(#12) ISLAM MAKHACHEV WELCOMES FORMER CHAMPION (#12 WW) RAFAEL DOS ANJOS BACK TO LIGHTWEIGHT AT UFC® APEX IN LAS VEGAS
FEATURED BOUTS: ABDUL RAZAK AL-HASSAN vs. KHAOS WILLIAMS JULIAN MARQUEZ VS. SAPARBEG SAFAROV
Las Vegas – UFC® continues its run of events in Las Vegas with a pivotal lightweight main event as surging No. 12 ranked Islam Makhachev welcomes No. 12 ranked welterweight Rafael Dos Anjos back to the weight class he once ruled as champion. In the co-main event, explosive welterweight strikers clash as Abdul Razak Al-Hassan meets Khaos Williams.
UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+®: MAKHACHEV vs. DOS ANJOS will take place Saturday, November 14 from UFC APEX in Las Vegas. All bouts will stream exclusively on ESPN+ in English and Spanish, starting with the prelims at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT, followed by the main card beginning at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.
Khabib Nurmagomedov prodigy Makhachev (18-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) intends to make the most of his first UFC main event and insert himself into the title conversation. Considered by many to be the dark horse of the lightweight division, Makhachev is currently riding an impressive six-fight win streak that includes victories over Davi Ramos, Arman Tsarukyan and Gleison Tibau. He now seeks to secure the biggest victory of his career by taking out his first former world champion with a vintage performance.
Dos Anjos (29-13, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) returns to lightweight for the first time since 2016 and looks to make a statement to the rest of the division. He first captured the title following a dominant win streak that included victories over Donald Cerrone, Benson Henderson and Nate Diaz. After moving up to welterweight, he continued to prove himself with wins over Robbie Lawler and Neil Magny. Dos Anjos now aims to show he can still compete with the best in the world and make another run at the championship.
Knockout artist Al-Hassan (10-2, fighting out of Fort Worth, Texas) has captured the attention of the welterweight division and MMA fans alike with his impressive 100 percent, first-round finishing rate. Despite holding a black belt in Judo, Al-Hassan prefers to let his hands do the talking, as seen with his remarkable stoppages over Niko Price, Sabah Homasi and Charlie Ward. He now looks to reclaim his momentum with another statement victory over Williams.
Williams (10-1, fighting out of Jackson, Mich.) intends to follow up his emphatic UFC debut with another dominant performance. An undefeated pro boxer, he announced himself to fans with a 27-second knockout of veteran Alex Morono earlier this year. Williams now plans to stay undefeated in the UFC by becoming the first person to finish Al-Hassan.
Additional bouts on the card include:
- In a middleweight bout guaranteed to deliver action, Julian Marquez (7-2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) locks horns with Saparbeg Safarov (9-3, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia)
- Heavyweights Don’Tale Mayes (7-4, fighting out of Louisville, Ky.) and Roque Martinez (15-6-2, fighting out of Tamuning, Guam) seek to secure their first UFC wins
- Daniel Rodriguez (13-1, fighting out of San Gabriel, Calif.) intends to stay undefeated in the UFC when he takes on veteran Bryan Barberena (15-7, fighting out of Gastonia, N.C.)
- Eryk Anders (13-5, fighting out of Birmingham, Ala.) and Antonio Arroyo (8-3, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M. by way of Nazare, Para, Brazil) meet in a clash of middleweight finishers
- Rising strawweight prospects face off as Kay Hansen (7-3, fighting out of La Mirada, Calif.) takes on Dana White’s Contender Series signee Cory McKenna (5-1, fighting out of Wales, United Kingdom)
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu specialist Ashley Yoder (7-6, fighting out of Temecula, Calif.) intends to bounce back into the win column against Miranda Granger (7-1, fighting out of Arlington, Wash.) at strawweight
- Alex Morono (17-6 1 NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas) and Rhys McKee (10-3-1, fighting out of Northern Ireland, United Kingdom) plan on delivering statement performances at welterweight
- Jose Quinonez (9-4, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.) takes on Louis Smolka (16-7, fighting out of Kapolei, Hawaii) in an exciting bantamweight matchup
- Women’s strawweight veteran Randa Markos (10-10-1, fighting out of Windsor, Ontario, Canada) intends to spoil the UFC debut of Invicta FC champion Kanako Murata (11-1, fighting out of Tokyo, Japan)
- Geraldo de Freitas (12-5, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) looks to stop Dana White’s Contender Series veteran Tony Gravely (19-6, fighting out of Pompano Beach, Fla.) from getting his first UFC win at bantamweight
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