Sports

Derrick Lewis-Aleksei Oleinik Set For Next Saturday From UFC Apex

UFC continues its run of August events at UFC APEX with a battle of heavyweight contenders as No. 4 ranked Derrick Lewis squares off with No. 11 Aleksei Oleinik.

The co-main event will feature No. 11 ranked middleweight contender Omari Akhmedov, who aims to take out his first former UFC champion when he faces Chris Weidman.

UFC Fight Night On ESPN+: Lewis vs. Oleinik will take place Saturday, August 8 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas, with all fights carried exclusively on ESPN+ in English and Spanish. The main card begins at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT with the prelims kicking off at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT.

A former title challenger, Lewis (23-7 1NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas) is among the most exciting KO artists in the heavyweight division. Throughout his UFC run, he has delivered impressive KO finishes against Alexander Volkov, Marcin Tybura and Travis Browne. Lewis also holds a decision victory over perennial top contender Francis Ngannou. Lewis now looks to earn his third consecutive win to re-assert himself as a dangerous title threat.

Considered among the most skilled heavyweight grapplers, Oleinik (59-13-1, fighting out of Moscow, Russia) continues to turn heads with his trademark Ezekiel choke submission. A 24-year MMA veteran, he has delivered spectacular victories over Fabricio Werdum, Mark Hunt and Mirko Cro Cop. Oleinik now hopes to add another top heavyweight to his hit list and crack the UFC heavyweight top five for the first time in his career.

Unbeaten since returning to the middleweight division in 2017, Akhmedov (20-4-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) goes for his most important win yet. A gritty Sambo fighter, Akhmedov secured hard-fought wins over Ian Heinisch, Zak Cummings and Tim Boetsch. In the biggest spotlight of his career, Akhmedov has his sights set on taking out his first former UFC champion to continue his ascent up the 185-pound ladder.

A former UFC middleweight champion, Weidman (14-5, fighting out of Baldwin, N.Y.) returns to the 185-pound division ready to climb back to the top of the mountain. A decorated grappler, Weidman dethroned all-time great Anderson Silva for the middleweight belt in 2013. During his reign he netted successful title defenses against Silva, Lyoto Machida and Vitor Belfort. Weidman now aims to re-enter the middleweight rankings with a dominant win over a tough emerging contender.

Other Fights Planned For The Event

* Maki Pitolo (12-5, fighting out of Mākaha, Hawaii) squares off with Darren Stewart (11-4 1NC, fighting out of London, England) in an exciting middleweight bout

* No. 8 ranked women’s bantamweight contender and former women’s featherweight title challenger Yana Kunitskaya (12-5 1NC, fighting out of Coconut Creek, FL by way of Saint Petersburg, Russia) meets debuting Julija Stoliarenko (9-3-1, fighting out of Kaunas, Lithuania)

* In a battle of rising lightweights, No. 14 ranked contender Beneil Dariush (18-4-1, fighting out of Yorba Linda, Calif.) takes on Scott Holtzman (14-3, fighting out of Knoxville, Tenn.)

* Tim Means (29-12-1 1NC, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) makes his 22nd UFC appearance against Laureano Staropoli (9-2, fighting out of La Plata, Argentina)

* Nasrat Haqparast (11-3, fighting out of Hamburg, Germany) hopes to return to his winning ways when he faces undefeated Alex Munoz (6-0, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.)

* Andrew Sanchez (12-5, fighting out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada) locks horns with Wellington Turman (16-3, fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil)

* Gavin Tucker (11-1, fighting out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada) meets Justin Jaynes (16-4, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) in a clash of entertaining featherweights

* Youssef Zalal (9-2, fighting out of Englewood, Colo. by way of Casablanca, Morocco) aims to continue his momentum when he meets Peter Barrett (11-3, fighting out of Somerville, Mass.)

* Irwin Rivera (9-5, fighting out of Hudson Valley, N.Y. by way of Mexico City, Mexico) hopes to earn his first UFC victory when he takes on Ali Alqaisi (8-3, fighting out of Jordan)

Dana Becker

The world of MMA is one of the few sports that brings together people from all walks of life. I try my best to tell those stories and also present breaking news to the masses.

Recent Posts

Katy Perry Reveals ‘Biggest Lie’ In The Music Industry

Katy Perry says she is getting some new inspiration these days. She said in an interview…

21 hours ago

Taylor Swift Slammed By Pet Shop Boys’ Neil Tennant For Her ‘Disappointing’ Music

The singer Taylor Swift is being blasted by the Pet Shop Boys' Neil Tennant, who…

1 day ago

Former ‘NCIS’ Star Lucas Black Reveals Why He Puts God And Family Ahead Of Hollywood Glory

The actor Lucas Black, who is best known for starring in "NCIS" and "NCIS: New…

1 day ago

How Much Are the Members of KISS Worth?

Since being founded by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley back in 1973, KISS has been…

2 days ago

Carol Burnett Gets Huge Surprise From Bradley Cooper For Her 91st Birthday

The legendary star Carol Burnett is set to turn 91 tomorrow, and we previously reported…

2 days ago

Candace Cameron Bure Reveals Inspiring Lesson The Late Bob Saget Taught Her

It's been two years since the former "Full House" star Bob Saget passed away suddenly…

2 days ago