In an exciting announcement, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has confirmed the addition of a highly anticipated matchup for their upcoming event in Las Vegas on September 16, 2023. The event, which coincides with the celebration of Mexican Independence Day, promises to deliver an exhilarating night of fights at the T-Mobile Arena.
Welterweights Shavkat Rakhmonov and Kelvin Gastelum will fight in Las Vegas on September 16 on Mexican Independence Day.
UFC President Dana White revealed that the co-main event will feature an intense clash between Shavkat Rakhmonov and Kelvin Gastelum in the welterweight division. Both fighters expressed their desire for this showdown, and the UFC was quick to grant their wish.
Former middleweight title contender Kelvin Gastelum (18-8) will face No. 6 in the welterweight division, Shavkat Rakhmonov (17-0), in his return to -77kg. This fight will take place on the main card of UFC Fight Night on September 16 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
UFC President Dana White recently made the poster official, also announcing that flyweight champion Alexa Grasso will attempt to defend her belt against Valentina Shevchenko in the main event of the card.
In his last outing in the Octagon, Rakhmonov submitted veteran Geoff Neal to win a real 3-round war at UFC 285 (see the finish here). Still undefeated, the 28-year-old Kazakh beat his opponents before the limit, including submitting Alex Oliviera, Michel Prazeres and Neil Magny, and winning by TKO over Carlston Harris.
For his part, Gastelum made his last appearance at welterweight in 2016, when he won by unanimous decision against former champion, Johnny Hendricks. At 31, the Mexican-born fighter remains on a decision win over Chris Curtis at UFC 287. The win ended his two-game losing streak against Jared Cannonier and Robert Whittaker.
With the addition of the welterweight clash between Rakhmonov and Gastelum, here is the current schedule for UFC Fight Night on September 16:
- Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko
- Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Kelvin Gastelum
- Chris Curtis vs. Anthony Hernandez
- Lupita Godinez vs. Sam Hughes
