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USA Today Sports Media Group
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Nolan King

Six new fights added to UFC Vegas 88

Six more fights have been added to the UFC Fight Night event scheduled for March 16 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Five of the six bouts were officially announced Tuesday by the promotion, while the six was revealed on social media by the fighters involved.

The event is currently headlined by a heavyweight bout between Tai Tuivasa (15-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) and Marcin Tybura (24-8 MMA, 11-7 UFC). Light heavyweights Kennedy Nzechukwu (12-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) and Ovince Saint Preux (26-17 MMA, 14-12 UFC) will also fight each other on the card.

Mike Davis vs. Natan Levy

SUNRISE, FLORIDA – APRIL 27: Mike Davis punches Gilbert Burns of Brazil during their lightweight bout at UFC Fight Night at BB&T Center on April 27, 2019 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

For the first time since October 2022, fan-favorite Mike Davis has a fight on the books.

Riding a three-fight winning streak of victories over Thomas Gifford, Mason Jones, and Viacheslav Borschev, Davis (10-2 MMA, 3-1) will take on Israeli jiu-jitsu specialist Natan Levy (8-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) in a lightweight bout.

Levy rides a two-fight winning streak of his own, off victories against Mike Breeden and Genaro Valdez.

Macy Chiasson vs. Pannie Kianzad 2

Sep 10, 2022; Las Vegas, Nevada; during UFC 279 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Macy Chiasson and Pannie Kianzad fought for the title of “The Ultimate Fighter 28” women’s featherweight winner.

The initial battle in November 2018 ended in a Chiasson (8-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) second-round submission win. The two fighters were friends during their time on the reality series and have found success in the UFC post-tournament.

Chiasson has gone 5-3 since the first meeting with Kianzad, who has gone 6-3 since. Chiasson was supposed to fight Jan. 13 at UFC Fight Night 234, but her opponent Ketlen Vieira withdrew and the fight was scrapped entirely.

Kianzad most recently competed in July when she lost a unanimous decision to Ketlen Vieira

Both fighters are 1-2 in their most recent three outings.

Josh Culibao vs. Danny Silva

Jul 22, 2023; London, UNITED KINGDOM; Lerone Murphy (red gloves) fights Josh Culibao (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at O2 Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports

Australia’s Josh Culibao welcomes promotional newcomer Danny Silva to the UFC in a three-round featherweight bout.

Culibao (11-2-1 MMA, 3-2-1 UFC) aims to bounce back from a July unanimous decision to Lerone Murphy. The defeat snapped a three-fight winning streak that included victories over Shayilan Nuerdanbieke, Seungwoo Choi, and Melsik Baghdasaryan.

Silva (8-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) rides high from an all-time-exciting Dana White’s Contender Series bout against Angel Pacheco. Silva defeated Pacheco by unanimous decision but the fight was so violent and entertaining that UFC CEO Dana White offered both UFC deals.

Chelsea Chandler vs. Josiane Nunes

Jan 21, 2023; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Josiane Nunes (red gloves) fights Zarah Fairn (blue gloves) during UFC 283 at Jeunesse Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason da Silva-USA TODAY Sports

Chelsea Chandler and Josiane Nunes return to bantamweight after brief stints at featherweight.

Chandler (5-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) looks to bounce back from a grudge match loss against Norma Dumont in July. Prior to that, Chandler won her UFC debut against Julija Stoliarenko by ground-and-pound stoppage.

Nunes (10-1 MMA, 3-0) is on a roll with a nine-fight winning streak. She debuted with a big knockout of Bea Malecki, and followed that up with consecutive unanimous decision victories over Ramona Pascual and Zarah Fairn.

Bryan Barberena vs. Gerald Meerschaert

Seasoned veterans Bryan Barberena and Gerald Meerschaert meet in a middleweight matchup.

A longtime welterweight, Barberena (18-11 MMA, 9-9 UFC) elevated to middleweight in July and lost a unanimous decision to Makhmud Muradov. The loss was his third in a row.

Meerschaert (35-17 MMA, 10-9 UFC) also aims to turn his luck around. Meerschaert has lost two in a row and three of his most recent four. His most recent fight was a thrilling fight, but split decision loss, against Andre Petroski in August.

Chad Anheliger vs. Charalampos Grigoriou

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 15: Charalampos Grigoriou of Cyprus prepares to face Cameron Smotherman in a bantamweight fight during Dana White’s Contender Series season seven, week two at UFC APEX on August 15, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Louis Grasse/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

With Toshiomi Kazama out, Chad Anheliger steps in to fight Charalampos Grigoriou.

Both Anheliger (12-7 MMA, 1-2 UFC) and Grigoriou (8-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC) are Dana White’s Contender Series alumni.

Anheliger has a knockout win over Jesse Strader and losses to Heili Alateng and Jose Johnson thus far in the UFC.

A former Combat FC champion, Grigoriou has yet to debut following a UFC contract-earning knockout of Cameron Smotherman in August. The fight lasted one minute total.

The full UFC Vegas 88 fight card includes:

  • Tai Tuivasa vs. Marcin Tybura
  • Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Ovince Saint Preux
  • Thiago Moises vs. Brad Riddell
  • Jafel Filho vs. Ode Osbourne
  • Isaac Dulgarian vs. Christian Rodriguez
  • Bryan Battle vs. Ange Loosa
  • Mike Davis vs. Natan Levy
  • Joshu Culibao vs. Danny Silva
  • Chad Anheliger vs. Charalampos Grigoriou
  • Bryan Barberena vs. Gerald Meerschaert
  • Macy Chiasson vs. Pannie Kianzad
  • Chelsea Chandler vs. Josiane Nunes
  • Jaqueline Amorim vs. Cory McKenna

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night for March 16.

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