ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE 11 BRITISH FIGHTERS IN ACTION AT UFC FIGHT NIGHT: MANUWA VS ANDERSON
Press release time but this one contains some good info on all the British fighters on the UFC London card but obviously you know that with the title, all the info we received is posted below.
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE 11 BRITISH FIGHTERS IN ACTION AT UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: MANUWA VS ANDERSON
London, UK – UFC® returns to London on Saturday, March 18 with a fight card stacked full of the very best in British mixed martial arts talent. The event will be headlined by London’s own Jimi Manuwa and also features the pioneering Brad Pickett in his retirement fight. Whilst the supporting cast at The O₂ is littered with up and coming young talent. Here we take a look at all 11 British fighters who will be in action at UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: MANUWA vs. ANDERSON.
Londoner Jimi Manuwa is currently the No.5 ranked UFC light heavyweight. On March 18, he returns to his hometown to headline against an American athlete just two places below him in the rankings, Corey “Overtime” Anderson. 37 year-old Manuwa has won 16 of his 18 professional MMA bouts, including five impressive victories since making his UFC debut in September 2012. He’ll be aiming to add to his win tally with a victory in the English capital and will be more confident than ever before, following arguably his most impressive win to date, which saw him knock out Ovince Saint Preux at UFC 204®: SILVA VS. BISPING last October.
One of the most highly-anticipated clashes on the London fight card sees British MMA legend Brad Pickett bow out of the sport in front of his homecrowd. Pickett has 39 professional MMA bouts under his belt and the 38 year-old East Londoner will be looking to notch up his 27th win inside the Octagon® when he faces Mexico’s Henry “Bure” Briones. Pickett first competed in the UFC in November 2011 and has gone on to become a fan favourite, thanks in large part to his exciting, high-tempo fighting style. With this being the final outing of “One Punch”, fans watching all over the world can expect an unforgettable performance from the veteran.
From a pair of UFC veterans to a bright, young prospect, Arnold Allen is a 23 year-old featherweight fighter from Suffolk. With 11 wins from a possible 12 as a professional, Allen is undefeated since making his UFC debut in June 2015. He burst onto the biggest stage in MMA in spectacular style, earning a ‛Performance of the Night’ bonus along the way with a unanimous decision victory over Yaotzin Meza in London last year. Now, Allen faces perhaps his toughest challenge inside the Octagon to date. Makwan “Mr Finland” Amirkhani is also unbeaten since joining the UFC. But which of these bright young prospects will secure the win?
UFC light heavyweight Darren Stewart, also from London, will be hoping to secure his first win since being signed by the organisation, on March 18. The 26 year-old currently holds an unblemished record in professional MMA with seven straight victories. Five of those seven wins have come via KO/TKO so fans can expect an exciting contest when he meets Brazilian veteran Francimar “Bodao” Barroso.
Marc Diakiese is considered one of the most exciting prospects in British MMA right now, having announced himself to the UFC with a dominant second round knockout on his debut in Manchester last year. In London, Diakiese will step into the Octagon once again, as he looks to extend his undefeated professional record, which currently stands at 11 wins. Teemu “Pacu” Packalen of Finland stands in the 23 year-old’s way, and will undoubedtedly be a good test for the energetic Diakiese.
Birmingham’s Tom Breese is another young British fighter with a bright future. He has won 10 of his 11 professional MMA bouts and enjoyed an excellent start to his UFC career, posting three straight victories including a ‛Performance of the Night’ knockout over Cathal Pendred in Dublin. Breese steps up from welterweight to middleweight to take on Oluwale “Holy War Angel” Bamgbose.
Breese is joined on the London card by fellow Birmingham fighter Leon Edwards. Also aged 25, Edwards is currently enjoying a two-fight winning streak in the UFC, and last appeared at UFC 204 in October. He’ll be hoping to make it three in a row on March 18, Vicente “The Silent Assassin” Luque will stand in his way at The O₂ and his current streak of four straight wins will represent a good test for welterweight Edwards.
Lancashire bantamweight Ian Entwistle has won nine of his 12 professional bouts. None of his previous fights have made it to the end of the final round, and he has developed a fearsome reputation for his impressive submission skills. Fans can expect an action-packed bout when he meets Welsh newcomer Brett Johns in London.
Swansea-born Brett Johns was only the second Welshman to be signed by the UFC, and made his debut in impressive fashion in Belfast last November. Johns has already spoken of his excitement at appearing on the same card as one of his idols, fellow bantamweight Brad Pickett, and he’ll be aiming to give Welsh fans cause for celebration over the English, when he meets the experienced Ian “Enty” Entwistle. Johns is currently undefeated in professional MMA, with 13 straight wins on his record.
Bradley Scott is a 27 year-old UFC middleweight who fights out of Melksham, Bath. With 11 wins from a possible 15, Scott will be hoping to add win number 12 in an all-English clash with Yorkshireman Scott Askham. All The former Ultimate Fighter challenger hasn’t appeared inside the Octagon for over a year now, his last bout taking place at The O₂ in February 2016.
Scott Askham, training partner of Marc Diakiese, brings with him slightly more experience than his opponent. Another middleweight whose victories tend to be earned well before the judges are given the opportunity to score the contest, the 27 year-old Hemsworth fighter has fond memories of competing in London. In last year’s event he wowed the home crowd with a stunning first round knockout over USA’s Chris Dempsey, which secured him the ‛Performance of the Night’ bonus.
