Two ranked flyweights will meet next month at UFC 170 when Josh Sampo (11-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) takes on Zach Makovsky (17-4 MMA, 1-0 UFC).
UFC officials haven’t formally announced the bout, though sources close to the matchup confirmed it with FOXSports.com.
UFC 170 takes place Feb. 22 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass. It’s not clear where the latest matchup will be placed on the lineup.
Sampo is ranked No. 11 and Makovsky is No. 13 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA flyweight rankings.
Sampo, a Legacy FC and CFA vet, recently made his UFC debut and choked out Ryan Benoit at The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale in November. However, Sampo missed weight, and despite his thrilling win, his “Fight of the Night” check went to Benoit, who took home $100,000 in total. Despite the costly error, Sampo owns a five-fight winning streak, and he’s 8-1 over his past nine fights.
Makovsky, a former Bellator MMA champion and recent RFA titleholder, made this most of a late-notice opportunity and earned a decision victory over Scott Jorgensen at UFC on FOX 9 this past month. The longtime wrestler is now 3-0 since a Bellator release in 2012 that followed a title loss to Eduardo Dantas and a narrow split-decision defeat to Anthony Leone.
The latest UFC 170 card now includes:
For the latest on UFC 170, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.
(Pictured: Zach Makovsky)
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