Tony Gravely looks to earn a third straight victory and fifth win in six starts, while Javid Basharat aims to remain undefeated and collect the biggest victory of his career in this terrific bantamweight fight on this weekend’s card.
Gravely was a standout on the regional circuit for a number of years before finally getting the chance to compete inside the Octagon, and he’s largely carried on the same way since moving to the UFC. The American Top Team representative is 4-2 overall, but has won four of five since dropping his debut, entering Saturday’s contest off a sharp knockout win over Johnny Munoz in June.
RELATED: Basharat Is Taking The Leap
Perfect through a dozen fights to begin his career, Basharat went the distance for the first time in his UFC debut in March, earning a unanimous decision win over Trevin Jones. The Afghani bantamweight is now based in Las Vegas with his brother Farid and flyweight standout Amir Albazi, and can take a big step forward in the talent-rich bantamweight ranks with a victory over Gravely this weekend.
Can the more experienced, more tested Gravely keep rolling and halt Basharat’s unbeaten run or will “The Snow Leopard” maintain his clean sheet and establish himself as an ascending star by turning back Gravely?
Nikolas Motta vs. Cameron VanCamp
Lightweights coming off stoppage losses in their respective debuts cross paths this weekend, as Nikolas Motta takes on Cameron VanCamp.
The 29-year-old Motta earned his UFC contract on Season 4 of Dana White’s Contender Series, but didn’t make his debut until this February, where he ran afoul of veteran Jim Miller. Prior to that setback, “Iron” earned wins in four of his last five, including a third-round knockout of fellow UFC lightweight Joe Solecki.
VanCamp was penciled in to face Motta last September, but the bout never came to fruition. Instead, he made his promotional debut up a division at UFC 274, stinging Andre Fialho a couple times before catching a left hook that knocked him out midway through the opening stanza. Before that, the 29-year-old Indiana resident had earned four straight victories and went 7-2 with one no contest in his previous 10 outings.
