The UFC isn’t offering fans much of an opportunity to digest their latest pay-per-view offering, UFC 184. The next big card, UFC 185, is just two weeks away. The full card is as follows:
Main Card
Anthony Pettis vs. Rafael dos Anjos
Carla Esparza vs….
The UFC isn’t offering fans much of an opportunity to digest their latest pay-per-view offering, UFC 184. The next big card, UFC 185, is just two weeks away. The full card is as follows:
Main Card
Anthony Pettis vs. Rafael dos Anjos
Carla Esparza vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
Johny Hendricks vs. Matt Brown
Roy Nelson vs. Alistair Overeem
Chris Cariaso vs. Henry Cejudo
Preliminary Card (Fox Sports 1)
Ross Pearson vs. Sam Stout
Elias Theodorou vs. Roger Narvaez
Daron Cruickshank vs. BeneilDariush
Jared Rosholt vs. Josh Copeland
Preliminary Card (Fight Pass)
Sergio Pettis vs. Ryan Benoit
Jake Lindsey vs. Joseph Duffy
Larissa Pacheco vs. Germaine deRandamie
While UFC 184 was, essentially, the Ronda Rousey show, UFC 185 offers fans a stacked card, with compelling bouts all the way across the card. Not a single bout on this card is safe to skip, but the main card, which features two championship bouts and three bouts between compelling contenders, is one of the strongest offerings we’ve seen from the promotions in years.
Hey MMA fans! How about we break out the crystal ball and take a look at this card?
Alan Jouban def. Richard Walsh, knockout (Round 1, 2:19)
Tony Ferguson def. Gleison Tibau, submission (Round 1, 2:37)
Prelims on Fox Sports 1
Roan Carneiro def. Mark Munoz, submission (Round 1, 1:40)
Roman Salazar vs. Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto, no-contest
Tim Means def. Dhiego Lima, TKO (Round 1, 2:17)
Derrick Lewis def. Ruan Potts, TKO (Round 2, 3:18)
Prelims on UFC Fight Pass
Valmir Lazaro def. James Krause, split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Masio Fullen def. Alexander Torres, split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Next up? UFC 185 on March 14.
In a rare turn (by today’s standards, at least), the UFC is putting pay-per-views back-to-back. Unlike UFC 184, though, UFC 185 is absolutely stacked top to bottom. From budding talents trying to make a name like Henry Cejudo and Sergio Pettis, to established veterans like Alistair Overeem and Johny Hendricks staring at a crossroads, all the way up to the two title fights in Anthony Pettis vs. Rafael dos Anjos and Carla Esparza vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk, there is a whole lot to be excited for on this card.
So what are the burning questions therein? Find out here!
UFC 185 will play host to the first UFC title defense for Carla Esparza.
The strawweight champion entered The Ultimate Fighter season 20 as the Invicta FC champion and No. 1 overall seed. She confirmed that ranking by advancing to the finals against Ro…
UFC 185 will play host to the first UFC title defense for Carla Esparza.
The strawweight champion entered The Ultimate Fighter season 20 as the Invicta FC champion and No. 1 overall seed. She confirmed that ranking by advancing to the finals against Rose Namajunas. In the finals, she dominated the young prospect to become the inaugural champion of the UFC’s newest division.
Her challenger will be Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
Jedrzejczyk moved down to 115 pounds when the UFC came calling, and her debut went great. She was awarded with a title eliminator against Claudia Gadelha. In a tightly contested battle, Jedrzejczyk got the nod on the scorecards to earn the title shot.
This is a tremendous striker vs. grappler matchup for the gold. And this is your head-to-toe breakdown for the UFC 185 co-main event in Dallas on March 14.
(“You’re a skinny, pencil-necked little…okay, I give up! I GIVE UP!!”)
If the name Joseph Duffy sounds familiar to you, it’s not just because you’ve spent more than 5 minutes in South Boston. No, Joseph Duffy Shaughnessy O’Hoolihan (actual full name) is actually an Irish-born MMA fighter with an impressive 12-1 record who was recently signed by the UFC, and not that this had anything to do with it, but he’s also the last man to defeat Conor McGregor.
“Irish Joe” will face “Vabulous” Vagner Rocha (actual nickname) at UFC 185 on March 14, in what may or may not be worthy of a main card slot depending on who drops out due to injury.
(“You’re a skinny, pencil-necked little…okay, I give up! I GIVE UP!!”)
If the name Joseph Duffy sounds familiar to you, it’s not just because you’ve spent more than 5 minutes in South Boston. No, Joseph Duffy Shaughnessy O’Hoolihan (actual full name) is actually an Irish-born MMA fighter with an impressive 12-1 record who was recently signed by the UFC, and not that this had anything to do with it, but he’s also the last man to defeat Conor McGregor.
“Irish Joe” will face “Vabulous” Vagner Rocha (actual nickname) at UFC 185 on March 14, in what may or may not be worthy of a main card slot depending on who drops out due to injury.
