A crucial welterweight showdown has been finalized for July’s UFC San Antonio.
According to Yahoo’s Kevin Iole, former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos will meet rising welterweight Leon Edwards in a five-round bout to cap off the card:
“Main event for UFC on ESPN 4 in San Antonio finalized: It will be Rafael dos Anjos vs Leon Edwards, five rounds. UFC wanted Blachowicz-Rockhold to move there, but Rockhold is filming a Ralph Lauren Polo commercial that day which couldn’t be moved.”
No Rockhold vs. Blachowicz For San Antonio
Iole previously hinted that a light heavyweight bout between former middleweight champion Luke Rockhold and Jan Blachowicz could headline the card. The fight is scheduled for July 6’s UFC 239 pay-per-view, but Iole suggested the UFC was looking to move it to San Antonio. He also insisted that previous rumors of Valentina Shevchenko defending her title against Liz Carmouche at the event were untrue:
“The UFC is trying to move Jan Blachowicz versus Luke Rockhold off of UFC 239 on July 6 and put it on UFC on ESPN 4 on July 20 in San Antonio. Not done, but in the works. UFC not looking at a Shevchenko-Carmouche bout for that date at this time.”
Finally, Iole confirmed Rockhold vs. Blachowicz would remain on UFC 239:
“I should add that because of this, Blachowicz-Rockhold stays on #UFC239“
Dos Anjos was last seen submitting Kevin Lee in an impressive performance at May 18’s UFC Rochester. The victory snapped a two-fight streak of one-sided defeats to elite wrestlers Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington. Edwards, meanwhile, has won seven straight fights in the stacked UFC welterweight arena.
He most recently outlasted Gunnar Nelson via decision at March’s UFC London. After the fight, however, he became the victim of Jorge Masvidal’s infamous “three-piece and a soda” when he confronted ‘Gamebred’ backstage. It seemed that fight was all but an eventuality, yet it will have to wait for now.
‘Rocky’ will now throw down with dos Anjos in the headlining fight of UFC San Antonio, which is officially titled UFC on ESPN 4.
Who are you picking to come out on top in this pivotal 170-pound showdown?
