Boise, ID (5/7/18)— Former UFC Heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos will step inside the Octagon to battle UFC newcomer and former World Series of Fighting Heavyweight champion Blagoy Ivanov in the Main Event at UFC Fight Night 133, a Heavyweight bout on July 14th at CenturyLink Arena. The headlining fight is one of three new bouts announced for Idaho’s first-ever UFC event.
James Vick and Paul Felder will also join the card for a Lightweight contest, while Myles Jury and Chad Mendes will square off in a Featherweight bout.
Dos Santos (18-5-0) prepares for his 17th fight with UFC. The 34 year-old Brazilian fighter will take his first fight since May 2017, a first-round TKO defeat at the hands of Stipe Miocic. Dos Santos has alternated wins and losses over his last eight fights, dating back to May 2012. He held the UFC Heavyweight Title from November 2011 until December 2012, winning the belt from Cain Velasquez at UFC on Fox 1 and defending it against Frank Mir at UFC 146 before relinquishing the title back to Velasquez at UFC 155. Dos Santos has earned eleven wins in his pro career via knockout or TKO.
Ivanov (16-1-0) carries a five-fight winning streak into his UFC debut, most recently winning via unanimous decision at Professional Fighters League’s “PFL: Fight Night” in November against Caio Alencar. The 31 year-old Bulgarian heavyweight held the Heavyweight Title for World Series of Fighting since June 2015, taking the belt from Smealinho Ramaat WSOF 21 and defending that title three times. Ivanov also fought seven times with Bellator, going 6-1-0.
Vick (13-1-0) is riding a four-fight winning streak into his bout with Felder. The 31 year-old Texan has gone 9-1-0 in UFC events, and he also starred in Season 15 of ‘The Ultimate Fighter” where he made it to the semifinal for the Lightweight division. Felder (15-3-0) takes his eleventh fight with UFC, having won his last three fights. The 33 year-old Pennsylvania native has won his last three fights via knockout and has won ten career fights via knockout or TKO.
Jury (17-2-0) has won back-to-back fights heading into his tenth UFC fight. The 29 year-old fighter out of Michigan won his first four UFC fights before consecutive losses at UFC 182 and UFC on Fox 17. Jury bounced back with victories at UFC 210 and UFC 219. He also appeared on Season 15 of “The Ultimate Fighter”. Mendes (17-4-0) looks to bounce back from consecutive losses. The 33 year-old Californian’s last fight was in the final at The Ultimate Fighter 22 in December 2015, a TKO defeat to Frankie Edgar. Mendes won the first ten fights of his pro career, but lost two Featherweight Title challenges to Jose Aldo at UFC 142 and UFC 179 and then fell to Connor McGregor via TKO at UFC 189. Mendes has appeared in five UFC main events.
The fight card for UFC Fight Night 133 already features the Women’s Bantamweight bout between Cat Zingano (9-3-0) and Marion Reneau ( 9-3-1), the Women’s Flyweight fight between Liz Carmouche (11-6-0) and Jennifer Maia (15-4-1), and the Flyweight contest for Justin Scoggins (11-4-0) and Said Nurmagomedov (11-1-0).
Tickets for UFC Fight Night 133 will go on sale at the CenturyLink Arena Box Office on May 18th. For more information in the coming weeks, contact the CenturyLink Arena Box Office at 331-TIXS or visit centurylinkarenaboise.com.