We’re so proud of our team! Find out how they’ve been doing, as well as what else has been going on at our gym lately.
Shavkat Rakhmonov finally has a dance partner.
The undefeated UFC welterweight contender is being set to fight former title challenger Stephen Thompson at UFC 296 in Las Vegas on Dec. 16. Thompson first revealed the news Friday on his social media, and UFC CEO Dana White later officially announced the matchup.
This key welterweight matchup joins the welterweight title fight between champion Leon Edwards and challenger Colby Covington that was previously announced to headline the pay-per-view event.
BREAKING!!! More fights on Dec. 16th in Vegas. Tickets on sale Oct. 20th #UFC296 pic.twitter.com/JHpQtqYSbw
— danawhite (@danawhite) September 23, 2023
Rakhmonov (17-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) has only fought once in 2023, when he defeated Geoff Neal by standing rear-naked choke at UFC 285 in March. He was supposed to make a return at Noche UFC on Sept. 16 against Kelvin Gastelum, but Gastelum was forced out due to injury and the UFC was unable to find Rakhmonov a replacement. The Kazakhstan native is undefeated in his MMA career and has finished all five opponents he’s faced since joining the UFC in 2020.
On the other hand, Thompson (17-6-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC) has yet to compete this calendar year. The 40-year-old was supposed to fight Brazil’s Michel Pereira at UFC 291 in late August, but Pereira missed weight by three pounds and Thompson opted out from taking the fight at a catch weight.
Thompson’s most recent performance was in December when he beat Kevin Holland by TKO due to a corner stoppage. The bout earned Fight of the Night awards. The win over Holland also snapped a two-fight losing streak for Thompson.
With the addition, the current UFC 296 lineup includes:
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 296.
Official Results And Scorecards From Road To UFC Season 3 Episodes 3 & 4, Live From Shanghai, China Read the Full Article Here
The Fights & Performances That Warranted An Extra $50,000 In 2024 Read the Full Article Here
We want to make sure that Ludus MMA is the right fit for you before asking you to commit to a membership.
That’s why we’d like to offer you a FREE ONE-DAY PASS to our gym.
With your FREE PASS, you can: