Lineker vs Bagautinov and Trujillo vs Green Set For UFC 169

Lineker vs Bagautinov and Trujillo vs Green Set For UFC 169

by Tommy Strong @Strong_tea

UFC 169 has just got better, with the announcement that two of the top fighters in the flyweights division are due to face each other on the 1st February 2014 in New Jersey.

Lineker (23-6) has failed to make the 125lb flyweight limit in 3 of his last 5 fights. Most recently when weighing in at 128lbs when he faced Phil Harris in Manchester England at UFC Fight Night 30 winning via first round KO. He will be looking to make sure this doesn't happen again as he nears that title shot! Another failure making weight would put a massive dent in his title hopes if he was to win.

At the age of only 23, Lineker has amassed 29 professional fights already in his career, only losing 1 of his last 18 fights which came at the hands of Louis Gaudinot.

Lineker will be facing the highly talented Russian Ali Bagautinov (12-2) , who is unbeaten since May 2011 and currently on a 10 fight tear, with his most recent victory coming over Tim Elliot at UFC 167.

With fighting nicknames of 'Hands of Stone' and 'Puncher King' this is surely going to be a highlight of the night!

Also announced for UFC 169, lightweights Bobby Green vs Abel Trujillo are set to face off

Both fighters are coming off victories only last week at UFC Fox 9 and most arguably their best performances to date within the UFC.

Abel Trujillo (11-5-1NC) put on a stunning performance in defeating Roger Bowling via second round TKO in their rematch fight. Their first bout was deemed a no contest after Trujillo landed an illegal knee with Bowling unable to continue.

Bobby Green (22-5) put on a clinical display out pointing the very durable Pat Healy to earn himself a unanimous decision victory and extend his winning streak to 7 fights!

UFC 169 will see the long awaited return of Dominic Cruz who after 2 years out injured, will be putting his Bantamweight title on the line against the interim champion Renan Barao.

UFC on Fox 8 card gets a shape up due to injuries

More injuries force a mix up to the Fox card

by Jack Broadey @J3cK_b

UFC on Fox 8 has had a bit of a shape up due to injuries. UFC on Fox takes place in Washington on July 27th. A spate of injuries this week had matchmakers scratching there heads.

On the main card Siyar Bahadurzada, who was originally an injury replacement for Tarec Saffedeine, had to pull out of his bout with Robbie Lawler. So now Bobby Voelker has stepped in to take the fight.

Voelker was originally scheduled to take on James Head in late August so it will be interesting to see how that effects his preparations. Not only in regard to the fact that his camp was design to peak a month after the new date for his fight but also, meaning no disrespect to James Head but Robbie Lawler is in a different league and is a massive step up in competition. A win for Voekler on short notice however could change the route for his career.

Matt Mitrione v Brendan Schaub has also been scratched from the card due to an injury suffered by Mitrione in the buildup. This fight will likely be held at a later event and had been brewing along nicely with tweets back and forth between the two.  

Bobby Green also suffered an injury and has been replaced by Tim Means for his fight with Danny Castillo.

Lastly Yves Edwards also got a change of opponent as Spencer Fisher was forced off the card. Daron Cruickshank will be his replacement.

Two more fights added to UFC on Fox 8

The UFC on Fox 8 card is starting to come together with two more fights announced today

by Scott Cumming @tummidge

Hot on the heels of the Jake Ellenberger vs. Rory MacDonald announcement comes another fight that could define the future landscape of the welterweight division as Robbie Lawler gets set to take on, the last man to win under the Strikeforce banner, Tarec Saffiedine.

Lawler (20-9, 5-3 UFC) comes into this bout on the heels of an upset victory over Josh Koscheck at UFC 157. He won by first round TKO and placed his name as someone to watch in the division being only the second fighter to knock Koscheck out. This be only his second fight at welterweight after spending the past 8 years at middleweight where he was formerly the EliteXC middleweight champion.

Saffiedine (14-3) is one of the last Strikeforce imports to make his debut with the UFC and does so as the last holder of the Strikeforce Welterweight Championship beating Nate Marquardt by unanimous decision in January. The Team Quest fighter is currently on a four fight win streak with his last loss coming to Tyron Woodley in January 2011.

The two fighters currently sit at 8th (Saffiedine) and 9th (Lawler) in the UFC's official rankings and a win for either man will propel them towards a top five placing and get them a step closer to contendership for a title fight.

The second fight announced today sees another Strikeforce veteran looking to follow up on a surprise victory as Bobby Green gets set to fight Danny Castillo in the lightweight division.

Green (20-5, 1-0 UFC) picked up a "submission of the night" win against Jacob Volkmann at UFC 156 and came back in the fight having been smothered by Volkmann's wrestling game in the first round before settling down and taking over the fight. Green will go into the bout on a five fight winning streak with three of those victories coming by submission.

Team Alpha Male's Castillo (15-5, 5-2 UFC) took a unanimous decision win against Paul Sass in February and will look to build another winning streak of his own. He was riding a three fight win streak until a KO defeat at the hands of Michael Johnson.

UFC on Fox 8 will take place on the 27th July at KeyArena in Seattle.

The latest fight card for the event includes:
Jake Ellenberger vs. Rory MacDonald
Robbie Lawler vs. Tarec Saffiedine
Mac Danzig vs. Melvin Guillard
Danny Castillo vs. Bobby Green