Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on
your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the
ESPN app. The Ultimate Fighting Championship is building up
its Houston return to include an impressive offering of matchups,
with the latest fun one at 155 pounds. MMA reporter Walter
Salcido released news on Thursday of the
UFC 271 matchup between Bobby Green
(28-12-1) and Nasrat
Haqparast (13-4). The lightweights will go to battle inside the
Toyota Center in Houston on Feb. 12, and their placement on the
billing whether on the main card or preliminaries has yet to be
determined. Green has since posted about his excitement to return
to Houston, and confirmed the pairing itself on his
Instagram Stories.
In his last time out in November, Green punched out Al Iaquinta
in 2:25 to earn his first stoppage win since 2013. The victory put
an end to a two-fight skid that saw him fall short to Rafael
Fiziev and Thiago
Moises by close decision in each – although a
myriad of observers including the
three official Sherdog scorers had Green defeating Moises. The
knockout of Iaquinta put an end to a streak of 10 consecutive bouts
for Green that went the distance.
Haqparast on the other hand is coming off of a loss sustained to
Dan
Hooker in September. The setback halted a two-fight stretch of
unanimous decision victories for the German, with wins over
Alex
Munoz and Rafa Garcia
leading up to the Hooker matchup. Haqparast debuted in 2017 against
Marcin
Held, dropping a unanimous decision but coming back strong with
three straight wins over Marc
Diakiese, Thibault
Gouti and Joaquim
Silva. The lone knockout loss of his career came to Drew Dober,
whom he faced after Silva.
On Feb. 12, the Toyota Center in Houston will be packed with fans
for UFC 271, who will be in the building to see Israel
Adesanya rematch Robert
Whittaker for the middleweight strap. The co-headliner also
comes at 185 pounds, as Jared
Cannonier takes on Derek
Brunson with championship implications likely on the line.
Other bouts likely put high on the card include a flyweight clash
between Alex Perez
and Matt
Schnell, as well as a lightweight battle between Alexander
Hernandez and Renato
Carneiro.
