One UFC welterweight contender’s three-fight winning streak will come to an end in January.
On Tuesday, MMA Junkie confirmed with a person close to the situation that Michael Chiesa and Neil Magny have verbally agreed to fight each other Jan. 20 at UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi. The person requested anonymity since the UFC has yet to make an announcement. Promotion broadcast partner ESPN was first to report the impending booking.
According to ESPN, Chiesa (17-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC) or Magny (24-7 MMA, 17-6 UFC) could serve as a backup to the main event should anything happen to Leon Edwards or Khamzat Chimaev.
Chiesa, No. 13 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie welterweight rankings, hasn’t been very active the past two years, fighting just once in 2019 and 2020. It will have been nearly a year since his unanimous decision win over Rafael dos Anjos. His three-fight winning streak consists of Carlos Condit by submission, as well as decisions against Diego Sanchez and RDA.
Magny, on the other hand, is coming off a 2020 in which he fought and won three times. His three-fight winning streak consists of decisions over Li Jingliang, Anthony Rocco Martin and most recently ex-champion Robbie Lawler on Aug. 29.
With the addition, the UFC’s Jan. 20 lineup now includes:
- Leon Edwards vs. Khamzat Chimaev
- Michael Chiesa vs. Neil Magny
- Viviane Araujo vs. Roxanne Modafferi
- Tyson Nam vs. Matt Schnell
- Francisco Figueredo vs. Jerome Rivera
- Mike Jackson vs. Dean Barry