Canadian standout T.J. Grant will lock horns with former two-division Alaska Fighting Championship titleholder Julio Paulino in a preliminary welterweight duel at UFC 119 “Mir vs. Cro Cop” on Sept. 25 at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. UFC officials on Friday finalized an 11-bout lineup for the event, which will air live on pay-per-view.
Paulino lost a unanimous decision to former Sportfight champion Mike Pierce in his promotional debut at UFC Live 1 in March. The 34-year-old Anchorage, Alaska-based welterweight has secured 16 of his 17 career wins by knockout, technical knockout or submission. A winner in 10 of his last 12 fights, Paulino owns notable victories over UFC veterans Terry Martin and Rob Yundt. In 20 professional appearances, he has never been finished.
A showdown between former heavyweight champion Frank Mir and 2006 Pride Fighting Championships open weight grand prix winner Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic will headline UFC 119, along with a pivotal light heavyweight duel between undefeated “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 8 winner Ryan Bader and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. The event will also feature a lightweight tilt pitting Melvin Guillard against Jeremy Stephens and a welterweight rematch pairing former champion Matt Serra with Chris Lytle. In addition, one-time UFC lightweight titleholder Sean Sherk will collide with the unbeaten Evan Dunham.
UFC 119 “Mir vs. Cro Cop”
Saturday, Sept. 25
Conseco Fieldhouse
Indianapolis
Frank Mir vs. Mirko Filipovic
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Ryan Bader
Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle
Evan Dunham vs. Sean Sherk
Jeremy Stephens vs. Melvin Guillard
C.B. Dollaway vs. Joe Doerksen
Matt Mitrione vs. Joey Beltran
Waylon Lowe vs. Steve Lopez
T.J. Grant vs. Julio Paulino
Mark Hunt vs. Sean McCorkle
Thiago Tavares vs. Pat Audinwood