Tag: UFC 258

Joseph Benavidez vs. Askar Askarov booked for UFC 259 on March 6

Joseph Benavidez will look to rebound from his first career losing skid when he faces Askar Askarov.

[autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag] will look to rebound from his first career losing skid.

Benavidez (28-7 MMA, 15-5 UFC) will face [autotag]Askar Askarov[/autotag] (12-0-1 MMA, 2-0-1 UFC) on March 6 at UFC 259, which does not yet have a location or venue. The card will stream on pay-per-view, likely following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

Two people with knowledge of the matchup confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. Russian journalist Igor Lazonin was first to report the news.

A longtime staple in the flyweight division, five-time title challenger Benavidez is coming off back-to-back stoppage losses to current champion Deiveson Figueiredo. In their first outing for the vacant flyweight belt, Figueiredo stopped Benavidez in Round 2 in the main event of UFC on ESPN+ 27, but was not crowned champion due to missing weight.

The pair ran things back in the UFC on ESPN+ 30 headliner in July, and Figueiredo finished Benavidez once again, this time submitting him in the first round to win the flyweight title. Prior to his losses to Figueiredo, Benavidez had won nine of 10, including wins over current UFC flyweight title challenger Alex Perez and former UFC dual champ Henry Cejudo.

Unbeaten in his pro MMA career, former ACB flyweight champion Askarov battled Brandon Moreno to a split draw in his UFC debut in September 2019, followed by back-to-back unanimous decision wins over Tim Elliott and Alexandre Pantoja.

With the addition, the UFC 258 lineup includes:

  • Uriah Hall vs. Chris Weidman
  • Maycee Barber vs. Alexa Grasso
  • Askar Askarov vs. Joseph Benavidez

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Uriah Hall, Chris Weidman agree to rematch at UFC 258 on Feb. 13

After beating a legend in Anderson Silva, Uriah Hall now has a chance to get back a key career loss.

After beating a legend in Anderson Silva, [autotag]Uriah Hall[/autotag] now has a chance to get back a key loss in his career.

Hall is set for a middleweight rematch with former UFC champion [autotag]Chris Weidman[/autotag], who won their first meeting by TKO more than a decade ago at Ring of Combat 31 in September 2010.

Now is the chance for revenge, as Hall (16-9 MMA, 9-7 UFC) and Weidman (15-5 MMA, 11-5 UFC) have agreed to a Feb. 13 matchup at UFC 258, MMA Junkie confirmed with two people close to the situation following an initial report from UFC broadcast partner ESPN. The people requested anonymity because the UFC has yet to make an official announcement.

UFC 258, which has not been formally revealed by the promotion, does not have a location or venue. The card will stream on pay-per-view, likely following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

2020 has been a turbulent year for Hall. After fights with Ronaldo Souza and Yoel Romero fell apart, he was presented with the opportunity to be Silva’s retirement fight opponent at UFC on ESPN+ 39 last month. He won by third-round TKO in an emotional contest for Hall.

Now looking to build off a three-fight winning streak, Hall attempts to get one back over Weidman, who stopped him in just his fifth career bout.

Weidman will attempt to repeat the feat and get some momentum going in his own career. After dropping five of six bouts, including an unsuccessful jump to light heavyweight, Weidman got a career-saving victory over Omari Akhmedov at UFC on ESPN+ 33 in August.

He hasn’t had a winning streak since 2015, but now Weidman attempts to get the ball rolling against a familiar foe.

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