This one should be fun.
Assuming both fighters make it to fight day, Charles Oliveira and Jeremy Stephens—two of the more exciting featherweights on the UFC roster—will do battle Dec. 12 in the co-main event of the finale of The Ultimate Fighter season 20.
The news was announced by UFC officials Wednesday afternoon and first reported by MMA Junkie’s Matt Erickson.
Breaking news in this special edition of the #UFCMinute! @UltimateFighter co-main: @LiLHeathenMMA vs Charles Oliveira http://t.co/vxymH8e6dU
— UFC (@ufc) September 30, 2014
Stephens (23-10) has earned a reputation as one of the most dangerous strikers at 145 pounds. Fifteen of his career wins have come by way of knockout, and he is 3-1 with one knockout since dropping down to featherweight from lightweight in 2013.
He was considered a possible contender until losing by decision to Cub Swanson in June in an excellent fight that garnered Fight of the Night bonus checks for each competitor. An impressive win over Oliveira could put the 28-year-old Stephens back in that conversation.
Long perceived as a promising prospect, Oliveira (18-4-1) has struggled to establish consistency in his career. Originally set for a rematch with Nik Lentz in September, Oliveira was forced to pull out of the fight on the day of the event, citing illness related to the effects of cutting weight. The 24-year-old also pulled out a fight last fall on short notice after sustaining a leg injury.
This will be Oliveira‘s fifth professional fight in the past two years.
When Oliveira is on, however, he is one of the most dangerous and creative submission artists in the division. In two fights so far this year, he has earned two Performance of the Night honors, both for impressive chokeout victories.
Though both men (particularly Oliveira) are well-rounded fighters, their respective specialties appear to clash, setting up a tantalizing matchup between a vicious striker and a dangerous grappler.
One other fight—Joe Proctor vs. Yancy Medeiros—has already been announced for the finale of TUF 20, a season noteworthy for featuring a cast consisting entirely of female strawweight fighters. In a first for the show, the season winner will be crowned division champion (the division did not exist before the show began).
All episodes of TUF 20, including the finale event, air on Fox Sports 1.
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