Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) recently dropped the official poster for the upcoming UFC Vegas 26 mixed martial arts (MMA) event, scheduled for this Sat. night (May 8, 2021) on ESPN and ESPN+ from inside APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Better late than never, I suppose.
The original main event between TJ Dillashaw and Cory Sandhagen was scratched after Dillashaw suffered a deep cut above his right eye roughly a week before fight night. Taking over headlining duties are strawweight veterans Marina Rodriguez and Michelle Waterson, who will compete at flyweight to account for the last-minute change in plans.
Rodriguez (13-1-2) is coming off a technical knockout victory over Amanda Ribas at the UFC 257 pay-per-view (PPV) back in January. The 34 year-old Brazilian blasted her way into the Octagon with a first-round finish over Maria de Oliveira Neta on Dana White’s “Contender Series” in summer 2018.
As for Waterson (18-8), she’s also looking to win her second straight after capturing a split-decision victory over the rough-and-tumble Angela Hill last September. “The Karate Hottie” is ranked three spots below Rodriguez at No. 9 but could find herself back in the mix with a standout performance this weekend in “Sin City.”
For the complete UFC Vegas 26 fight card and lineup click here.
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UFC