Alessio Sakara
Middleweights agree to Stockholm bout
The UFC’s debut card in Sweden has quickly started to take shape, and one of the middleweight division’s most dangerous fighters has found a spot on the show.
The UFC on Wednesday made official an April 14 card in Stockholm, Sweden’s capital and largest city. The main card is expected to air on Fuel TV, and a fight between Brian Stann and Alessio Sakara figures to feature prominently on the broadcast. Sweden’s MMA NYTT website was first to report the fight booking, and the UFC confirmed the fight later Thursday.
Stann (11-4, 5-3 UFC) is looking to rebound after a second-round submission loss to Chael Sonnen in October at UFC 136. Prior to that loss, Stann had a three-fight winning streak – all three by stoppage. A Fight of the Night upste submission win over Mike Massenzio in August 2010 was followed by high-profile TKO wins over Chris Leben and Jorge Santiago. But the former WEC light heavyweight champion, Marine and Silver Star winner for valor in combat was overwhelmed by Sonnen from the opening bell in October, and eventually tapped his winning streak away.
Sakara (15-8, 1 NC, 6-5, 1 NC UFC) will fight for the first time since tearing his ACL. He last fought at UFC on Versus 3 last March, losing to Chris Weidman by unanimous decision. That loss, which Weidman took on short notice for his UFC debut, snapped Sakara’s three-fight winning streak. It will be the Italian’s first fight in Europe since a UFC 80 win James Lee.
The promotion’s first event in the Scandinavian country in northern Europe will take place at the 12,000-seat Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm.