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. A
Ultimate Fighting Championship vet has found his way back to
the promotion on short notice this weekend. On Thursday,
Bloody Canvas first broke the story that Damon
Jackson (17-3-1, 1 NC) will be returning to the UFC on Sept. 19
at
UFC Fight Night 178. He will be stepping in the Octagon against
Mirsad
Bektic (13-3) at featherweight, pending a COVID-19 test.
Luiz
Eduardo Garagorri was originally slated to face Bektic, but the
Uruguayan was pulled after one of his cornermen
tested positive for COVID-19. Jackson has since confirmed the
matchup on his Facebook
page.
Jackson will be making his way back to the UFC after a lengthy
stretch in the
Legacy Fighting Alliance and an unfortunate 10-second stint in
the
Professional Fighters League. His May 2019 bout in the PFL saw
him separated from his consciousness in 10 seconds with a flying
knee from Movlid
Khaybulaev – in the process, Khaybulaev scored the fastest
knockout in company history. The quick defeat is surrounded by a
slew of victories under the LFA banner, where Jackson set
or extended several records with the company including the most
wins and the most finishes.
Bektic is currently on a two-fight skid, having suffered his
first-ever consecutive losses at the hands of Josh Emmett
and Dan
Ige. Most recently, Bektic dropped a close split verdict to Ige
at UFC 247, while Emmett knocked him out in 2019. The loss to
Emmett ended a win streak that saw the
Tristar Gym standout finish Godofredo
Castro and defeat Ricardo
Lamas in 2018. Born in what is now known as Bosnia and
Herzegovina, the Bosnian fighter started his career at 11-0 before
a shocking upset loss to Darren
Elkins in 2017.
UFC Fight Night 178 takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on
Sept. 19, where it will be headlined by a welterweight grudge match
between Colby
Covington and Tyron
Woodley. The co-main event sees Donald
Cerrone try to snap a lengthy skid against Niko Price at
welterweight, and Khamzat
Chimaev will try to continue his unbeaten run when he faces
Gerald
Meerschaert at 185 pounds.
