Striegl faces Valiev in UFC debut

FILIPINO American veteran mixed martial artist (MMA) Mark Striegl said he will face Russian Timur Valiev in his upcoming debut in the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) for a nontitle bantamweight bout at the UFC APEX facility in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 22.

Striegl, who won the 2019 Southeast Asian Games gold medal in the 74 kg Combat Sambo event last December, admitted that in spite of this perilous period for sports, he was pumped up about the privilege of carrying the Philippine flag.

“It’s an honor to represent the country and fight on the largest stage in MMA, especially during these crazy times. It’s a dream come true. I came a long way to get here and will bring my very best to fight night,” said the 32-year-old to The Manila Times on Friday morning in an online interview.

Also debuting in UFC, Valiev has seen action before in the World Series of Fighting with a 16-2 win-loss record. A long-time training partner of former UFC champion Frankie Edgar, Valiev is expected to give Striegl a tough time with the Russian’s striking and grappling skills.

But Striegl is unperturbed and ready for the challenge with an 18-2 MMA record under his belt. A renowned wrestler and effective striker, he won four out of his last five bouts under ONE Championship and Universal Reality Combat Championships.

The UFC debut bout on ESPN15 will also feature Frankie Edgar, with a 23-8-1 win-lose-draw record, and Pedro Munhoz, with an 18-4 record, as the main event.

Source: TheManila Times