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. Former Ultimate Fighting Championship title challenger
Roxanne
Modafferi will go from one rising talent to another in
September. Modafferi (25-18) was linked to a bout with Tatiana
Suarez at flyweight at
UFC 266 on Sept. 25, but Suarez was forced out due to a knee
injury. In her stead, per ESPN
on Thursday, will be the once-beaten Taila
Santos (17-1). The two flyweights will step inside the cage at
the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on the pay-per-view prelims.
Syndicate MMA standout Modafferi has alternated wins and losses in
her last nine since returning to the UFC in 2017. Ultimately
falling short to Nicco
Montano for the inaugural flyweight strap in her second season
on “The Ultimate Fighter,” “The Happy Warrior” has gone the
distance in seven of eight since the Montano fight. The lone
stoppage in that stretch came when she battered Barb
Honchak with elbows. Modafferi has perennially kept herself in
the rankings picture with wins over names like Andrea Lee
and Maycee
Barber.
Since making her unsuccessful promotional debut in 2019, where she
dropped a split decision to Mara
Romero Borella, she has since prevailed over Molly
McCann and Gillian
Robertson. Across her 14 wins leading up to her appearance on
Dana White’s Contender Series, Santos only
defeated
four women with winning records while earning 13 finishes. On
the major stage, she has gone the distance in all four bouts.
UFC 266 will go down on Sept. 25 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las
Vegas, with a championship doubleheader capping off the
pay-per-view. Headlining the card is a long-awaited featherweight
title fight and TUF 29 coaches’ battle between Alexander
Volkanovski and Brian
Ortega. The co-main event sees Valentina
Shevchenko look to defend her flyweight belt against Lauren
Murphy. Other bouts on the main card include a five-round
excursion between Robbie
Lawler and Nick Diaz,
while Curtis
Blaydes and Jairzinho
Rozenstruik throw down at heavyweight.
