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. An all-action Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight
brawl is on the slate for Madison Square Garden. Per the promotion’s broadcast partner of ESPN
on Friday, Frankie
Edgar (24-9-1) will be returning to competition after a
nine-month layoff to take on Marlon Vera
(17-7-1) at bantamweight on UFC 268. The two will throw down inside
of Madison Square Garden in New York on Nov. 6 for the
organization’s first New York-based event since 2019. The bout is
not yet official, per ESPN, but both have agreed to face one
another.
Edgar has dropped three of four dating back the last three years,
but a pair of setbacks to Max
Holloway and Chan Sung
Jung led to “The Answer” searching for the answer at
bantamweight. His debut at 135 pounds came against Pedro
Munhoz, in a five-round thriller where the two pocketed “Fight
of the Night” honors, and Edgar emerged victorious by narrow split
decision. A potential title eliminator against Cory
Sandhagen ended poorly for the former lightweight king, as
Sandhagen separated Edgar from his consciousness in 28 seconds with
a flying knee worthy of “Knockout of the Year” accolades.
Ecuador’s Vera has alternated wins and losses in his last four,
with victories over Sean
O’Malley and Davey Grant
interspersed between decision defeats to Yadong Song
and Jose
Aldo – the former came at 145 pounds. “Chito” celebrates a high
finish rate of 82 percent in his career, while recording stoppages
in nine of his 11 UFC victories including eight of his last
nine.
UFC 268 is slated to take place in Madison Square Garden in New
York on Nov. 6. Barring any restrictions to running an event, the
MSG-based card will be capped off by a welterweight championship
grudge match and rematch between Kamaru
Usman and Colby
Covington. Potentially slotted in as the co-main event is a
lightweight tilt pitting Justin
Gaethje against Michael
Chandler, although the latter may run up against New York
vaccine requirements for event participation.
