The UFC is going all in for UFC 202.
Not only will the Aug. 20 Las Vegas event be headlined by an anticipated rematch between Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor, but the promotion has decided to stack the rest of the card as well.
Former WEC and interim UFC welterweight champion Carlos Condit will fight Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Demian Maia, the UFC announced Tuesday.
Condit (30-9) is looking to rebound from a razor-thin split decision loss to champion Robbie Lawler at UFC 195 in early January. Condit said after the bout he was considering stepping away from the sport.
Maia (23-6) has won five straight and a win over Condit would in theory secure him a title shot. The 38-year-old is 8-2 at 170 pounds with his only losses in the division being competitive decisions to Rory MacDonald and Jake Shields.
The UFC wasn’t done there.
Cerrone takes another challenge at welterweight
Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone could take a serious jump up the rankings if he can get by Rick Story at UFC 202. The pair were added to the card Monday. Cerrone dismantled Canadian Patrick Cote in his first true test at 170 pounds – his debut fight against Alex Oliveira was a short-notice tilt against a natural lightweight – but the No. 9-ranked Story should be a significant step up in competition. Story (19-8) beat former Strikeforce champ Tarec Saffiedine in May in his first fight back from neck surgery and looked impressive doing so.
Rumble-Teixeira postponed
An exciting matchup between light-heavyweight knockout artists Anthony “Rumble” Johnson and Glover Teixeira has been moved to UFC 202. The pair were originally scheduled to fight at a UFC on FOX event July 23, but the bout was postponed after Johnson withdrew due to a family matter he had to attend to.
Hyun Gyu Lim vs. Sultan Aliev and Alberto Uda vs. Marvin Vettori are the only other bouts currently in the works for the card, which will take place at the new T-Mobile Arena.
Ferguson gets new opponent; Sioux Falls gets new main event
Tony Ferguson is scheduled to fight UFC newcomer Landon Vannata when the organization debuts in Sioux Falls, S.D. July 13 after his original opponent, Michael Chiesa was forced out of the bout with an injury.
Ferguson (20–3) and Chiesa (14-2) are both former TUF winners and two of the most entertaining rising contenders in the 155-pound division.
Vannata trains out of the acclaimed Jackson-Winkeljohn gym in Albuquerque, N.M. The 24-year-old is 8-0 as a pro.
Ferguson vs. Vannata will serve as the co-main event with a bantamweight slugfest between Michael McDonald and John Lineker moving into the headlining slot.
