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. For the first time in nearly three years,
Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight Johnny
Eduardo will be back in action. Per a report initially from
MMA Junkie on Thursday, Eduardo (28-12) will be squaring off
with Anthony
Birchak (16-7) on the
March 20 UFC event. The Fight Night card, which does not
currently have a designation as it could air on ESPN or the ESPN+
streaming service, is slated to take place at the UFC Apex in Las
Vegas. The pairing has since been confirmed by Birchak on his
social media.
Eduardo will take his first trip to the Octagon since an
unsuccessful outing against Nathaniel
Wood at UFC Fight Night 131 in June 2018. Since then, the
Brazilian has not been booked in any UFC match, nor has he publicly
suffered from any illnesses or injuries to keep him out of the cage
for this long. Although he intended to return earlier, 2020 kept
him grounded due to visa issues related to coronavirus travel
restrictions. “Pretinho” will be looking to right the ship after a
pair of stoppage losses to Matthew
Lopez and the aforementioned Wood in 2017 and 2016. The
Brazilian has never competed more than once with the UFC in any
calendar year since making his debut in 2011.
Birchak’s return to the promotion in November was an unsuccessful
one, where he snapped a three-fight first-round finish streak by
getting tapped out by Gustavo
Lopez. Birchak initially competed four times with the promotion
from 2014 to 2016, winning over Dileno
Lopes and Joe Soto while
suffering stoppage losses to Ian
Entwistle and Joe Soto. Three
consecutive failed appearances with Rizin Fighting Federation prompted the
bantamweight to return to his finishing ways, as the three wins
away from the UFC or Rizin lifted his stoppage rate to 81
percent.
The UFC Fight Night card on March 20 will take place in the UFC
Apex in Las Vegas, where it will be topped by a high-stakes
middleweight collision between Derek
Brunson and Kevin
Holland. An additional main card tilt on the lineup comes at
light heavyweight, when Paul Craig
will attempt to become the first man to defeat Jamahal
Hill.
