by Page One Press Release
Page Two Predictions
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Las Vegas – UFC® closes out the year with a welterweight bout that will see No. 5 ranked contender Stephen Thompson take on surging No. 11 Geoff Neal. In a co-main event bout guaranteed to deliver fireworks, No. 7 ranked bantamweight contender Jose Aldo faces No. 15 Marlon Vera
UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+®: THOMPSON vs. NEAL will take place Saturday, December 19 from UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The main card will be available on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, starting at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT. The prelims will kick off on ESPN+ starting at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT.
Two-time UFC welterweight title challenger Thompson (15-4-1, fighting out of Simpsonville, S.C.) looks to make the most of his sole 2020 appearance by securing another highlight-reel KO. Throughout his career, Thompson has earned memorable wins over Jorge Masvidal, Rory MacDonald and Robert Whittaker. Thompson now looks to defend his position in the welterweight top five by stopping the momentum of another rising contender.
Neal (13-2, fighting out of Dallas, Texas) hopes to capitalize on his first UFC main event spot by taking out a former UFC title challenger. After securing a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, Neal rattled off a series of memorable wins to enter the welterweight top 15. He holds thrilling KO victories over Mike Perry, Niko Price and Frank Camacho. Neal is now gunning for his eighth consecutive win to stake his claim as a dangerous title threat.
Two-time UFC featherweight champion Aldo (28-7, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) aims to prove he still has another title run ahead of him. Throughout his storied career, he has netted sensational victories against Frankie Edgar (twice), Chad Mendes (twice), Chan Sung Jung and Urijah Faber. Aldo now has his sights set on becoming the first fighter to finish Vera by delivering a vintage performance.
Unbeaten in his last six bantamweight bouts, Vera (16-6-1, fighting out of Chone, Manabi, Ecuador) is ready to stake his claim as a dangerous title threat. Since joining the UFC roster in 2014, Vera has secured impressive KO wins over Sean O’Malley, Andre Ewell, Frankie Saenz and Brad Pickett. Vera now intends to enter the bantamweight top 10 by finishing his first former UFC champion.
Additional bouts on the card include:
- Michel Pereira (24-11 2NC, fighting out of Tucuma, Para, Brazil) locks horns with Khaos Williams (11-1, fighting out of Detroit, Mich.) in an all-action welterweight bout
- No. 3 ranked bantamweight contender Marlon Moraes (23-7-1, fighting out of Parkland, Fla. by way of Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) takes on No. 11 Rob Font (17-4, fighting out of Woburn, Mass.) in a battle of talented strikers
- Marcin Tybura (20-6, fighting out of Uniejow, Poland) squares off with Greg Hardy (7-2 1NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) at heavyweight
- No. 12 ranked women’s flyweight contender Gillian Robertson (9-4, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla. by way of Niagara Falls, Canada) goes for another highlight-reel finish against tough Dana White’s Contender Series Brazil alum Taila Santos (16-1, fighting out of Jaraguá do Sul, SC, Brazil)
- Former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis (23-10, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.) faces Alex Morono (18-6 1NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas) at welterweight
- No. 13 ranked contender Belal Muhammad (17-3, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) battles Dhiego Lima (17-7, fighting out of Atlanta, Ga.) in an entertaining welterweight contest
- Women’s bantamweight contenders collide when No. 13 ranked Sijara Eubanks (7-5, fighting out of Toms River, N.J.) meets No. 14 Pannie Kianzad (14-5, fighting out of Helsingborg, Sweden, by way of Ahwaz, Iran)
- Middleweight finishers Karl Roberson (9-3, fighting out of Neptune, N.J.) and Dalcha Lungiambula (10-2, fighting out of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa) vie for a post-fight bonus
- Deron Winn (6-2, fighting out of Gilroy, Calif.) faces Antonio Arroyo (9-3, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) in a 195-pound catchweight bout
- Aiemann Zahabi (7-2, fighting out of Montreal, Canada) ends a 19-month hiatus to square off with Dana White’s Contender Series signee Drako Rodriguez (7-1, fighting out of Sioux City, Iowa) at bantamweight
- Tafon Nchukwi (4-0, Temple Hills, Md. by way of Bamenda, Cameroon) meets fellow Dana White’s Contender Series veteran Jamie Pickett (11-4, fighting out of Wilmington, N.C.) in a middleweight bout
- Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner Jimmy Flick (15-5, fighting out of Tulsa, Okla.) debuts against Cody Durden (11-2-1, fighting out of Covington, Ga.)
- Rick Glenn (21-6-1, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) takes on Carlton Minus (10-2 1NC, fighting out of Anchorage, Alaska) at lightweight
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