PRIZED FILIPINO FIGHTER JENEL LAUSA MAKES HIS UFC DEBUT AT UFC FIGHT NIGHT® MANILA: LAMAS VS PENN
14 September 2016
UFC® officials have confirmed two additional bouts for UFC FIGHT NIGHT® Manila: LAMAS vs PENN. First is a Flyweight matchup featuring local rising star Jenel “The Demolition Man” Lausa (6-2-0, fighting out of Iloilo, Philippines) taking on Yao “The Conqueror” Zhikui (2-4-0, fighting out of Beijing, China).
A regional flyweight titleholder, Lausa has just fulfilled his life-long dream of signing with the UFC, becoming the first homegrown title-holder to fight for the world’s premier MMA organization. A former boxing champion and jiu-jitsu practitioner as well, Lausa is currently riding high on a four-fight winning streak and will now look to duplicate his success on fight night in front of the thousands of passionate Filipino fans.
His first test is China’s Zhikui who is no stranger to the Philippines, having earned his first UFC victory during UFC FIGHT NIGHT® Manila: EDGAR vs FABER last May 2015. A ranked wrestler in China, Zhikui is extremely confident with his striking abilities and looks forward to using his aggressive fighting style to earn his second win in Manila.
Also confirmed is a Middleweight clash between Alex “The Spartan” Nicholson (7-2-0, fighting out of Orlando, Florida USA) and Sam “Smile’N” Alvey (28-8-0, fighting out of Temecula, California USA). A hard-hitting striker with a background in Boxing, Muay Thai and Tae Kwon Do, Nicholson has finished all seven of his professional wins, six of which coming via knockout. The former Golden Gloves boxing champion is recently coming off a first round knockout victory last July.
His opponent is the heavy-handed and always smiling Alvey who is currently on a two-fight winning streak after finishing his last couple of opponents in convincing fashion. A knockout artist with a strong wrestling base, Alvey is comfortable wherever the fight goes and is always ready to put on a great show for Filipino fans.
UFC FIGHT NIGHT® Manila: LAMAS vs PENN will be headlined by former UFC Lightweight and Welterweight champion B.J. “The Prodigy” Penn who will face No.4 ranked UFC Featherweight contender Ricardo “The Bully” Lamas in an explosive five round featherweight fight. In the co-main event, Heavyweights Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis (16-4-0, fighting out of Houston, Texas USA) and Marcin Tybura (14-2-0, fighting out of Warszawa, Poland) will clash in the first UFC Heavyweight fight in the Philippines.
Other bouts include:
· Flyweight showdown between Japan’s own title contender No. 3 ranked Kyoji Horiguchi (17-2-0, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Florida USA) and No. 8 ranked Ali Bagautinov (14-4-0, fighting out of Dagestan, Republic of Russia).
· A Strawweight bout between Seo Hee Ham (16-7-0, fighting out of Busan, South Korea) and Danielle “Dynamite” Taylor (7-2-0, fighting out of Van Nuys, California USA) in what will be the first-ever women’s bout UFC will hold in the Philippines.
· A Featherweight clash featuring Cole “Magrinho” Miller (21-10-0, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Florida USA) taking on Mizuto “Pugnus” Hirota (18-7-2, fighting out of Tokyo, Japan).
· A Lightweight battle between Medhi “The Sultan” Baghdad (11-4-0, fighting out of Los Angeles, California USA) and Jon “Super Saiyan” Tuck (9-3-0, fighting out of Hagatna, Guam).
· A Welterweight bout between James “Moon Walker” Moontasri (9-4-0, fighting out of Los Angeles, California USA) and Alex “The Great White” Morono (12-3-0, fighting out of Houston, Texas USA).
· A Middleweight bout between Dongi “The Ox” Yang (12-3-0, fighting out of Seoul, South Korea) and Ryan Janes (8-1-0, fighting out of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada).
· A Lightweight bout between Yusuke Kasuya (9-2-2, fighting out of Kanagawa, Japan) and Damir Hadzovic (10-3-0, fighting out of Copenhagan, Denmark).
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