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. A surging Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight has
a top-10 opponent for a classic striker vs. grappler affair. According to a report from
MMA Fighting on Thursday, Andre Muniz
(22-4) has his sights set on moving up the rankings, and he will
find his next test in Uriah Hall
(17-10) on April 16. The two middleweights have agreed to fight one
another at the
UFC Fight Night on that date, one which does not currently have
a venue and location, although the UFC Apex in Las Vegas is on the
table. The intriguing stylistic clash has been subsequently
confirmed by Muniz on his Instagram on
Friday.
Since earning a roster spot on the third season of Dana White’s Contender Series, Muniz has shot
up the ranks with four wins in four appearances. Debuting by being
triumphant on the scorecards over Antonio
Arroyo in 2019, the next three victories all came by armbar.
Most notably, “Sergipano” became the first fighter to ever submit
Ronaldo
Souza, breaking his arm at UFC 262 in under four minutes. Muniz
is already
tied for the second-most armbars in company history, and one
more will reach Demetrious
Johnson’s record four.
Heavy-hitting Hall has never been submitted as a professional, with
82% of his wins coming inside the distance and all but one due to
strikes. In his last time out, Hall fell short to Sean
Strickland in a five-round decision, putting an end to a
four-fight win streak over the likes of Chris
Weidman and Anderson
Silva. Through a tumultuous UFC tenure that began in 2013
following the 17th season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” Hall has
topped other names including Gegard
Mousasi, Thiago
Santos and Chris Leben
as he cemented himself in the rankings for years.
The currently unnumbered UFC Fight Night card on April 16 is
awaiting a designated location, although based on the status of the
coronavirus pandemic, it could find itself held in the UFC Apex in
Las Vegas. Headlining the show is a welterweight rematch between
top-ranked welterweights as Vicente
Luque looks to go 2-0 against the resurgent Belal
Muhammad. Other notable matchups on the evening include a
welterweight banger between Miguel
Baeza and Dhiego Lima,
as well as a heavyweight rumble between Chris
Barnett and Martin
Buday.
