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Page one UFC Press release
*** Page Two predictions***
Las Vegas – UFC® continues its series of events at UFC APEX with an exciting bantamweight bout that will see No. 5 ranked contender Pedro Munhoz look to spoil the 135-pound debut of No. 8 featherweight and former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar. Plus, former interim title challenger Ovince Saint Preux returns to the light heavyweight division against Alonzo Menifield.
UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN®: MUNHOZ vs. EDGAR will take place Saturday, August 22 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas, with the main card starting at 8:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. PT on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+. The prelims will kick off at 5:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. PT on ESPN+.
A perennial bantamweight contender, Munhoz (18-4 1NC, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) aims to steal the show in his first UFC main event. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt with heavy hands, Munhoz has earned impressive victories against Bryan Caraway, Rob Font and former champion Cody Garbrandt. Munhoz now hopes to add a decorated legend to his resume and secure the biggest win of his career to re-assert himself as dangerous title threat.
A former lightweight champion and featherweight title challenger, Edgar (22-8-1, fighting out of Toms River, N.J.) looks to make an immediate impact at bantamweight. A potential future UFC Hall of Fame inductee, Edgar has delivered spectacular victories over BJ Penn (thrice), Gray Maynard and Urijah Faber. Edgar is now gunning for another vintage performance to crack the 135-pound rankings and set himself up to become the first athlete to challenge for UFC championships in three divisions.
A perennial standout at light heavyweight, Saint Preux (24-14, fighting out of Knoxville, Tenn.) looks to re-assert himself as a 205-pound threat after a recent visit to the heavyweight division. A hard-hitting striker who is also known for his patented Von Flue choke, the former Tennessee Volunteers football player has delivered highlight-reel victories over Shogun Rua, Corey Anderson and Tyson Pedro. Now, Saint Preux plans to send a message to the light heavyweight division with another vintage performance.
A powerful knockout artist, Menifield (10-1, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) steps in on short notice to face the toughest test of his career. After securing a UFC contract following an eight-second victory against Dashawn Boatwright on Dana White’s Contender Series, he has since delivered spectacular KO wins over Paul Craig and Vinicius Moreira. Menifield now looks to earn his biggest win yet with another highlight-reel finish.
Additional bouts on the card include:
- Marcin Prachnio (13-4, fighting out of Warsaw, Poland) aims to secure his first UFC win when he takes on Mike Rodriguez (10-4 1NC, fighting out of South Easton, Mass.)
- Daniel Rodriguez (12-1, fighting out of Alhambra, Calif.) looks to secure his ninth consecutive win when he faces Takashi Sato (16-3, fighting out of Tokyo, Japan)
- In a battle of rising strawweight prospects, Amanda Lemos (7-1-1, fighting out of Para, Brazil.) meets Mizuki (14-5, fighting out of New York, N.Y. by way of Fukuoka, Japan)
- Mariya Agapova (9-1, fighting out of Pavlodar, Kazakhstan) squares off with Shana Dobson (3-4, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) in a women’s flyweight match
- Austin Hubbard (12-4, fighting out of Denver, Colo.) hopes to build off his most recent win when he takes on streaking Joe Solecki (8-2, fighting out of Wilmington, N.C.)
- Dwight Grant (10-2, fighting out of San Jose, Calif.) goes for his third consecutive victory when he squares off with Jared Gooden (17-4, fighting out of Atlanta, Ga.)
- Ike Villanueva (16-10, fighting out of Houston, Texas) looks to secure his first UFC win when he meets Jorge Gonzalez (16-4, fighting out of El Paso, Texas)
- In a battle of top bantamweight prospects, Timur Valiev (16-2, fighting out of Toms River, N.J. by way of Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia) faces Mark Striegl (18-2, 1 NC, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev. by way of Baguio City, Philippines)
- Carlton Minus (10-1 1NC, fighting out of Anchorage, Alaska) meets Matthew Semelsberger (6-2, fighting out of Frederick, Md.) in clash of welterweight newcomers
Predictions on page two.
