Faber, Edgar headline UFC Fight Night in Manila
Former champions Urijah Faber and Frankie Edgar. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
NANILA, Philippines-Filipino fight fans will get no shortage of action as two elite fighters headline the first Ultimate Fighting Championship card in the Philippines.
Former champions Frankie Edgar and Urijah Faber will clash in the May 16 UFC Fight Night in Manila which will be held at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, the UFC said on its official website.
Edgar was a former UFC World Lightweight Champion while Faber was the featherweight king in the World Extreme Cagefighting.
As the competitors in the main event, Faber and Edgar will battle it out for five five-minute rounds inside the famed octagon of the UFC.
Faber, who has won six of his seven fights, is still seeking his first UFC title after going undefeated in non-title fights.
He was the best in the WEC featherweight circuit from 2006 to 2008 before joining the UFC in 2011.
“I feel like it’s rare in this sport to have the ability, the opportunity and the fortune of having super fights at multiple weights,” said Faber who will make his featherweight debut in the UFC after dabbling in the bantamweight division. “Fighting a guy like Frankie Edgar is the reason I got into this sport.”
“I plan on winning and putting a show in the process.”
Edgar, who almost regained the UFC World Lightweight Title from current champion Jose Aldo in 2013, now parlays in the featherweight division where he triumphed in three straight competitions fighting against Charles Oliveira, BJ Penn and Club Swanson.
From 2010 to 2012, Edgar was the undisputed champion of the UFC Lightweight division.
UFC also announced the undercards for the May 16 event.
In lightweight bouts, Tae Hyun Bang takes on Jon Tuck and Zhang Lipeng faces Kajan Johnson.
A flyweight bout between Yao Zhikui and Nolan Ticman, and a welterweight fight between Li Jiangliang and Roger Zapata.
Filipino fighter Ronald Sangcha-an would take on Brazilian Jon Delos Reyes in a flyweight tilt.
Tickets would go on-sale in March and FOX Sports 1 would televise the event.
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