Brace yourselves as July may well be the busiest, craziest month in the history of MMA as the UFC goes above and beyond the call of duty to celebrate UFC 200, including three events in three days, two pay-per-view events, a UFC On FOX show and a slew of stacked fight cards overflowing with star power.
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Thursday, July 7th: UFC Fight Night 90 – Dos Anjos Vs Alvarez
Where: Las Vegas, USA
Kicking off three nights of UFC action in a row during ‘International Fight Week’ will be UFC Fight Night 90 which features a lightweight title fight between Rafael dos Anjos and Eddie Alvarez.
Also onboard for this one is a heavyweight co-main event between Roy Nelson and ‘The Black Beast,’ Derrick Lewis.
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Friday, July 8th: TUF 23 Finale – Jędrzejczyk Vs Gadehela
Where: Las Vegas, USA
TUF 23 comes to a conclusion the following night with the season’s coaches and bitter rivals, Joanna Jędrzejczyk and Claudia Gadhela set to rematch in a strawweight title fight.
In the co-main event, Ross Pearson welcomes former Bellator lightweight champ Will Brooks to the Octagon and Gray Maynard undertakes his first fight at featherweight against Fernando Bruno.
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Saturday, July 9th: UFC 200 – Cormier Vs Jones II
Where: Las Vegas, USA
Saturday night delivers the historic UFC 200 event, easily one of the most stacked cards of all time, and it’s headlined by a light-heavyweight title unification fight as Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones lock horns for a second time.
Heavyweight superstar, Brock Lesnar is back for the first time in over four years in the co-main event, taking on Mark Hunt, while Miesha Tate defends her bantamweight title for the first time against Amanda Nunes and the interim featherweight title is on the line when Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar go head-to-head.
Did we mention that Cain Velasquez and Travis Browne also fight on the main card? Or how about Johny Hendricks Vs Kelvin Gastelum in the prelims, or Gegard Mousasi Vs Thiago Santos, TJ Dillashaw Vs Rafael Assuncao or Joe Lauzon Vs Diego Sanchez. There’s too many great fights to name them all here!!
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Wednesday, July 13th: UFC Fight Night 91 – McDonald Vs Lineker
Where: South Dakota, USA
You’d think that the UFC would want to take a break after that wild ride, but nope, they are back the following Wednesday with UFC Fight Night 91 which will be headlined by Michael McDonald Vs John Lineker.
Meanwhile, in the co-main event Tony Ferguson faces late replacement newcomer Landon Vannata, while Tim Boetsch is also on deck against Josh Samman.
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Saturday, July 16th: Bellator 158 – Daley Vs Lima
Where: London, England
Bellator 158 sees the promotion makes a rare trip overseas for their UK debut, with UK star Paul Daley headlining the London show against former welterweight champion Douglas Lima.
Undefeated talent Michael Page takes the co-main event spot against Evangalista ‘Cyborg’ Santos, while there’s also Linton Vassell Vs Francis Carmont and Matt Mitrione Vs Oli Thompson to be found on the card.
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Friday, July 22nd: Bellator 159 – Caldwell Vs Taimangio
Where: Kansas, USA
A little less than a week later Bellator are back in business again, this time in Kansas with the unbeaten Darrion Caldwell tangling with the more experienced Joe Taimanglo at the top of the bill.
Also worth taking note of is the fact that the troubled Melvin Guillard make a co-main event appearance opposite David Rickels.
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Saturday, July 23rd: UFC On FOX 20 – Holm Vs Shevchenko
Where: Chicago, USA
Former woman’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm will take center-stage at UFC On FOX 20 when she fights Valentina Shevchenko.
A lightweight encounter between the returning Gilbert Melendez and Edson Barboza takes co-main event duties for this card, which has been hit by a few injury woes in recent weeks.
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Friday, July 29th: Invicta FC 18 – Grasso Vs Esquibel
Where: Kansas, USA
All-female promotion Invicta FC keeps soldiering on via the UFC Fight Pass service with undefeated strawweight Alexa Grasso taking the top spot on the card against Jodie Esquibel.
Brazilian prospect Taila Santos brings a 13-0 record to her Invicta debut opposite Irene Aldana, while Cindy Dandois Vs Jessamyn Duke also features on the main card.
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Saturday, July 30th: WSOF 32 – Moraes Vs Hill 2
Where: Washington, USA
A bantamweight title rematch between reigning champion Marlon Moraes and Josh Hill gets top billing at WSOF 32 on July 30th.
Elsewhere on the main card WSOF have what’s undoubtedly the most uncomfortable booking of the month, with brothers Caros Fodor and Ben Fodor set to fight each other.
Saturday, July 30th: UFC 201 – Lawler vs Woodley
Where: Georgia, USA
Shoe-horning one last big pay-per-view event into an already bursting-at-the-seems July schedule, UFC 201 finds welterweight champion Robbie Lawler making his latest title defense against Tyron woodley.
There’s more title action in the co-main event as flyweight kingpin Demetrious Johnson makes his next defense against Wilson Reis, while Matt Brown Vs Jake Ellenberger is also onboard for the main card.
