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UFC Fight Night 139 is here, and with it is the hype for the fight between the Korean Zombie and Yair Rodriguez. Coming the week after the UFC 230 fight in a stacked November for the UFC, the fight card boasts several interesting contests. UFC Denver boasts an excellent card full of amazing fights.
As has become the trend of late, the fight card has seen a number of changes as well. Yair Rodriguez was a late replacement for Frankie Edgar. Former Lightweight Champion Edgar was supposed to take on Former Featherweight Championship challenger Chan Sung Jung. Unfortunately, this was a fight that had to be changed as Yair Rodriguez had to step in when Edgar pulled out due to an injury.
Lower down in the card, the death knell of the Flyweight Division has been sounded as the UFC is releasing their talent and closing the division down. One of the fighters on the division who was supposed to be part of UFC Denver had to pull out of the fight due to an unspecified injury. He had been set to face Joseph Benavidez, but the entire bout had to be scrapped instead.
In this article, we will take a look at the fights waiting for us at UFC Fight Night 139 in Denver.
Before heading into a more detailed look at the main card we will take a look at the Undercard.
Early Preliminary Card:
Joseph Morales vs. Eric Shelton
Mark de La Rosa vs. Joby Sanchez
Preliminary Card:
Ashley Yoder vs. Amanda Cooper
Chas Skelly vs. Bob Moffett
Davi Ramos vs. John Gunther
Devonte Smith vs. Julia Erosa
Now, for a more detailed look at the main card, we will look at each match individually and see the recent records of each fighter.
#1. Luis Pena vs. Mike Trizano:
Luis Pena's MMA career has an excellent 5-0 win record, an undefeated streak he will be looking to maintain when he faces Mike Trizano is his second UFC Fight. In his last fight he was able to win by submission.
Mike Trizano will prove a tough opponent, with a 7-0 undefeated record as well. He won his last fight by a Split decision. Both fighters will be entering their second career UFC fights.
#2. Maycee Barber vs. Hannah Cifers:
Maycee "the Future" Barber has proved to be an unstoppable force in MMA so far. After five fights in her professional Mixed Martial Arts career, she has proved to be a force to reckon with, as she has not lost a single fight.
Her fifth win came in Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series, and as a result, she is making her debut in UFC against Hannah Cifers. Cifers is no easy win for her though. Coming off a five-fight win streak, she is set to make her debut in the UFC with this fight.
#3. Beneil Darush vs. Thiago Moises:
In one of the many changes that took place before this event, Beneil Darush's fight also underwent a makeover no one had been expecting.
Darush had been set to fight against Chris Gruetzemacher. Unfortunately, the latter had to withdraw from the fight due to undisclosed reasons. Therefore, the fight was switched into something else, as Thiago Moises replaced Gruetzemacher. This will be the debut for Moises in UFC against Darush.
Darush is in far from his best run currently. He has lost more bouts in his last three fights than he has won. Edson Barboza and Alexander Hernandez both defeated him via knockout, and to make things worse, the only fight he did not lose, he could not win.
His fight against Evan Dunham ended in a draw.
With this run in mind, he will try his best to take advantage of the UFC Newcomer, Thiago Moises.
#4. Raquel Pennington vs. Germaine de Randamie:
In the Women's Bantamweight fight of the night at UFC Fight Night 139, Raquel Pennington takes on Germaine de Randamie in what is sure to be a closely contested fight.
Having had her four-fight winning streak brought to an end by Amanda Nunes, Pennington has been looking for a way to get back to winning ways. She is no doubt impressive, and even though her last fight did not end in her favour, things are sure to change for the better if she continues in the manner she conducted herself previously.
On the other side of things, Germaine de Randamie is no stranger to winning herself. Currently on a three-fight streak, she last beat Holly Holm. She won't be willing to let Randamie have an easy win when these two meet inside the Octagon!
#5. Donald Cerrone vs. Mike Perry:
The years seem to have finally caught up to 'Cowboy' Donald Cerrone. Once the man famed for taking any fight that became available, the very trait that made him a fan favourite might be what has led to his demise in the last two years.
Fighting way more than any man should, Cerrone rose to the greatest of heights, but as is evident, it has also taken a toll on him physically. The last five fights he was in did not go well for him, as he lost four of them. Heading into this fight he will hope to change his luck with a win.
Mike Perry is a lot of things, but a stylish technical fighter is not one of them. He has been learning, and recently his shift to Jackson-Wink MMA appears to have helped him, and his recent fight saw him perform better.
This fight will be a difficult one for both fighters, and either man could emerge the ultimate winner.
#6. Chan Sung Jung vs. Yair Rodriguez:
The 'Korean Zombie' Chan Sung Jung and former UFC Lightweight Frankie Edgar were supposed to meet each other in the headliner of the UFC Fight Night 139.
Unfortunately for everyone involved, Frankie Edgar suffered an injury in the leadup to the event, and could not take part after all. When he pulled out, it was Yair Rodriguez who stepped into his place.
The fight between Rodriguez and Chan Sung Jung is sure to be a big one, with Jung having won in all but one of his five fights since coming to the UFC. On the other hand, Rodriguez will be hoping to recover from his last loss.
Coincidentally, Rodriguez will be replacing the fighter to whom he lost, Frankie Edgar. Until that point, he had remained undefeated since coming to the UFC.
