After an exciting event last weekend, which saw the first ever standing arm triangle submission, the UFC stays at the UFC APEX in Vegas for another stacked card, with two ranked bantamweights facing off for the main event.
Battle of bantamweights
Topping the bill is the no.5 bantamweight, striker Rob Font taking on no.8 ranked Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera, a grappler who also has knockout power.
Font has won four out his last five bouts and holds a record of 19-5. He is looking to return to his winning ways following his loss to Jose Aldo, halting his three-fight win streak. The American has 12 career finishes, with eight wins by knockout and four submissions, eight of these finishes coming in the first round. Font’s MMA journey began in 2009 as a way to stay in shape but it soon became an obsession. He spent two years on the amateur circuit while working as a pizza delivery driver holding an amateur record of 3-1 before turning professional in 2011.
Vera turned professional in 2012 and has a career record of 18-7-1. A diverse finisher, Chito boasts seven knockouts and eight submissions including seven first-round finishes. He was a competitor on The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America before being forced to bow out after contracting a skin infection – he would later make his UFC debut at UFC® 180: WERDRUM vs. HUNT. The Ecuadorian is on a two-fight win streak following his Performance of the Night victory over UFC veteran, Frankie Edgar.
The Pitbull takes on The Prototype
The co-main sees a clash of two bruising heavyweights as former UFC heavyweight champion Andre ‘The Pitbull’ Arlovski goes head-to-head with Jake ‘The Prototype’ Collier.
Arlovski entered the world of combat sports during his training as a police officer in his native Belarus before switching careers and focusing on his professional MMA career in 1999. The Pitbull, fighting out of American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida, has had a prolific career with a record of 33-20, having made his debut at UFC® 28: HIGH STAKES.
Collier has a professional record of 13-6 with five knockouts, four submissions and seven first-round finishes. The Prototype, fighting out of The Pit, Cuba, Missouri, turned professional in 2010 and has fought previously fought at middleweight and light heavyweight. Before his dream of joining the UFC came true, he worked as a welder.
Middleweight Match Up
Poland’s Krzysztof Jotko is set to face off with Gerald Meerschaert in a middleweight match up as both fighters are looking to break into the top 15 rankings.
Jotko is fighting out of Oxygym Stavanger, Norway by way of Elblag, Poland, is looking to add to his tally of 23 wins, six by knockout and one submission. The Polish native, who turned professional in 2010 is a tactical martial artist who is known for going the distance. Jotko was inspired to pursue mixed martial arts after seeing UFC pioneer, Ken Shamrock take on Tito Ortiz.
His opponent, Gerald Meerschaert is a freestyle fighter with a record of 34-14, with an impressive 26 submission victories and six knockouts. 15 of his victories have been inside one round and he is looking to continue his winning streak to make it three in a row. The American is a well-rounded mixed martial artist with a BJJ black belt while also holding a Roufusport kickboxing black belt.
Flyweight Fight Night
Two female flyweights will be in full flight as Gina ‘Danger’ Mazany takes on Shanna ‘The Shanimal’ Young.
Mazany is looking to build upon her 7-5 record, which includes four knockouts. She has four first-round finishes in her professional career. Predominantly a boxer, she has also secured one submission victory via armbar. Mazany began fighting at the age of 18 and has been a professional since 2008. Outside of The Octagon, she earned a degree in graphic design and utilised this as a gaming graphic designer before relocating to Las Vegas to focus on her career as a fighter.
Shanna ‘The Shanimal’ Young hopes to add an emphatic win to her 7-4 record. Her winning performances have shown her mixed fighting style with two knockouts and two submissions. With a background in karate and wrestling, the Salem native had her first amateur bout in 2007 at the age of 16. Outside of MMA, she holds a bachelor’s degree in exercise science.