Currently 1-3 in UFC competition, Rocha has been knocked out by Jonathan Brookins and choked out by some guy named Jake Matthews, but somehow managed to go the distance with Donald Cerrone. Strange world, this MMA one is. Anyways, Rocha’s lone UFC win came over Cody McKenzie, who you best believe was underpaid and/or drunk for that sh*t.
Duffy, on the other hand, went 2-0 in 2014 after taking a three-year hiatus from MMA to explore a professional boxing career, which itself came following the first and only professional loss of his career. He also holds a notable win over Norman Parke, but c’mon, that McGregor one is what everyone cares about. Because Conor McGregor is, like, what would happen if you put Fedor on Zeus’s shoulders, and then put Michael Bisping on Fedor’s shoulders. And all three of them could punch, but only Zeus could kick.
Esparza won the UFC’s inaugural strawweight title with her third-round rear-naked choke submission of Rose Namajunas at the TUF 20 Finale in December. “Cookie Monster” was the #1 seed in the TUF 20 bracket due to her previous stint in Invicta FC, where she nabbed that promotion’s strawweight title as well.
Jedrzejczyk is 8-0 professionally and 2-0 in the UFC, with decision wins over Juliana Lima and Claudia Gadelha. A four-time IFMA Muay Thai European champion, J-Jed is perhaps best known for getting up in her opponents’faces during weigh-ins and eating a late punch during her last fight against Gadelha.
Even though Johny Hendricks vs. Matt Brown is arguably a more high-profile fight, Esparza vs. Jedrzejczyk will fill UFC 185’s co-main event spot due to a title being on the line; that’s just how it works. In other UFC 185 booking news…
(“After I won The Ultimate Fighter, they told me I could pick any three toys from the middle shelf.” / Photo via Getty)
Esparza won the UFC’s inaugural strawweight title with her third-round rear-naked choke submission of Rose Namajunas at the TUF 20 Finale in December. “Cookie Monster” was the #1 seed in the TUF 20 bracket due to her previous stint in Invicta FC, where she nabbed that promotion’s strawweight title as well.
Jedrzejczyk is 8-0 professionally and 2-0 in the UFC, with decision wins over Juliana Lima and Claudia Gadelha. A four-time IFMA Muay Thai European champion, J-Jed is perhaps best known for getting up in her opponents’faces during weigh-ins and eating a late punch during her last fight against Gadelha.
Even though Johny Hendricks vs. Matt Brown is arguably a more high-profile fight, Esparza vs. Jedrzejczyk will fill UFC 185′s co-main event spot due to a title being on the line; that’s just how it works. In other UFC 185 booking news…
Carla Esparza has a date and an opponent for her first defense of the UFC strawweight title belt.
Esparza will co-main event UFC 185 opposite Joanna Jedrzejczyk on March 14 in Dallas. The bout was announced on UFC Tonight on Wednesday.
The talented Am…
Carla Esparza has a date and an opponent for her first defense of the UFC strawweight title belt.
Esparza will co-main event UFC 185 opposite Joanna Jedrzejczyk on March 14 in Dallas. The bout was announced on UFC Tonight on Wednesday.
The talented American wrestler captured the inaugural title by winning The Ultimate Fighter Season 20. On the show she defeated Angela Hill, Tecia Torres and Jessica Penne to earn her spot in the finals against Rose Namajunas. The former Invicta FC champion dominated Namajunas before submitting her with a rear-naked choke to wear UFC gold.
Jedrzejczyk was rising on the flyweight scene before dropping in weight to join the UFC roster. She looked outstanding in her debut against Juliana Lima, and then narrowly beat top-ranked Claudia Gadelha by split decision at UFC on Fox 13. It put her in the cat bird’s seat for being the first contender.
This matchup should be a classic grappler vs. striker affair.
Jedrzejczyk’s boxing may be the best in the division. She has underrated power in her hands. She works the body extremely well, and then head shots follow shortly after. Esparza, on the other hand, is a grinder. Her wrestling wears her opponents out.
Esparza has a career record of 10-2 and is currently on a five-fight win streak. Her last loss was to Jessica Aguilar by split decision at Bellator 46 in 2011. Jedrzejczyk did not make her pro debut until 2012, and she is a perfect 8-0 in her professional career.
This is an outstanding strawweight bout that should be pure action from bell to bell. The aggressiveness of Jedrzejczyk will put pressure on the champion, and Esparza’s wrestling will test Jedrzejczyk’s ability to go deep into a fight.
The American Airlines Center plays host to a hot fight card coming up in two months’ time. Two title fights are set, and the rest of the card is filling out nicely as well. This is a big spot for the women’s strawweight division to prove they can help bolster a pay-per-view fight card.
This is an important fight not only because of the title, but also because of how new this division is.
Esparza and Jedrzejczyk are tasked with elevating the division in front of a large audience in Dallas.
UFC 185 is headlined by a UFC lightweight championship bout between Anthony Pettis and Rafael dos Anjos. The event will be live on PPV March 14.
Carla Esparza has a date and an opponent for her first defense of the UFC strawweight title belt.