A pivotal featherweight bout is headed to Orlando.
The UFC’s return to Orlando has a main event.
Featherweight contenders Josh Emmett and Jeremy Stephens will square off in the UFC on FOX 28 main event next month, the Orlando Sentinel reported Thursday. BloodyElbow.com confirmed the bout with Emmett, but the UFC has yet to announce the news.
Emmett (13-1) is coming off the biggest win of his career, a first-round knockout of Ricardo Lamas at UFC on FOX 26 in Winnipeg last month. He was a sizable underdog against “The Bully,” a former UFC title challenger. Prior to that bout, which Emmett took on short notice, the Team Alpha Male fighter dropped to the UFC featherweight division and beat Felipe Arantes by decision. Emmett is 4-1 in the UFC overall, with his lone professional loss coming to the hands of Desmond Green last April.
Stephens (27-14) defeated Doo Ho Choi, as an underdog, via second-round TKO in the UFC Fight Night 124 main event this past weekend. That gave Stephens consecutive wins for the first time since he rattled off three straight victories from 2013-2014. Stephens beat ex-lightweight title challenger Gilbert Melendez at UFC 215 last September. His last defeat was a close decision to up-and-comer Renato Moicano.
UFC on FOX 28 takes place at Amway Center on Feb. 24. Also booked for the event is a strawweight bout between Jessica Andrade and Tecia Torres, as well as a light heavyweight matchup between Ovince Saint Preux and Ilir Latifi.
David Branch was expected to face Yoel Romero on the card, but Romero was pulled from the bout to face Luke Rockhold for the interim championship. It’s still unclear whether Branch will remain on the card.