Bouts Announced for UFC 104
Sherdog.com Staff Aug 26, 2009
The UFC announced on Wednesday a bevy of bouts to join its light
heavyweight championship tilt between Lyoto
Machida and Mauricio
"Shogun" Rua at UFC
104 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Machida, 31, will make his first title defense against fellow Brazilian Rua after crushing Rashad Evans with a second-round knockout for the belt at UFC 98 last May in Las Vegas.
Rua won the 2005 Pride Fighting Championships 205-pound Grand Prix
and after a rocky start in the Octagon, silenced many critics with
a brutal first-round knockout against Chuck
Liddell at UFC 97 last April in Montreal.
“I’m honored to be making my first title defense in Los Angeles,” Machida said in a UFC press release. “The fact that I get to fight someone as respected as Shogun is an honor as well. My last fight before I won the title was against Thiago Silva, so I know how tough my fellow Brazilians are. I’m training extremely hard for this matchup and I’m looking forward to a great fight.”
Meanwhile, heavyweight prospect Cain Velasquez will welcome debutante Ben Rothwell to the Octagon in a featured bout.
The undefeated Velasquez, 28, will look to build on his unanimous decision victory over Cheick Kongo at UFC 99 last June in Cologne, Germany. A product of the famed Miletich Martial Arts camp, the 6-foot-5, 265-pound Rothwell was a standout of the International Fight League’s stable and has won 14 of his last 15 contests.
“Ben is a great opponent with heavy hands,” said Velasquez. “He is an all-around big fighter that comes out of a great camp. I look forward to putting on an exciting fight for the fans at UFC 104.”
Also announced for the main card’s pay-per-view broadcast via the promotion’s Web site, former UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk will tangle with Gleison Tibau. Sherk dropped a unanimous decision to Frankie Edgar at UFC 98 in May and has gone 2-2 in his last quartet of bouts inside the promotion. American Top Team’s Tibau will also be in the hunt for a rebound victory following his split decision loss to Melvin Guillard at “The Ultimate Fighter 9” Finale in June.
In another televised lightweight bout, Joe Stevenson will meet Spencer Fisher, and Anthony Johnson and Yoshiyuki Yoshida will vie for favor in a welterweight bout. Johnson is undefeated in two bouts, while Yoshida submitted Brandon Wolff in the first round at UFC 98 last May.
Machida, 31, will make his first title defense against fellow Brazilian Rua after crushing Rashad Evans with a second-round knockout for the belt at UFC 98 last May in Las Vegas.
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“I’m honored to be making my first title defense in Los Angeles,” Machida said in a UFC press release. “The fact that I get to fight someone as respected as Shogun is an honor as well. My last fight before I won the title was against Thiago Silva, so I know how tough my fellow Brazilians are. I’m training extremely hard for this matchup and I’m looking forward to a great fight.”
Meanwhile, heavyweight prospect Cain Velasquez will welcome debutante Ben Rothwell to the Octagon in a featured bout.
The undefeated Velasquez, 28, will look to build on his unanimous decision victory over Cheick Kongo at UFC 99 last June in Cologne, Germany. A product of the famed Miletich Martial Arts camp, the 6-foot-5, 265-pound Rothwell was a standout of the International Fight League’s stable and has won 14 of his last 15 contests.
“Ben is a great opponent with heavy hands,” said Velasquez. “He is an all-around big fighter that comes out of a great camp. I look forward to putting on an exciting fight for the fans at UFC 104.”
Also announced for the main card’s pay-per-view broadcast via the promotion’s Web site, former UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk will tangle with Gleison Tibau. Sherk dropped a unanimous decision to Frankie Edgar at UFC 98 in May and has gone 2-2 in his last quartet of bouts inside the promotion. American Top Team’s Tibau will also be in the hunt for a rebound victory following his split decision loss to Melvin Guillard at “The Ultimate Fighter 9” Finale in June.
In another televised lightweight bout, Joe Stevenson will meet Spencer Fisher, and Anthony Johnson and Yoshiyuki Yoshida will vie for favor in a welterweight bout. Johnson is undefeated in two bouts, while Yoshida submitted Brandon Wolff in the first round at UFC 98 last May.
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