeat snapped a two-fight winning streak for Pickett, which included victories over Laureano Staropoli and Joseph Holmes.
Tiuliulin (10-6 MMA, 0-1 UFC) made his UFC debut on short-notice against Aliaskhab Khizriev in March. He lost by second-round rear-naked choke submission. The defeat dropped him to 4-2 in his most recent six outings.
With the addition, the UFC 279 lineup includes:
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A main training partner of Sean Strickland, Denis Tiuliulin will have the chance to carve out his own path.
The UFC Columbus lineup slightly has been tweaked.
The promotion is targeting a new opponent, [autotag]Denis Tiuliulin[/autotag], for undefeated [autotag]Aliaskhab Khizriev[/autotag]. Pending bout finalization, Tiuliulin will step in for [autotag]Abusipyan Magomedov[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN 33.
Three people with knowledge of the matchup informed MMA Junkie of the targeted booking but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.
UFC on ESPN 33 takes place March 26 at Nationwide Arena. The main card airs on ESPN after prelims on ESPN+.
Tiuliulin (10-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has become a main training partner of UFC middleweight contender Sean Strickland in recent months. He has won four of his past five fights, all by TKO or knockout.
Pending unforeseen issue, Khizriev (13-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will finally make his promotional debut after four cancellations. “The Black Wolf” has seven finishes in 13 victories, including a swift 50-second submission of Henrique Shiguemoto on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2020.
With the change, the UFC Columbus lineup includes:
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