Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to free television later tonight (Sat., Nov. 17, 2018) with UFC Fight Night 140, which is set to go down inside Parque Roca Arena in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In the headlining act, Santiago Ponzinibbio will go toe-to-toe with Neil Magny, while Ricardo Lamas and Darren Elkins throw down in the co-headlining act.
What’s Hot:
Neil Magny and Santiago Ponzinibbio are two men who have longed to reach the next level, but have never been able to get there. Now, it seems that chance will come at the expense of each other.
While Santiago may be closer to a title shot than Magny, Neil can move up a bit in the race with a win.
Original Card Vs. Actual Card:
Jared Cannonier was booked to face off against Alessio Di Chirico, but the promotion yanked Jared from the event to face David Branch at UFC 230, whom he knocked out in an entertaining scrap.
Tom Breese was set to face Cezar Ferreira, but an injury forced him out of the fight and was replaced by Ian Heinisch. A fight between Veronica Macedo and Maryna Moroz was axed after Macedo bowed out with an injury. After her replacement, Ariane Lipski, stepped up, Moroz ultimately withdrew, as well.
Injuries:
Maryna Moroz, Tom Breese, Veronica Macedo, Claudio Puelles and Enrique Barzola were forced out of action after getting struck down by the injury bug.
New Blood:
Ian Heinisch, Johnny Walker, Humberto Bandenay, Austin Arnett, Laureano Staropoli, Hector Aldana, Hector Aldana, Jesus Pinedo, Nad Narimani and Anderson dos Santos will all look to shine and impress in their Octagon debuts.
How The ‘Prelims’ Look:
As you would expect, if the main card isn’t the most exciting, the undercard won’t get you too pumped. Especially since it’s made up of several newcomers.
The headlining act of the underbelly is headlined by Michael Prazeres and Bartosz Fabinski, so that pretty much tells you everything.
Who Needs A Win Badly:
Ricardo Lamas was once considered a potential title contender, but after losing his last two fights, “The Bully” is just hoping to hang on to his spot on UFC’s roster. A third straight loss, which will be the longest of his career, could put him in danger of getting cut.
Interest Level: 5/10
It’s an okay card, but nothing to get overly-excited about. Cynthia Calvillo will make her long-awaited return to action. But, it’s one that likely shouldn’t have happened, as Cynthia looked rough at the weigh-ins, coming in three pounds over while barely making it on and off the scale.
Nevertheless, the Argentinian athletic commission didn’t find it that alarming and she will go on to face Poliana Botelho.
Darren Elkins and Ricardo Lamas will tango in the co-main event in an intriguing Featherweight match. Both men need a win, as Darren came up short in his last outing, while Ricardo hasn’t tasted victory in his last two outings. Khalil Rountree will look to pick up another win fresh off his knockout over Gokhan Saki. But, he’s not facing the biggest of names, taking on Johnny Walker. It may not be the most stacked card, but it could very well surprise us all once it’s all said and done.
Full Fight Card:
UFC Fight Night 140 Main Event:
170 lbs.: Neil Magny vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio
UFC Fight Night 140 Main Card (10 p.m. ET):
145 lbs.: Darren Elkins vs. Ricardo Lamas
205 lbs.: Khalil Rountree vs. Johnny Walker
185 lbs.: Cezar Ferreira vs. Ian Heinisch
135 lbs.: Guido Cannetti vs. Marlon Vera
115 lbs.: Poliana Botelho vs. Cynthia CalvilloUFC Fight Night 140 Prelims On FOX Sports 1 (8 p.m. ET):
170 lbs.: Bartosz Fabinski vs. Michel Prazeres
125 lbs.: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Ulka Sasaki
145 lbs.: Austin Arnett vs. Humberto Bandenay
170 lbs.: Hector Aldana vs. Laureano StaropoliUFC Fight Night 140 Prelims On Fight Pass (7 p.m. ET):
155 lbs.: Devin Powell vs. Jesus Pineda
145 lbs.: Anderson dos Santos vs. Nad Narimani
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