Bengaluru, November 28: The Ultimate Fighting Championship hosts the season finale of The Ultimate Fighter: Heavy Hitters (also known as TUF 28 Season Finale) on Friday (November 30) in the Pearl Theatre at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.
A welterweight bout between former UFC Lightweight Champion Rafael dos Anjos and The Ultimate Fighter: American Top Team vs. Blackzilians (TUF 21) winner Kamaru Usman will serve as the event headliner.
Dos Anjos has lost two of five fights since he dropped the welterweight belt to Eddie Alvarez in 2016. His last outing was a decision loss to Colby Covington in the interim welterweight championship match at UFC 225 in June earlier this year.
🇧🇷 welcomes 🇳🇬 Friday night.#TUFFinale: @RdosAnjosMMA vs @USMAN84kg pic.twitter.com/hT21A9YWav
— UFC (@ufc) November 28, 2018
Usman, meanwhile, has remained undefeated in seven since he made his UFC debut and is 13-1 in his MMA career. Earlier this year, the Nigrian Nightmare earned decision wins over Demian Maia in May and Emil Weber Meek in January.
The main card will also feature the heavyweight and women's featherweight finals of TUF 28 and the two fights could serve as co-headliners of the event.
In the heavyweight finals, Justin Frazier of the red team coached by Kelvin Gastelum will meet Juan Francisco Dieppa of the blue team mentored by UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker.
Justin Frazier will fight Juan Espino at the #TUF28Finale in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Nov. 30, 2018). #UFC #MMA #TUF28 #TUF28HWFinale pic.twitter.com/8eBjmwapDp
— MaRCeL DoRFF 🇳🇱🇮🇩 (@BigMarcel24) November 22, 2018
Frazier defeated the likes of Anderson da Silva (unanimous decision) and Michel Batista (TKO) en-route to the final, while Dieppa beat Ben Sosoli (unanimous decision) and Maurice Green (submission).
In the women's featherweight final, Red team's Pannie Kianzad will meet her teammate Macy Chiasson.
Kianzad had couple of decision wins over Katharina Lehner and Julija Stoliarenko to reach the finals, Meanwhile, Chiasson defeated Larissa Pacheco via TKO in the quarters and Leah Letson via first-round TKO in the semis.
"It's the biggest mixed martial arts promotion in the world, and the best fighters are here." - @AntoninaPantera talked to us about her upcoming @UFC debut and how her sister, @BulletValentina, is supporting her. #TUFFinale https://t.co/ccoQcikanq pic.twitter.com/Oyh4qU3dUY
— UFC News (@UFCNews) November 27, 2018
Also on the main card, Pedro Munhoz meets Bryan Caraway at bantamweight, Darren Stewart locks horns with Edmen Shahbazyan in a middleweight bout, and women's flyweights Ji Yeon Kim and UFC debutant Antonina Shevchenko collide.
Earlier in the prelims, the likes of Rick Glenn, Joseph Benavidez, Tim Means, Alex Perez, Darrell Horcher and Ricky Rainey will be in action. Meanwhile, the losing semi-finalists of the TUF 28 tournament will also be involved.
#TUFFinale starts on #UFCFIGHTPASS this Friday with 3 great bouts!
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) November 28, 2018
Roosevelt Roberts meets Darrell Horcher in the Featured Bout! pic.twitter.com/9anAKv0tKD
Here is all you need to know about TUF 28 Finale:
When and where is the event happening?
The Heavy Hitters seasaon finale takes place in the Pearl Theatre at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada on Friday (November 30). Due to time difference the event will take place on Saturday (December 1) in India.
How to watch TUF 28 Finale in India?
Sony ESPN will show the main card live in India on Saturday (December 1) from 8.30 AM IST, while one can aslo stream the main card live using Sony LIV.
The preiminary card can only be streamed using UFC Fight Pass earlier in the day from 5 AM IST.
Here is the scheduled fight card for TUF 28 Finale:
Main Card
1. Welterweight bout: Rafael dos Anjos vs. Kamaru Usman
2. Heavyweight bout: Justin Frazier vs. Juan Francisco Dieppa
3. Women's Featherweight bout: Pannie Kianzad vs. Macy Chiasson
4. Bantamweight bout: Pedro Munhoz vs. Bryan Caraway
5. Middleweight bout: Darren Stewart vs. Edmen Shahbazyan
6. Women's Flyweight bout: Ji Yeon Kim vs. Antonina Shevchenko
Preliminary Card
1. Featherweight bout: Rick Glenn vs. Kevin Aguilar
2. Flyweight bout: Joseph Benavidez vs. Alex Perez
3. Lightweight bout: Roosevelt Roberts vs. Darrell Horcher
4. Welterweight bout: Tim Means vs. Ricky Rainey
5. Bantamweight bout: Raoni Barcelos vs. Chris Gutierrez
6. Heavyweight bout: Maurice Greene vs. Michel Batista
7. Women's Featherweight bout: Leah Letson vs. Julija Stoliarenko