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. Three important
Ultimate Fighting Championship bouts at lightweight and
middleweight are now booked on the promotion’s first pay-per-view
in 2021.
MMA Junkie was first to report on Thursday that Arman
Tsarukyan (15-2) and Nasrat
Haqparast (12-3) will compete against one another at
lightweight. The two will face off at
UFC 257 on Jan. 23 at the Flash Forum in Abu Dhabi, United Arab
Emirates. Tsarukyan has since confirmed the booking on Instagram, while
stating that his initial plan was to take on Alexander
Hernandez in December.
Haqparast rebounded from his first career knockout loss with a
decision over Alex Munoz
in August. Prior to facing Munoz, Drew Dober
smashed him in 70 seconds at UFC 246. The German-born fighter holds
a 75 percent finish rate throughout his career, with his most
recent stoppage win due to strikes coming over Joaquim
Silva in August 2019 – at that time, Silva had never been
finished. Each of Haqparast’s first eight wins came by
knockout.
Tsarukyan made his promotional debut against Islam
Makhachev in April 2019, where he lost a spirited decision that
boosted his stock with a solid short-notice performance over a
ranked opponent. Since then, the Russian has captured decisions
over Olivier
Aubin-Mercier and Davi Ramos
to be on the outside looking in on the top 15. The lightweight
posts an evenly distributed rate of victory, with five knockouts,
five submissions and five decisions to his credit.
An earlier report came Wednesday night, when Combate
put out that Andre Muniz
(20-4) would be taking on Andrew
Sanchez (12-5) at middleweight also at UFC 257. News of this
pairing has been confirmed by
other outlets since its release by the Brazilian news
organization.
Muniz has won his last six dating back to 2016, including a pair of
UFC wins over Antonio
Arroyo and Bartosz
Fabinski since being signed from his wins on Dana White’s Contender Series. “Sergipano”
needed two attempts to impress the UFC brass, as he took a decision
over Bruno Assis
in 2018 that gained him a place on Season 3 the following year. A
first-round submission over then-unbeaten Taylor
Johnson earned him a spot on the roster.
Sanchez earned his first finish since 2015 when he flattened
Wellington
Turman with one punch at UFC Fight Night 174 in August. In the
process, “El Dirte” became the first man to finish the durable
Brazilian in his 20-fight career. With a tumultuous career dating
back to his winning of Season 23 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” Sanchez
has recorded wins over the likes of Markus
Perez and Trevor
Smith, while losing to fighters like Anthony
Smith and Marvin
Vettori along the way.
Finally,
MMA Junkie initially reported that Ottman
Azaitar (13-0) would meet Matt
Frevola (8-1-1) on this Jan. 23 show on Thursday. Frevola
posted news of this impending matchup on his Instagram.
Azaitar has never lost as a professional, while holding a stellar
finish rate of 92 percent. The German-Moroccan lightweight made his
triumphant UFC debut in September 2019 by clobbering Teemu
Packalen in the first round. Just over a year later, Azaitar
leveled Khama
Worthy in 93 seconds, and in the process recorded his 10th
first-round finish. Like many others of late, “Bulldozer” made his
way to the UFC by smashing through Brave Combat Federation, where he claimed the
lightweight throne before signing with the Las Vegas-based
promotion.
Frevola made his way to the UFC through the Contender Series,
tapping out Jose Flores
in the first round on Season 1 to score a contract. Marco Polo
Reyes greeted him inside the Octagon by punching Frevola’s
lights out in 60 seconds. Since then, “The Steamrolla” drew with
Lando
Vannata, and won a pair of decisions over Jalin
Turner and Luis Pena.
Frevola’s 2020 campaign never got off the ground, as two bout
scratches due to COVID-19 and a third cancellation due to a broken
foot kept him out of action for the calendar year.
UFC 257 on Jan. 23 will take place on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi,
United Arab Emirates, where it will be headlined by a lightweight
rematch between Conor
McGregor and Dustin
Poirier. Additional matchups slated for the event include a
women’s strawweight match between Michelle
Waterson and Amanda
Ribas, while Jessica Eye
squares off with Joanne
Calderwood at women’s flyweight.
