Derrick Lewis vs. Shamil Abdurakhimov headlines UFC Fight Night 102
UFC Fight Night 101 in Albany, New York will feature a heavyweight doubleheader
A heavyweight slobber knocker UFC’s first visit to Albany, NY when heavy-handed Derrick Lewis squares off against Shamil Abdurakhimov in the main event of UFC Fight Night 102 on December 9. UFC officials announced the booking on Friday.
Currently sporting a four-fight winning streak, which includes three knockouts, Houston’s Lewis will look to follow up his July win over Roy Nelson with a fourth 2016 victory when he takes on Dagestan’s Abdurakhimov, who has scored back-to-back Octagon wins over Anthony Hamilton and Walt Harris.
In the co-main event, fans will witness another heavyweight clash as Francis Ngannou takes on Hamilton.
France’s Ngannou is one of the top rising stars in the heavyweight division, with three UFC victories over Luis Henrique, Curtis Blaydes, and Bojan Mihajlovic propelling him into the top 15. Standing in the way of his further prospect is “The Freight Train” Hamilton, who is coming off a 14-second knockout of Damian Grabowski in July.
Eight more bouts were announced for the December 9 event on Friday.
The bantamweight top ten may get a shakeup in Albany, as New York’s own Aljamain Sterling attempts to put himself in the title picture when he faces longtime UFC veteran Raphael Assuncao.
Also representing the Empire State will be Long Island light heavyweight Gian Villante, who takes on Patrick Cummins, Bronx native Oluwale Bamgbose, who battles Joe Gigliotti in a middleweight matchup, Queens’ Randy Brown, who will be pitted against Ireland’s Charlie Ward in welterweight action, and Kingston’s Keith Berish, who fights in his home state against Canadian middleweight Ryan Janes.
The Ultimate Fighter 23 winner Tatiana Suarez will also be making her first start since emerging victorious from the show, and she will have a tough test in No. 15-ranked Juliana Lima.
UFC Fight Night 102 takes place Dec. 9 at Times Union Center in Albany, N.Y. The entire card streams live on UFC Fight Pass.
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