The welterweight scrap between Emil ‘Valhalla’ Meek (9-2 1NC) and Kamaru Usman (11-1) which was originally scheduled for the UFC’s year-end card in Las Vegas on December 30th has been rescheduled to UFC 220 in Boston on January 20th.
Meek is one fight into his UFC tenure thus far. The Norwegian defeated Jordan Mein by decision in his debut at UFC 206 a year ago, after making an impact on the scene with a TKO victory against feared submission expert Rousimar Palhares under the banner of Italian fight promotion Vennator. He was slated to face Nordine Taleb in his second UFC outing, though injury eventually forced him from the card.
The bout between Meek and Usman was initially expected to take place at UFC 219 later this month but issues with Meek’s working visa for the United States rendered the fight doubtful. However, with those issues now resolved, Meek is cleared to compete in the US and will do so in Boston in a little over a month’s time.
Meek’s opponent on January 20th, Kamaru Usman, has enjoyed a perfect start in his initial six-fight run in the UFC. The ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ has earned wins against Sean Strickland, Warlley Alves and Leon Edwards (among others) to signpost himself as one of the top prospects in a hugely diversified UFC welterweight fold which has also seen the likes of Darren Till and Colby Covington emerge over the course of the last few months.
UFC 220, which will be held in the TD Garden in Boston, will be headlined by a mammoth heavyweight clash between Stipe Miocic and Francis Ngannou, as well as a light heavyweight title bout between Daniel Cormier and Volkan Oezdemir.
