Las Vegas, June 13: The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to Los Angeles with UFC 227: Dillashaw vs. Garbrandt 2, which features two thrilling championship rematches set to be hosted at the Staples Center on August 4.
In the main we will see a blockbuster bantamweight championship rematch as T.J. Dillashaw defends his belt against former champ and No.1 contender Cody Garbrandt.
Meanwhile, in the co-main event, UFC flyweight champion and No.1 pound-for-pound fighter Demetrious Johnson will run it back with No.2-ranked contender Henry Cejudo.
Among the most heated rivals in UFC history, Dillashaw and Garbrandt first locked horns last November. Following a series of exciting back-and-forth exchanges, Dillashaw delivered a spectacular second-round KO to recapture the 135-pound title.
One of the most heated rivalries in UFC history gets a second chapter as former teammates @TJDillashaw and @Cody_Nolove collide in the main event of UFC 227. Tickets go on sale this Friday, June 15th at 10am! pic.twitter.com/gbBC6GWVXm
— STAPLES Center (@STAPLESCenter) June 11, 2018
Dillashaw now looks to get the last laugh over his former teammate. A diverse striker and talented grappler, he's earned victories over a who's who in the bantamweight division. Over the course of his UFC career, he's bested Renan Barao (twice), Raphael Assuncao and John Lineker. Another impressive victory will allow him to close the book on his feud with Garbrandt.
As for Garbrandt, the former titleholder aims for a measure of revenge. Known for his highlight-reel knockouts, he tore a path of destruction through the division en route to dethroning Dominick Cruz in 2016. During his UFC stint, the heavy-handed striker has stopped Takeya Mizugaki, Thomas Almeida and Augusto Mendes. Garbrandt now aims to even the score and reclaim the bantamweight championship.
Also, at UFC 227: Dillashaw vs. Garbrandt 2, flyweight champion Johnson will see a familiar face in Cejudo, as he goes for his record 12th consecutive title defense. The two originally met two years ago, with Johnson defending his title via impressive TKO.
Since then, Johnson has picked up three more sensational wins, including highlight-reel submissions against Wilson Reis and Ray Borg. The latter set a new record for UFC title defenses. Johnson has also bested Joseph Benavidez (twice), John Dodson (twice) and Kyoji Horiguchi. He now plans to notch another defense and continue building his already impressive legacy.
ICYMI: Another rematch heads to the City of Angels.
— UFC (@ufc) June 11, 2018
🏆 @MightyMouseUFC defends the belt vs @HenryCejudo. #UFC227 pic.twitter.com/8J2BRoDD0O
An Olympic gold medalist wrestler, Cejudo is gunning for his first UFC championship. A decorated grappler with heavy hands, he's topped Sergio Pettis, Henry Cejudo and Jussier Formiga during his climb up the flyweight ranks. With the 125-pound title in his sights, Cejudo not only plans to reach his destiny, but also plans to hand Johnson his first loss in almost seven years.
Additional bouts on the card include:
Featherweight bout: Cub Swanson vs Renato Moicano
Middleweight bout: Derek Brunson vs Antonio Carlos Junior
Women's bantamweight bout: Bethe Correia vs Irene Aldana
Women's Strawweight bout: Polyana Viana vs JJ Aldrich
Bantamweight bout: Ricardo Ramos vs Kyung Ho Kang
Women's Strawweight bout: Danielle Taylor vs Weili Zhang
Bantamweight bout: Buren Wuliji vs Bharat Khandare
Bantamweight bout: Benito Lopez vs Ricky Simon
Source: UFC Press Release