The UFC Norfolk card seems to get bigger (and better) by the day. On Tuesday, the booking of “Super” Sage Northcutt vs. Michel Quinones was reported, first by ESPN. Also added to the card is a bantamweight tilt between Raphael Assuncao and Matthew Lopez. They add to names like Anthony Pettis vs. Dustin Poirier in the main event, Diego Sanchez vs. Matt Brown, former heavyweight champ Andrei Arlovski, and more.
Northcutt (8–2) had been linked to a bout against John Makdessi at UFC 214. However, when both fighters wound up injured, that pairing was scrapped. Now, the young fighter will return to the lightweight division to face Quinones (8-2). Both men are coming off losses, Northcutt to Mickey Gall at UFC on Fox 22 last December, and Quinones to Jared Gordon at UFC Fight Night 112.
In bantamweight action, meanwhile, notable 135’er Raphael Assuncao (25–5) brings a two-fight win streak to UFC Fight Night 120, where he meets Matthew Lopez (10-1). Lopez is on a two-fight streak of his own, with victories over Mitch Gagnon and Johnny Eduardo. Assuncao, a longtime vet, has fought a who’s who of foes in both the UFC and WEC, having shared the cage with Urijah Faber, Jorge Masvidal, T.J. Dillashaw, Bryan Caraway, Aljamain Sterling and others. Sterling and former WSOF star Marlon Moraes represent his two most recent victories.
UFC Norfolk, numerically UFC Fight Night 120, takes place November 11 in Norfolk, VA. Pettis vs. Poirier serves as the evening’s main event.
