The UFC’s return to The APEX on January 11 simply acquired somewhat larger.
On Tuesday, the promotion introduced two fights for the corporate’s first occasion of 2025, one in every of them being a middleweight showdown between Chris ‘Motion Man’ Curtis and Roman Kopylov.
Alternating wins and losses in his final 5 fights, Curtis will look to climb again into the win column after arising quick in opposition to Brendan Allen by way of cut up choice in April. Earlier than that, Curtis got here out on the best aspect of one other cut up choice in opposition to Marc-André Barriault in the beginning of 2024.
Total, Curtis is 5-3 beneath the UFC banner with one no contest.
Standing in Curtis’ means of a thirty second profession victory will Kopylov — a Russian standout who regardless of his lackluster 5-3 file, has regarded very spectacular contained in the Octagon during the last couple of years.
Kopylov kickstarted his UFC run with back-to-back losses in opposition to Karl Roberson and Albert Duraev earlier than successful 5 of his final six fights, all however one in every of them coming by the use of knockout.
Total, Kopylov is 13-3 in his combined martial arts profession and will probably be seeking to make it two in a row after touchdown a cut up choice W in opposition to César Almeida at UFC 302.
UFC Vegas 101 additionally will get a light-weight banger between two highly-touted prospects
Additionally added to UFC Vegas 101 is a light-weight scrap between undefeated standout Nurullo Aliev and Israel’s Yanal Ashmouz.
After combating his means into the UFC with a first-round knockout of Josh Wick on Dana White’s Contender Sequence, Aliev landed his first official win contained in the Octagon with a majority choice victory over Rafael Alves in February 2023. ‘Discuss Eagle’ goes into his sophomore look with a spotless 9-0 file.
Ashmouz launched himself to UFC followers in March 2023 with a 75-second knockout win in opposition to Sam Patterson. Since then, he’s logged a call loss to Chris Duncan adopted by a return to the win column, defeating Trevor Peek in September.
The official card for UFC Vegas 101 is as follows:
Important Card
Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas
Cesar Almeida vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan
Chris Curtis vs. Roman Kopylov
Marco Tulio vs. Ihor Potieria
Thiago Moises vs. Trey Ogden
Magomed Gadzhiyasulov vs. Bruno Lopes
Prelims
Christian Rodriguez vs. Austin Bashi
Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Carlston Harris
Punahele Soriano vs. Uros Medic
Jose Johnson vs. Felipe Bunes
Nurullo Aliev vs. Yanal Ashmouz
Ernesta Kareckaite vs. Nicolle Caliari
Preston Parsons vs. Andreas Gustafsson
Fatima Kline vs. Victoria Dudakova
Card topic to vary.
