Oh boy, get ready for a heavyweight rumble! Two alums from Dana White’s Contender Series are about to throw down at a UFC Fight Night on April 27. It’s gonna be epic.
So, who’s stepping into the Octagon? We’ve got Brazil’s own Jhonata Diniz facing off against Florida’s Austen Lane. This juicy matchup was spilled by Diniz’s management crew, All In Sports, on Insta.
Now, let’s chat about Diniz. The guy’s a beast. Undefeated in MMA with a shiny 6-0 record. Before he started throwing punches and kicks in the cage, he was a pro kickboxer. Since jumping into MMA in May 2022, he’s been all about those quick wins – six first-round finishes, to be exact. His latest feat? A Round 1 TKO against Eduardo Neves on the Contender Series last September. That victory snagged him a coveted UFC contract.
Lane’s story? A bit of a roller coaster. He’s sitting at 12-4, coming off a Round 1 KO loss to Justin Tafa at UFC 293. That fight was a do-over from their first bout in June, which ended in a no contest thanks to an accidental eye poke from Lane. Before that hiccup, Lane was tearing through opponents with a six-fight win streak, including a Round 1 TKO victory over Richard Jacobi on the Contender Series in 2022.
The showdown’s happening at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. And guess what? There’s also a women’s flyweight clash that night – Karine Silva vs. Ariane Lipski. Talk about a stacked card!