The UFC card this weekend promises absolute fireworks. The world's premier MMA organization will return on December 2 with the exciting UFC Austin Fight Night event. Also known as UFC on ESPN 52, the event will take place at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas.
A clash of elite lightweight contenders Beneil Dariush and Arman Tsarukyan will headline the event. Currently ranked No.4 in the official UFC lightweight rankings, Dariush is coming off a devastating first-round TKO loss to former champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 289. However, he was riding an eight-fight win streak before the loss which included wins over notable fighters like Tony Ferguson and Mateusz Gamrot.
Dariush will take on Armenian-Russian fighter Arman Tsarukyan, who is trying to break into the top five of the division. Tsarukyan shot to fame after his 2019 debut when he gave current UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev a run for his money. He has secured two straight wins over Damir Ismagulov and Joaquim Silva since losing to Mateusz Gamrot in June 2022.
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The fight is a classic veteran vs. young contender clash that will test both men’s resolve to get a shot at the UFC title.
In the co-main event, City Kickboxing representative Dan Hooker was expected to take on Bobby ‘King’ Green. However, the Kiwi fighter had to pull out of the fight due to an arm injury that required surgery. Green will fight No.12-ranked Jalin Turner instead.
Deiveson Figueiredo and Kelvin Gastelum will grace the UFC card this weekend
Former two-time UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo will make his bantamweight debut against the New England Cartel standout Rob Font on the UFC card this weekend. Figueiredo is coming off a tetralogy against fierce rival Brandon Moreno.
He will attempt to make a run at the bantamweight belt with a potential win over Font. Meanwhile, Rob Font has hit a rough patch in his UFC career. He has lost three of his last four fights.
Furthermore, an absolute banger of a welterweight contest will feature on the UFC card this weekend. Former middleweight title challenger Kelvin Gastelum is set to return to the welterweight division. Gastelum has not competed at 170 pounds since defeating Johny Hendricks at the milestone UFC 200 event in 2016.
He takes on wrestling powerhouse Sean Brady on the main card. Brady is currently the No.9-ranked welterweight and a potential win over him could fast-track Gastelum’s entry into the top 10 of the division.
Apart from those mentioned above, notable fighters like Clay Guida and former UFC women's bantamweight champion Miesha Tate will also feature on the UFC card this weekend.
Here is the complete line-up of fights for the card:
Main Card
- Beneil Dariush vs. Arman Tsarukyan (Lightweight)
- Jalin Turner vs. Bobby Green (Lightweight)
- Rob Font vs. Deiveson Figueiredo (Bantamweight)
- Sean Brady vs. Kelvin Gastelum (Welterweight)
- Clay Guida vs. Joaquim Silva (Lightweight)
- Punahele Soriano vs. Dustin Stoltzfus (Middleweight)
Preliminary Card
- Miesha Tate vs. Julia Avila (Women’s Bantamweight)
- Zachary Reese vs. Cody Brundage (Middleweight)
- Drakkar Klose vs. Joe Solecki (Lightweight)
- Steve Garcia vs. Melquizael Costa (Featherweight)
- Rodolfo Bellato vs. Ihor Potieria (Light Heavyweight)
- Wellington Turman vs. Jared Gooden (Welterweight)
- Veronica Macedo vs. Jamey-Lyn Horth (Women’s Flyweight)