The UFC is headed back to Texas for UFC San Antonio on July 20. With no fights yet to be announced… that’s about to be changed.
ESPN’s Brett Okamoto has confirmed that a pivotal flyweight match-up between seasoned veteran top contenders and former title challengers, one at bantamweight and the other at flyweight, is close to finalization for the event.
It’s looking to be the No. 3 ranked flyweight, Liz Carmouche (13-6) against the No. 5 Roxanne Modafferi (23-15).
Per sources, UFC finalizing a flyweight bout between Liz Carmouche and Roxanne Modafferi for UFC Fight Night on ESPN, on July 20 in San Antonio. Carmouche has won four of five, including Chookagian and Maia. Roxy coming off the Antonina Shevchenko win.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) May 14, 2019
“Per sources, UFC finalizing a flyweight bout between Liz Carmouche and Roxanne Modafferi for UFC Fight Night on ESPN, on July 20 in San Antonio. Carmouche has won four of five, including Chookagian and Maia. Roxy coming off the Antonina Shevchenko win.” Okamoto’s tweet read.
For the first female fighter to ever make the walk to the Octagon in Liz Carmouche, this will be her fourth career bout at 125-pounds as she hopes to extend her current winning streak to three and further make her case for the next shot at the title.
Carmouche defeated the former Invicta FC flyweight champion and consensus worldwide No. 1 flyweight by unanimous decision in July 2018 at UFC Boise. Her most recent outing wouldn’t come until February when she took out the hometown fighter in Lucie Pudilova at UFC Prague.
Modafferi, on the other hand, is fairly fresh off of a trip to Russia when she fought at UFC Saint Petersburg in late April. ‘The Happy Warrior’ would defeat the sister of the current divisional champion, Antonina Shevchenko via split decision. Thus making her 2-2 since her return to the UFC.
For the Syndicate MMA product in Modafferi, her re-entry into the UFC came in the inaugural UFC flyweight title bout opposite Nicco Montano to conclude The Ultimate Fighter season 26 in December 2017. Despite a valiant effort, Modafferi would come up short and she hopes to soon get another crack at the gold.
This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 5/14/2019