10 Fights Finalized for UFC 125
Brian Knapp Nov 16, 2010
Mike Thomas Brown: Jeff Sherwood | Sherdog.com
Former WEC champion Mike Thomas Brown will meet Diego Nunes in a showdown between world-ranked featherweights at UFC 125 “Resolution” on Jan. 1 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Ten fights are now official for the New Year’s Day event, which will air live on pay-per-view.
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Nunes will carry a two-fight winning streak into the match, having defeated Grudge Training Center representative Tyler Toner by unanimous decision at WEC 51 two months ago. Training out of the Nova Uniao camp, the 27-year-old Brazilian has delivered 11 of his 15 career victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission. However, his last five fights have reached the judges. Nunes owns notable victories over Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Raphael Assuncao and Rafael Dias, Brown’s stablemate at American Top Team.
Meanwhile, Team Sityodtong’s Marcus Davis
will collide with the heavy-handed Jeremy
Stephens in a preliminary lightweight duel.
A three-time “Fight of the Night” award winner, Davis finds himself at a crossroads, having lost three of his last four bouts. The 37-year-old Houlton, Maine, native has not competed since UFC 118 in August, when he was choked unconscious by a Nate Diaz guillotine choke at the TD Garden in Boston. A former bouncer with professional boxing experience, Davis has spent much of his MMA career competing at 170 pounds.
Stephens last fought at UFC 119 in September, when he dropped a split decision to Melvin Guillard at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The 24-year-old Des Moines, Iowa, native has delivered 72 percent of his victories by knockout or technical knockout. A two-time “Knockout of the Night” winner, Stephens trains out of The Arena in San Diego. Wins over Bellator Fighting Championships veteran Diego Saraiva, American Top Team’s Cole Miller, Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Rafael dos Anjos and Canadian striker Sam Stout anchor his resume.
Finally, once-beaten welterweight Daniel Roberts will lock horns with Greg Soto in a preliminary matchup at 170 pounds.
Training under Cesar Gracie, Roberts will carry a two-fight winning streak into the bout. The Rockford, Ill., native last appeared at UFC 121 in October, when he submitted former King of the Cage welterweight champion Michael Guymon with a first-round anaconda choke at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Roberts was a collegiate All-American wrestler at Bacone College, an NAIA school in Muskogee, Okla. He owns seven first-round finishes among his 11 career victories.
Soto, out of Oakhurst, N.J., has not set foot inside the cage since he defeated “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 9 semi-finalist Nick Osipczak by unanimous decision at UFC 119 in August. He suffered his only career setback in a disqualification loss to Matt Riddle at UFC 111. There, an illegal third-round upkick removed him from the ranks of the unbeaten. Soto holds a Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt under Kurt Pellegrino.
A lightweight title bout pairing champion Frankie Edgar with undefeated challenger Gray Maynard will headline UFC 125, along with a featherweight championship match pitting 145-pound titleholder Jose Aldo against the once-beaten Josh Grispi. In addition, former Pride Fighting Championships lightweight kingpin Takanori Gomi will toe the line against Clay Guida.
UFC 125 “Resolution”
Saturday, Jan. 1
MGM Grand Garden Arena
Las Vegas
UFC Lightweight Championship
Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard
UFC Featherweight Championship
Jose Aldo vs. Josh Grispi
Takanori Gomi vs. Clay Guida
Nate Diaz vs. Dong Hyun Kim
Chris Leben vs. Brian Stann
Brandon Vera vs. Thiago Silva
Marcus Davis vs. Jeremy Stephens
Mike Thomas Brown vs. Diego Nunes
Daniel Roberts vs. Greg Soto
Antonio McKee vs. Jacob Volkmann
* Phil Baroni vs. Brad Tavares
* Not Official
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