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. One way or another, Thomas
Almeida will fight in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship shortly.
MMA Junkie first broke the news on Thursday morning that
Almeida (21-3) will be taking on Jonathan
Martinez (12-3) at featherweight on
UFC Fight Night 180 on Oct. 17. Almeida was originally booked
against Alejandro
Perez at UFC Fight Night 179 on Oct. 10, but a
failed COVID-19 test for Perez scuttled the matchup. Although
both Almeida and Martinez typically fight at 135 pounds, the
short-notice nature of the pairing forced it to be contested at
featherweight. Martinez has since confirmed the booking on his
Instagram
page.
Attempting to make his first appearance since UFC 220 in 2018,
Almeida is looking to snap his first-ever losing streak. A massive
20-fight win streak to open his career came to a violent end when
Cody
Garbrandt knocked him out in 2016, and “Thominhas” has lost two
of three bouts since then. His last win in nearly five years was a
knockout of Albert
Morales in 2016. In victory, the Brazilian has finished 20 of
his 21 opponents before the final bell, with over 80 percent of his
triumphs coming by knockout.
Martinez rebounded from a February loss to Andrew Ewell in February
by knocking out Frankie
Saenz in August. Although “Dragon” lost his UFC debut to
Andre
Soukhamthath in 2018, he bounced back with a decision win
against Wuliji
Buren and went on to knock out Pinguan Liu. Although lower than
that of his opponent, the Factory X product maintains a stoppage
rate of 75 percent, with finishes in four of his last five
wins.
UFC Fight Night 180 takes place on Oct. 17 at the Flash Forum in
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where it will be capped off by a
long-awaited featherweight contest of Brian
Ortega against Chan Sung
Jung. Although the promotion does not officially list a
co-headliner, Modestas
Bukauskas will face Jimmy Crute
at light heavyweight, while Jessica
Andrade moves to women’s flyweight to take on Katlyn
Chookagian.
