UFC 180 Main Card Announced: Gastelum Meets Ellenberger, Lamas Takes On Bermudez
The UFC held a press conference today (August 26, 2014) for the upcoming UFC 180 (pay-per-view) in Mexico City, Mexico, on November 15, 2014.
Up until today, we had only known the main event of this card, but the company has now announced the rest of the fights that will round out the main card.
The headliner for this card features the return of reigning UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez. Coming off shoulder surgery, Velasquez will look to defend his belt against No.1 contender Fabricio “Vai Cavalo” Werdum.
The Brazilian has strung together four straight wins inside the Octagon. He is known for his dangerous ground game, but as seen in his last fight against Travis Browne at UFC On Fox 11, he has improved his striking immensely. “Vai Cavalo” poses a unique challenge to the heavyweight king and it should make for a great fight.
No. 11-ranked welterweight Kelvin Gastelum will face off against No.8-ranked veteran Jake Ellenberger. Gastelum is a former The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) winner who has rattled off four straight UFC Wins.
“The Juggernaut” has remained relevant in the welterweight rankings for years now; however, he is coming off two straight loses. This fight will be a big test for Gastelum and for Ellenberger, a fight in which he may need a win to keep his job.
One of the most entertaining fighters in UFC history will return to action on this card, as former TUF winner Diego “The Nightmare” Sanchez will take on Irishman Norman Parke. Sanchez is coming off a very controversial UFC Fight Night 42 win over Ross Pearson in his hometown of Albuquerque where most fans and media members thought he lost.
Parke is 5-0-1 in his last six fights inside of the Octagon and actually called out Sanchez after his last win at UFC Fight Night 46 in Dublin, Ireland. This will be an excellent chance for Parke to prove he is a real talent and chance for “The Nightmare” to show he still has what it takes to compete with the best mixed martial artists in the world.
The next bout on the card is a battle between two featherweight contenders. No. 4-ranked former title challenger Ricardo Lamas will meet the surging No.7-ranked Dennis “The Menace” Bermudez. The bout was recently rumored and has now been confirmed.
Lamas has won every one of his fights in the UFC except for his title fight against reigning champion Jose Aldo at February’s UF 169.
After losing in the TUF 14 finale, Bermudez has been on absolute tear. He has put together an ultra-impressive seven-fight win streak and recently choked out veteran Clay Guida at UFC On FOX 12 last month. Both men will be looking to put prove themselves as true contenders in the crowded 145 lb. division.
The last fight announced for the main card features Mexico native Erik Perez up against Marcus Brimage. Perez has dropped two of his last three fights and will look to get back to winning ways in his home country. Brimage will also be looking to get back on track as he has lost his last two fights. This should be an interesting match-up as each man will be hungry for a win.
Tune in to LowKickMMA.com for more news as UFC 180 draws near.
Photo Credit: Andrew Richardson for USA TODAY Sports
