(Eat your heart out, Benson.)
On the heels of the most successful UFC debut since Todd Duffee, former CagePotato guest blogger and master of the post-fight celebration, Ryan Jimmo, has just been booked for his second bout in the octagon against New Zealand slugger James Te Huna at UFC on FUEL 7. Let’s hope Jimmo’s sophomore appearance goes a little better than The Duffman’s, because Te Huna packs a hell of a lot more power than Mike Russow does. In fact, three out of Te Huna’s four UFC victories have come by some form of brutal (T)KO, with the lone exception being his record-setting performance against Joey Beltran, who has a chin made of the kind of granite that only Lavar Johnson‘s Hulk hands have been able to break.
Currently riding a 17 fight win streak that includes victories over such UFC veterans as Wilson Gouveia, Marvin Eastman, and Sokoudjou among others, Jimmo is undoubtedly one of the hotter prospects to enter the UFC’s light heavyweight division, but he will have his hands full with Te Huna, who has rapidly been developing his ground game to balance out his striking prowess. Who do you like for this one, Taters?
Also on tap for UFC on FUEL 7 is a welterweight battle featuring your favorite Icelandic cyborg, Gunnar Nelson…
Nelson, who had successful UFC debut of his own when he choked Damarques Johnson right out of the promotion at UFC on FUEL 5, has been booked to take on 8-2 Justin “Fast Eddy” Edwards at the same event. Currently 2-2 in the octagon, Edwards most recently scored an upset victory over Josh Neer by choking him unconscious in the opening minute of their fight at UFC on FX 5. That being said, expect to see Edwards as a massive underdog heading into his fight with the undefeated Nelson. Not Ronda Rousey vs. that other girl massive, but massive for sure.
Now that the bantamweight interim title fight between Renan Barao and Michael McDonald has been declared as the main event of the card, UFC on FUEL 7 is looking to be pretty stacked, so keep your fingers crossed that most of these fighters actually end up making it to fight night. I know it sounds futile. UFC on FUEL 7 will also feature a featherweight sure-to-be-slugfest between Dennis Siver and Cub Swanson, as well as Matt Riddle vs. Che Mills and the return of light heavyweight wrecking machine Jimi Manuwa.
UFC on FUEL 7 goes down from the Wembley Arena in London, England on February 16th.