UFC Fight Night 37 Booking Update: Ilir Latifi Is Back, Baby!


(Ilir’s the blurry guy getting punched. / Photo via Getty)

Swedish light-heavyweight Ilir Latifi — the UFC on FUEL 9 emergency fill-in who lost to Gegard Mousasi and still lacks a Wikipedia page nearly eight months later, for God’s sake — has finally booked his second fight in the Octagon. As confirmed by UFC officials yesterday, Latifi will return at UFC Fight Night 37: Gustafsson vs. Manuwa (March 8th, London) against French kickboxer Cyrille Diabate.

It’s not a booking that suggests the UFC has long-term plans for Latifi. Though Diabate is coming off a loss to Jimi Manuwa via injury TKO (mind bullets) in February, “The Snake” has racked up a respectable 4-3 record in the UFC overall, including first-round stoppages of Luiz Cane and Chad Griggs. In other words, Diabate should be a heavy favorite in this one, and Latifi’s permanent status as a trivia answer/punchline will likely be secure.

UFC Fight Night 37 will take place at London’s O2 Arena, and will mark the first event in the promotion’s 2014 European Tour.


(Ilir’s the blurry guy getting punched. / Photo via Getty)

Swedish light-heavyweight Ilir Latifi — the UFC on FUEL 9 emergency fill-in who lost to Gegard Mousasi and still lacks a Wikipedia page nearly eight months later, for God’s sake — has finally booked his second fight in the Octagon. As confirmed by UFC officials yesterday, Latifi will return at UFC Fight Night 37: Gustafsson vs. Manuwa (March 8th, London) against French kickboxer Cyrille Diabate.

It’s not a booking that suggests the UFC has long-term plans for Latifi. Though Diabate is coming off a loss to Jimi Manuwa via injury TKO (mind bullets) in February, “The Snake” has racked up a respectable 4-3 record in the UFC overall, including first-round stoppages of Luiz Cane and Chad Griggs. In other words, Diabate should be a heavy favorite in this one, and Latifi’s permanent status as a trivia answer/punchline will likely be secure.

UFC Fight Night 37 will take place at London’s O2 Arena, and will mark the first event in the promotion’s 2014 European Tour.