Two of the sport’s top light heavyweight prospects will go toe-to-toe at UFC 112 “Invincible” on April 10, when
Phil Davis collides with
Alexander Gustafsson at the Ferrari World Concert Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Nine matches are now official for the event.
Davis, a Harrisburg, Pa., native made his promotional debut at UFC 109 in February, when he cruised by former World Extreme Cagefighting light heavyweight champion
Brian Stann in a unanimous decision. The undefeated 25-year-old
Lloyd Irvin disciple was a four-time collegiate All-American wrestler at Penn State University, where he won a national title in 2008. Davis has stopped three of his first five mixed martial arts opponents inside one round.
Like Davis, the unbeaten Gustafsson opened many an eye in his first UFC appearance, as he knocked out EliteXC veteran
Jared Hamman in just 41 seconds three months ago. The 23-year-old Swede has secured seven of his nine career wins by knockout or technical knockout and has gone the distance only once as a professional.
Meanwhile, the surging
Terry Etim will meet Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt
Rafael dos Anjos in a featured lightweight tilt.
Etim will ride a four-fight winning streak into the match. The 24-year-old Liverpool, England, native last fought in November, when he submitted
Shannon Gugerty with a second-round guillotine choke. A former Cage Gladiators lightweight champion, Etim has never been finished in 16 bouts and has scored 11 of his 14 career victories by submission. In fact, he has earned “Submission of the Night” honors in three of his seven Octagon appearances.
Dos Anjos, 25, has rattled off back-to-back wins since his unanimous decision defeat to the highly regarded
Tyson Griffin in April. The one-time Fury Fighting Championship titleholder has not set foot in the cage since he outpointed
Kyle Bradley in a unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 20 in Fairfax, Va.
The lightweight pairings at UFC 112 do not end there, as
Paul Kelly will lock horns with the once-beaten
Matt Veach on the undercard.
The 25-year-old Kelly has posted two wins in three fights but was victimized in a spectacular TKO loss to
Dennis Siver at UFC 105 in November. A longtime friend and training partner of “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 3 winner
Michael Bisping at the Wolfslair Academy, the former middleweight recently dropped anchor at Team Kaobon. Kelly’s list of notable victims includes fellow Englishman
Paul Taylor, “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 8 quarter-finalist
Roli Delgado and
B.J. Penn protégé
Troy Mandaloniz.
Based out of the H.I.T. Squad gym, Veach finds himself on the rebound for the first time following his second-round submission loss to the world-ranked
Frankie Edgar at “The Ultimate Fighter 10” Finale in December. The 28-year-old Springfield, Ill., native wrestled collegiately at Eastern Illinois University. Only one of Veach’s 12 professional fights has reached the judges.
Two title bouts will headline UFC 112, as middleweight king
Anderson Silva collides with Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace
Demian Maia and lightweight titleholder
B.J. Penn answers the bell against the once-beaten Edgar. In addition, future hall of famer
Matt Hughes will meet
Renzo Gracie in a featured welterweight tilt.
Printer Friendly
