Several changes have been made to Saturday’s UFC card in Las Vegas.
Last weekend’s UFC Winnipeg card took a success several days before fight night, with a matchup being rescheduled for a later date.
Fights falling through or alternative opponents being found on short notice shouldn’t be unusual in combat sports.
Nonetheless, after UFC Vegas 115 added an entire recent matchup to the cardboard just days out from the event, this has now happened for the second consecutive event on the Apex.
You’re Dana White for the day. Who’s the primary fighter you sign to the UFC? 👀
UFC signs Lucas Brennan to face Francis Marshall on April 25 Apex card
On Saturday night, Aljamain Sterling looks to halt Youssef Zalal’s winning streak in a clash of featherweight contenders within the predominant event.
It was highlighted last week that if the promotion were unable to search out a alternative opponent for one fight, there can be a complete of 11 bouts on the cardboard.
Fans hoping for a shorter than usual Apex event won’t be thrilled to see the promotion sign Lucas Brennan on short notice to make a light-weight contest between him and Francis Marshall for April 25 (reported by Marcel Dorff).
Nine-fight Bellator veteran Brennan brings an 11-2 record to the table to tackle Marshall, who can be making his seventh appearance contained in the Octagon.
The cardboard now stands at 13 fights as a consequence of Cody Durden stepping in to interchange Lucas Rocha and face Jafel Filho in a bantamweight matchup, as first reported by MMA Fighting.
Commentator Jon Anik previously got in trouble for criticizing UFC events for being too long.
Anik suggested that he’d cut 150 fighters from the roster with the intention to have 10-fight cards that may be “a far more ingestible, palatable sporting event”.
Following the changes to the cardboard, the present bout order now looks like this for UFC Vegas 116:
Foremost card:
- Featherweight: Aljamain Sterling vs. Youssef Zalal
- Women’s Bantamweight: Norma Dumont vs. Joselyne Edwards
- Lightweight: Rafa Garcia vs. Alexander Hernandez
- Bantamweight: Davey Grant vs. Adrian Luna Martinetti
- Bantamweight: Montel Jackson vs. Raoni Barcelos
- Heavyweight: Marcus Buchecha vs. Ryan Spann
Prelims:
- Middleweight: Rodolfo Vieira vs. Eric McConico
- Women’s Bantamweight: Mayra Bueno Silva vs. Michelle Montague
- Middleweight: Jackson McVey vs. Sedriques Dumas
- Bantamweight: Jafel Filho vs. Cody Durden
- Lightweight: Francis Marshall vs. Lucas Brennan
- Welterweight: Max Griffin vs. Victor Valenzuela
- Women’s Strawweight: Talita Alencar vs. Julia Polastri
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