The loaded UFC on FOX Sports 1 debut event added additional depth with the booking of a matchup between dynamic featherweights Diego Brandao and Daniel Pineda.
The promotion recently announced the bout as part of the Aug. 17 event at the TD Garden in Boston.
Brandao won season 14 of The Ultimate Fighter, and has to date won three of his four octagon bouts. His most recent match came in April, when he choked out Pablo Garza with an arm triangle. Brandao, known for his aggressive, fearless style, has finishes in 14 of his 17 career wins.
Pineda rebounded into the win column in his last match, ending a two-fight losing streak. In doing so, he submitted Justin Lawrence with a first-round kimura. Like Brandao, he has an exceptional finishing rate for a featherweight. He has finishes in all 18 of his pro wins, with six knockouts and 12 submissions. He’s 18-9 all-time.
The UFC on FOX Sports 1 show marks the launch of FOX’s new all-sports cable network, which goes live on the same day as UFC’s show. In the main event, Mauricio Rua will face Chael Sonnen. The card also has strong supporting fodder, including a heavyweight clash between Alistair Overeem and Travis Browne, a bantamweight matchup between Urijah Faber and Yuri Alcantara, and a welterweight showdown pitting Matt Brown against Thiago Alves.
The show will be the UFC’s first in Massachusetts since 2010, when Frankie Edgar defeated B.J. Penn in the main event of UFC 118.