Lightweights added to UFC’s return to Chicago
The UFC’s return to the Windy City has had a lightweight bout blow onto the card.
According to a report from the United Kingdom’s edition of ESPN.com, a bout between Evan Dunham and British fighter Paul Sass has been booked for UFC on Fox 2. That card, though not yet announced by the UFC, but confirmed by UFC president Dana White, will take place Jan. 28 at the United Center in Chicago.
Dunham (12-2, 5-2 UFC) got back in the win column in September after a two-fight skid. The Oregon native started his career 11-0, including four straight wins in the UFC, before suffering a controversial split decision loss to Sean Sherk at UFC 119. After that bout, White said he didn’t even regard the decision as a loss for Dunham – it was treated as a win by the UFC, and he was matched up with Melvin Guillard. But if the Sherk loss wasn’t real, the Guillard loss was. Dunham lost by TKO in the first round at the UFC’s Fight for the Troops 2 show in January.
He rebounded in New Orleans at Fight Night 25 with a unanimous decision win over Shamar Bailey that followed a layoff due an injury that forced him out of a summer fight against George Sotiropoulos.
Sass (12-0, 2-0) entered the UFC last fall unbeaten at 10-0, with nine of those wins by submission – including seven triangle choke finishes to start his career. His tapout tear continued when he reached the UFC, submitting Mark Holst by triangle at UFC 120. That earned him a $60,000 Submission of the Night bonus in his promotional debut, which came in his native England. After a year off, Sass returned in October and submitted Michael Johnson by heel hook at the final UFC on Versus show.
Though not yet official, the UFC is expected to announce as early as next week the UFC on Fox 2 show in Chicago, as well as the headlining and co-headlining fights. The main event is expected to be a light heavyweight contenders fight between former champion Rashad Evans and Phil Davis, a fight that was supposed to take place at UFC 133 in August before Davis pulled out with a training injury.