UFC Vet Roger Huerta Steps Back in the Cage at ONE FC: Reign of Champions

UFC and Bellator veteran Roger Huerta will be looking to bounce back from the brutal soccer kick knockout he suffered at the feet of Zorobabel Moreira, when he returns to the cage after a two-year absence to take on undefeated Englishman Christian Holley at ONE FC: Reign of Champions.

The event is set for the World Trade Centre in Dubai on Aug. 29 and will be headlined by a welterweight title bout between Nobutatsu Suzuki and Ben Askren with Shinya Aoki also set to defend his lightweight title against Kamal Shalorus.

Huerta (21-7-1) will be returning to his regular weight of 155 pounds for the first time since his stoppage loss to Eddie Alvarez in 2010. Now based at Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket, the 31-year-old is currently on a four-fight losing skid.

His opponent has never even tasted defeat, but Holley (11-0), who was a Karate champion before transitioning to MMA, has been competing exclusively in Europe and has never faced an opponent of Huerta’s caliber before.

Also added to the card is a featherweight fight which will have implications for the title picture as BJJ black belt Herbert Burns continues to be thrown in with increasingly higher level opposition as he takes on top Japanese contender Hiroshige Tanaka.

Burns (3-0) fights out of Evolve MMA in Singapore and is coming off two impressive ONE FC wins over Edward Kelly and Harris Sarmiento, but faces an even tougher test when he takes on Shooto veteran Tanaka who is riding a seven fight win streak.

The other fight announced today sees Fil-Am former boxing world champion Ana Julaton (1-0) return to the ONE FC cage after making a triumphant debut in Manila earlier this year. The 34-year-old faces a serious step up when she takes on Russian debutant Irina Mazepa, who is a six time Wushu world champion.

ONE FC: Reign of Champions will be the promotion’s first ever event to be held in the Middle East and with two more title fights set to be announced in the coming weeks it looks set to be a very strong card.