Strawweight bout featuring Polish & Russian debutants announced
Strawweight bout featuring Polish & Russian debutants announced
UFC today announced the final bout for UFC® FIGHT NIGHT GONZAGA vs CRO COP 2, Poland’s own Izabela Badurek will face Russian Aleksandra ‘Stitch’ Albu in the third strawweight bout to appear on the card.
The announcement will be welcomed by the host nation, who have waited eagerly for UFC to hold an event in their country and will now see the card stacked with seven Polish fighters.
The exciting 115lbs female fighters will both make their UFC debut on April 11th. Moscow native Albu, with just one professional MMA fight on her record, will be looking to upset the Polish crowd in Krakow, as she takes on Badurek, who comes into the fight on the back of three first round finishes by submission.
Badurek said: “I can’t tell you how excited and happy I am that the UFC has given me this amazing opportunity! I feel very honored and privileged to be the very first Polish girl that gets to compete in the world-famous Octagon on Polish soil.
“With the support of the Polish fans, I want to kick off my UFC career in style and follow the footsteps of my compatriot Joanna Jedrzejczyk and shake up the strawweight division.
“The call-up to the UFC could not come at a better time for me: For the first time in my career I’m surrounded by a great team that believes in me. I want to pay back the confidence they have in me with another first-round finish in Krakow!”
This interesting addition makes it three women’s bouts on the card and the first time that a women’s strawweight bout has ever taken place in the EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) region, marking a significant step forward for women’s MMA in these territories.
UFC® FIGHT NIGHT GONZAGA vs CRO COP 2 is the first UFC event ever to take place in Poland and will culminate in a five round heavyweight rematch between Croatian Gabriel “Napao” Gonzaga and Brazilian Mirko “Cro Cop”Filipovic.
Tickets will be available from Thursday February 26 via www.eventim.pl/UFC.
UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets ahead of the crowd on Tuesday 24 February at 10.00 GMT via www.ufcfightclub.com, while a special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Wednesday 25 February starting at 10.00 GMT.
To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.
UFC® FIGHT NIGHT GONZAGA vs CRO COP
FIGHT CARD
Heavyweight Bout
Gabriel Gonzaga (BRA) vs. Mirko Cro Cop (CRO)
Light Heavyweight Bout
Jimi Manuwa (ENG) vs. Jan Blachowicz (POL)
Heavyweight Bout
Daniel Omielanczuk (POL) vs. Anthony Hamilton (US)
Welterweight Bout
Seth Baczynski (US/POL) vs. Leon Edwards (ENG)
Middleweight Bout
Krzysztof Jotko (POL) vs. Garreth McLellan (SA)
Lightweight Bout
Marcin Bandel (POL) vs. Jason Saggo (CAN)
Welterweight Bout
Pawel Pawlak (POL) vs. Sheldon Westcott (CAN)
Welterweight Bout
Peter Sobotta (GER) vs. Sergio Moraes (BRA)
Featherweight Bout
Rocky Lee (TWN) vs Taylor Lapilus (FRA)
Strawweight Bout
Joanne Calderwood (SCO) vs. Maryna Moroz (UKR)
Strawweight Bout
Aleksandra Albu (RUS) vs. Izabela Badurek (POL)
Strawweight Bout
Claudia Gadelha (BRA) vs. Aisling Daly (IRE)
