UFC 266: Volkanovski and Shevchenko to protect titles

UFC 266 is scheduled to lunge down on September 25 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The day gone by it changed into announced that the card would contain the indispensable anticipated return of Cut Diaz, who will face feeble UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler in a 5 round contest.

The day gone by ESPN announced that UFC 266 would additionally characteristic a pair of title fights. The first, which is expected to headline the event, is the rescheduled UFC featherweight title bout between champion Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega.

The second title bout sees dominant UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko taking up Lauren Murphy.

Volkanovski vs. Ortega changed into supposed to happen at UFC 260 in March. On the other hand, that changed into cancelled after Volkanovski diminished in dimension COVID-19. After the fight changed into postponed, those males hurt up coaching in opposition to every diversified on the modern series of The Closing Fighter.

The fight in opposition to Ortega represents Volkanovski’s second title defence. His first changed into in opposition to Max Holloway finally year’s UFC 251. Volkanovski received the title from Holloway beforehand at UFC 245 in 2019.

Ortega heads into this fight off the support of a convincing unanimous decision victory over Chan Sung Jung. That fight got here after a advance year prolonged lay-off following a brutal loss to Max Holloway.

Shevchenko has seemed unstoppable since transitioning to the flyweight division. She received the title with a fetch over Joanna Jedrzejczyk in 2018. Since then she has defended the belt 5 times with wins over Jessica Peep, Liz Carmouche and Jessica Andrade.

Murphy has earned her title shot ensuing from an undefeated hotfoot reaching support to 2019 that involves 5 victories. In that hotfoot she TKO’d Mara Borella, submitted Liliya Shakirova and—most only lately—decision’d Joanne Calderwood.

UFC 266 is additionally expected to consist of Marlon Moraes vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Curtis Blaydes vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Tatiana Suarez vs. Roxanne Modafferi.