Diabate Gets a New Opponent for Next Weekend

Undefeated Swede Jorgen Kruth, who was slated to fight Cyrille Diabate next weekend at UFC on FUEL TV in Stockholm, has been forced to withdraw due to injury. Stepping in for Kruth will be another undefeated light heavyweight, 7-0 Tom DeBlass. DeBlass …

Undefeated Swede Jorgen Kruth, who was slated to fight Cyrille Diabate next weekend at UFC on FUEL TV </a>in Stockholm, has been forced to withdraw due to injury. Stepping in for Kruth will be another undefeated light heavyweight, 7-0 Tom DeBlass.

DeBlass is an accomplished BJJ black belt who trains and teaches alongside UFC vets Ricardo Almeida and Renzo Gracie in New Jersey. The bout will mark DeBlass’ UFC debut.

Lil’ Nog Injured, Thiago Silva in Against Gustafsson updated April 4
Following a knee injury suffered in training for his April 14th bout against Alexander Gustafsson, Rogerio Nogueira has been forced to withdraw from the UFC on FUEL TV main event in Stockholm, Sweden. Stepping in for Lil’ Nog will be another hard-hitting Brazilian, Thiago Silva, who is returning to the Octagon for the first time since January of 2011.

Two Bouts Complete Sweden’s Fight Card updated February 18
The sold-out UFC on FUEL TV </a>fight night in Stockholm, Sweden, has added two fights to its roster. With Akira Corassani sidelined due to injury, midwestern scrapper Eric Wisely will step in for the injured TUF alum to take on Jason Young in what will be a featherweight battle of striking specialists.

Also that night, undefeated lightweight Yoislandy ‘Cuba’ Izquierdo has verbally agreed to make his first UFC fight one against Stockholm’s own Reza ‘Mad Dog’ Madadi. Both fighters had been scheduled to enter the Octagon earlier in the year – though not against each other – but injury and red tape delayed their debuts.

Verbal agreements are in for both bouts.

Nunes vs. Siver, Corassani vs. Shotgun Set for Sweden updated January 25
Verbal agreements are in for two featherweight fights that complete the UFC on FUEL 2 fight card, UFC officials confirmed today. 

World-ranked Brazilian Diego Nunes will welcome Germany’s Dennis Siver to the featherweight division in a showdown between great strikers.

Plus, Sweden’s Akira Corassani will make his UFC debut following his stint on last season’s Ultimate Fighter against England’s Jason “Shotgun” Young.

UFC Sweden Gets Its Main Event
updated January 9
The main event of April’s UFC event in Sweden pits Stockholm’s rising star Alexander Gustafsson vs. former PRIDE® star Rogerio “Lil’ Nog” Nogueira in an exciting light heavyweight contest.

Born in Arboga, Sweden, “The Mauler” Gustafsson is on a four-fight win streak and is coming off a blistering first-round TKO over Belarusian veteran Vladimir Matyushenko at UFC 141. The Brazilian Nogueira picked up a similar victor over Tito Ortiz at UFC 140 in Toronto.

Also on the card, two explosive bantamweights will meet as England’s Brad Pickett and Damacio Page have verbally agreed to go at it in the Octagon.

More of Sweden’s Fight Card Unveiled updated January 9
“Exciting striker Siyar Bahadurzada has verbally agreed to make his UFC debut against the always-dangerous Brazilian Special Forces Police Battalion member Paulo Thiago at UFC Sweden in April,” UFC president Dana White confirmed. Both welterweights were originally slated to fight – though not against each other – on the UFC Rio in January but forced to withdraw due to injuries.

In other welterweight action, TUF: US vs UK standout DaMarques Johnson will go toe-to-toe against yet another Brit, as he has agreed to fight Cambridge submission specialist John Maguire. Plus, Oslo’s 16-2 fight finisher Simeon Thoresen will make his UFC debut against undefeated Swede Besam Yousef.

Two more Swedish signees will face French opponents at the European event. At light heavyweight, Cyrille Diabate welcomes undefeated kickboxer Jörgen Kruth to the UFC; while middleweight Francis Carmont will face 10-3 knockout artist Magnus “Jycken” Cedenblad in his sophomore Octagon outing. Verbal agreements are in for all of these bouts.

UFC Sets its Sights on Sweden updated January 5
The UFC will make its Scandinavian debut this spring as the second UFC on FUEL TV </a>fight night has been slated for Saturday, April 14 in Stockholm, Sweden. The date and venue were confirmed on this week’s UFC 142 conference call.

Verbal agreements are also in for two intriguing bouts at the April event. Fists will fly in a middleweight match between Italian striker Alessio “Legionarius” Sakara and “All American” brawler Brian Stann.

Also on that card, Papy Abedi will meet Oklahoman James Head. The French-born Abedi, known as “Makambo,” grew up there and in the Congo, but has lived and trained in Sweden for several years. The bout will be the sophomore UFC effort for both welterweights.