We’re lower than two months out from the UFC’s return to Tampa Bay and the cardboard nonetheless doesn’t have a locked in essential occasion.
MMAMania.com confirmed studies earlier this week that the promotion had moved on from attempting to coax Colby Covington into a house state essential occasion in opposition to Ian Garry. As a substitute, they had been trying to lock in Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Tune Yadong — a shocking matchup contemplating Umar was already promised a title shot in opposition to new champ Merab Dvalishvili.
Nurmagomedov lately accused Dvalishvili of attempting to duck him by making himself unavailable till Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting. Fairly than look ahead to Merab till spring or summer season, Umar mentioned he was prepared to battle once more in December. That will assist fill the opening on the prime of Tampa’s ESPN broadcast card, however based on Tune Yadong’s coach Urijah Faber, nothing has been signed and the date they like is January for UFC 311 in Los Angeles.
“We don’t have a date for that but, I don’t assume December 14th is the date we’ve talked about,” Faber instructed Helen Yee in a brand new interview. “I feel January is what we’re taking a look at. However we like that battle. I feel Umar and Tune are each guys that individuals don’t wish to battle, in order that they’re each prepared to step up.”
“We’d battle [Sean] O’Malley, we’d battle [Deiveson] Figueiredo, we’d battle any of those guys. We’ve been seing all kinds of stuff being posted about that battle however nothing’s been signed. A date has not been agreed upon. If that battle does occur, it’d most certainly occur in January [at UFC 311 in Los Angeles].”
That leaves UFC on ESPN 63 in a little bit of a lurch, however it’s not just like the UFC is above simply selling a Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas rematch to the primary occasion slot. We’ll maintain you up to date because the Tampa Bay card coalesces, and who finally ends up headlining.
