Eventually, Canada
@HalfGuarded
Demetrious Johnson will get his wish. The UFC Flyweight Champion had been vocal in his belief that Ray Borg should get the next title shot. He also wanted to be in a main-event, which isn’t unreasonable considering his winning will give him the all-time consecutive title defense record.
The UFC pushed back. Dana White wanted him to fade TJ Dillashaw and kinda gave the impression Mighty Mouse should have to move up for a super fight. Mr. Mouse, nevertheless, persisted.
And now he gets what he wanted and will square off with Borg in the main-event of UFC 215, from Toronto Edmonton, Canada.
But that’s not all, kids. The weirdest last-minute pull out since God and Mary, Amanda Nunes vs Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 213, already has a new date. Yes, Nunes vs Shevchenko 2 will indeed serve as the UFC 215 semi-main event.
These two fights join Junior dos Santos vs Francis Ngannou for what looks like a good show. Hurray! Hooray! YAY!
Oh, I should’ve done this before but I didn’t because I was on my phone (yes): this is the press release for this show. Everyone else will have published it but I do so as I’m more special than them.
Edmonton, Canada – UFC® will arrive in Edmonton with a pair of blockbuster championship bouts. UFC® 215: JOHNSON vs. BORG will see No.1 pound-for-pound fighter and ESPY Fighter of the Year winner, Demetrious Johnson (26-2-1, fighting out of Parkland, Washington, USA), look to make history when he battles No.3-ranked contender Ray Borg (11-2, fighting out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA).
UFC’s only flyweight champion, Johnson captured the belt at UFC 152 in Toronto in 2012. Currently tied with former middleweight champion Anderson Silva for most consecutive title defences at 10, “Mighty Mouse” has the opportunity to set a new benchmark on Canadian soil. In his last appearance, he secured a stunning submission victory over Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Wilson Reis. Standing in Johnson’s way is talented grappler Borg. Since joining the UFC roster in 2014, “The Tazmexican Devil” has picked up impressive wins against Jussier Formiga, Louis Smolka and Chris Kelades.
UFC® 215: JOHNSON vs. BORG co-main event features the highly anticipated women’s bantamweight championship fight between Amanda Nunes (14-4, fighting out of Miami, Florida, USA by way of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil) and No.1 contender Valentina Shevchenko (14-2, fighting out of Lima, Peru by way of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan).
Following her first-round submission win over Miesha Tate to capture the bantamweight championship, Nunes scored an impressive 48-second TKO win over Ronda Rousey in December. Shevchenko has gone on a tear since dropping a close decision to Nunes at UFC 196 last year. In her two most recent outings, she out-struck former UFC and boxing champion Holly Holm, before submitting talented grappler Julianna Pena. Nunes and Shevchenko were originally set to meet at UFC 213 in July, but the bout was postponed after Nunes became ill.
UFC® 215: JOHNSON vs. BORG will also feature the following fights:
– Former heavyweight champion and No.4-ranked contender Junior Dos Santos (18-5, fighting out of Salvador, Brazil) will battle surging No.5 ranked Francis Ngannou (10-1, fighting out of Paris, France)
– No.7-ranked Jeremy Stephens (25-13, fighting out of San Diego, California, USA) will welcome No.15 lightweight and former UFC lightweight title challengerGilbert Melendez (22-6, fighting out of San Francisco, California, USA) to the 145-pound division
– No.2-ranked flyweight contender and 2008 Olympic gold medal wrestler Henry Cejudo (10-2, fighting out of Phoenix, Arizona, USA) faces No.4 Wilson Reis (22-7, fighting out of San Diego, California, USA by way of Januaria, Minas Gerais, Brazil)
– No.9-ranked light heavyweight Ilir Latifi (13-5, 1NC, fighting out of Malmo, Sweden) challenges No.12 Tyson Pedro (6-0, fighting out of Sydney, Australia)
– No.6-ranked bantamweight Sara McMann (11-3, fighting out of Gaffney, South Carolina, USA) will face No.12 Ketlen Vieira (8-0, fighting out of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil)
– Unbeaten featherweight prospect Gavin Tucker (10-0, fighting out of Halifax, Canada) takes on aggressive striker Rick Glenn (19-4-1, fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA)
– No.15-ranked bantamweight Ashlee Evans-Smith (5-2, fighting out of Laguna Hills, California, USA) aims to rebound against The Ultimate Fighter® season 19 veteran Sarah Moras (4-3, fighting out of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada)
– 2012 Olympic wrestler Arjan Bhullar (6-0, fighting out of Richmond, British Columbia, Canada) will become both the first Sikh and Indo-Canadian fighter to step inside the Octagon® when he meets Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt Luis Henrique (10-3 1NC, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
– The Ultimate Fighter® Nations Team Canada member Kajan Johnson (21-12-1, fighting out of Montreal, Canada) will go for his third straight win when he takes onAdriano Martins (28-8, fighting out of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil)
For more information or current fight news, visit ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change.
HOW FUN. GOOD FOR YOU, CANADA!
