Maurice Greene vs. Junior Albini Set for UFC Minneapolis

Maurice Greene UFC Minneapolis
Maurice Greene Credit: Mike Straus/Cageside Press

UFC Minneapolis has a heavyweight showdown between TUF 28’s Maurice Greene and Junior Albini booked.

A heavyweight clash between Brazil’s Junior Albini and TUF 28 alum Maurice Greene has been added to the UFC’s fourth ESPN card. On Wednesday, the promotion confirmed a report by the Star Tribune announcing several bouts, including the heavyweight showdown. UFC on ESPN 4 takes place June 29 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Greene (7-2), bearing the moniker ‘The Crochet Boss’ thanks to one of his out-of-the-cage hobbies, has won both his bouts under the UFC banner thus far. A towering specimen at 6″7, Greene won his debut at the TUF 28 Finale against Michel Batista, then followed that up with a razor-thin split decision win over old rival Jeff Hughes at UFC Wichita.

Looking to stay busy, Greene will fight for the third time in a little over six months when he takes on Brazil’s Junior Albini.

Albini (14-5) has hit hard times after a promising start to his UFC career. ‘Baby’ started his UFC run in 2017 with a TKO of Tim Johnson, but has subsquently dropped fights to Andrei Arlovski, Alexey Oleynik, and most recently, Jairzinho Rozenstruik. With three straight losses, Albini is likely fighting for his job in Minneapolis.

UFC Minneapolis (UFC on ESPN 4) is expected to be headlined by a welterweight showdown between former champs Tyron Woodley and Robbie Lawler. Woodley defeated Lawler in the pair’s first meeting at UFC 201 in 2016 to capture the UFC’s 170lb title.

Update, 4/19/2019 — Due to UFC Fort Lauderdale being shifted to ESPN+, this card now becomes UFC on ESPN 3.