CHENNAI: After producing three live events earlier this month in Jacksonville, Florida, the UFC is all set to return at the Apex Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday. The Fight Night will be headlined by a crucial fight in the welterweight division as former champ Tyron Woodley returns to the Octagon to face off against surging Brazilian Gilbert Burns.
Woodley returns to the Octagon for the first time since losing the welterweight title to Kamaru Usman last March in a contest that halted “The Chosen One’s” two-and-a-half-year reign atop the division. Through a seven-fight UFC unbeaten streak prior to the loss, Woodley had successfully defended his title four times and established himself among the most successful welterweight champions of all time.
The 33-year-old Burns is coming into this fight on a back of five-fight winning streak. The Brazilian was one of the breakthrough stars of 2019, posting a trio of victories capped by a pair of short-notice fights where he knocked out Aleksei Kunchenko and topped Gunnar Nelson by unanimous decision.
The co-main event will showcase heavyweight fighters, Blagoy Ivanov and Augusto Sakai, go toe-to-toe for cementing a position in the Top 15 of the UFC heavyweight roster. Other notable matchups on the card will include a welterweight bout between Kevin Holland and Daniel Rodriguez, women's strawweight prospect Mackenzie Dern taking on Hannah Cifers and Roosevelt Roberts fighting Brok Weaver in the lightweight division.
TV Timings
Woodley vs Burns Live on SONY TEN 2 and SONY TEN 3 channels on May 31 from 6.30 am IST