Veteran Fighter Re-Enlists with UFC for Packed Lineup Battle
Rewritten Article:
Saddle up, UFC Des Moines at the Wells Fargo Arena is shaping up to be a scorcher on May 3!
On a whirlwind Wednesday, UFC dropped three electrifying matchups that left fans eagerly anticipating. And the pièce de résistance? The return of Jeremy "Lil Heathen" Stephens to the UFC octagon, 38 years young and ready for his 50th MMA bout. Stephens will be squaring off against Mason Jones, hot off a jaw-dropping knockout victory over former UFC lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez in BKFC earlier this year.
Yes, you read that right – Stephens, who's been tearing it up in the BKFC, is coming back to the UFC. Talk about a twist of fate! Nolan King of MMA Junkie had this to say on the shocking announcement:
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Throw in Jones, back for his second UFC stint after a 1-2 record with one no contest, and four straight victories in Cage Warriors, and you've got the perfect recipe for an unforgettable Fight Night. And it doesn't stop there – Bo Nickal vs. Reinier de Ridder and the main event, Cory Sandhagen vs. Deiveson Figueiredo, are on the docket too.
At first, I wasn't expecting much from this card. Boy, was I wrong. Figueiredo is a former champ, and both he and Sandhagen are solid contenders. Meanwhile, Nickal vs. De Ridder is a matchup that won't fail to deliver insights. Nickal, a rising star, faces his first ranked opponent in De Ridder, the former ONE two-division champ and now No. 13 in the UFC.
Want to get a load of this lineup? Here ya go:
- Cory Sandhagen vs. Deiveson Figueiredo – Bantamweight
- Marina Rodriguez vs. Gillian Robertson – Strawweight
- Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Daniel Rodriguez – Welterweight
- Yana Santos vs. Miesha Tate – Bantamweight
- Marlon Vera vs. Mario Bautista – Bantamweight
- Montel Jackson vs. Daniel Marcos – Bantamweight
- Reinier de Ridder vs. Bo Nickal – Middleweight
- Jeong Yeong Lee vs. Trevor Peek – Featherweight
- Cameron Smotherman vs. Serhiy Sidey – Bantamweight
- Junior Tafa vs. Tuco Tokkos – Heavyweight
- Azamat Bekoev vs. Ryan Loder – Middleweight
- Jeremy Stephens vs. Mason Jones – Lightweight
With the three new fights joining veterans like Montel Jackson, Vera-Bautista, Tate-Santos, and a potential standout in the Lee-Peek matchup, this card has the potential to be the most-watched Fight Night of 2025. Cross your fingers it stays intact and avoids the injury bug!
Now, the much-anticipated UFC Vegas 104 on March 15 doesn't look quite as promising. Here's the lineup of fights heading for the UFC Apex:
- Marvin Vettori vs. Roman Dolidze – Middleweight
- Elizeu Zaleski vs. Chidi Njokuani – Welterweight
- Alexander Hernandez vs. Kurt Holobaugh – Lightweight
- Da'Mon Blackshear vs. Cody Gibson – Bantamweight
- Diyar Nurgozhay vs. Brendson Ribeiro – Light Heavyweight
- Kevin Vallejos vs. Seung Woo Choi – Featherweight
- Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Ryan Spann – Heavyweight
- Su Young You vs. AJ Cunningham – Bantamweight
- Josias Musasa vs. Carlos Vera – Bantamweight
- Sam Hughes vs. Stephanie Luciano – Strawweight
- André Lima vs. Daniel Barez – Flyweight
- Josiane Nunes vs. P. Cachoeira – Bantamweight
- Yuneisy Duben vs. Carli Judice – Flyweight
Here's hoping we're in for a surprise!
- Jeremy Stephens, who recently fought in BKFC, is coming back to UFC after a pronouncement, marking his 50th MMA bout against Mason Jones.
- The UFC announcement by Dana White has added an unexpected twist to the upcoming UFC Des Moines card on May 3, featuring a lineup that includes Stephens and Jones, among others.
- The UFC Vegas 104 lineup on March 15 seems less exciting compared to the anticipated UFC Des Moines event with the potential return of veterans and the introduction of new faces, making fans hopeful for a surprise in the latter.
