The UFC’s long-rumored return to Boston, Massachusetts, has been officially announced.
The city of Boston has long had success when it comes to professional sports. The New England Patriots and Tom Brady just won their sixth Super Bowl. The Boston Red Sox won the 2018 World Series, and the Boston Bruins came one game short of the 2019 Stanley Cup. Now it’s time for the UFC to return again to the City of Champions.
Sooo who’s up next then??#NewEnglandCartel @ufc pic.twitter.com/YZy2bMzOFN
— RobFont (@RobSFont) July 7, 2019
The card has been rumored for months, and was finally unveiled recently as part of the UFC announcing the remainder of their 2019 schedule. The promotion was last in Beantown in January of 2018 when Stipe Miocic defeated title challenger Francis Ngannou.
Featured on that card were some hometown MMA heroes who have only continued to build their resume since. Rob Font landed a huge knockout of Thomas Almeida, Calvin Kattar knocked out Shane Burgos in the third round of their bout. Kyle Bochniak, a native of Gloucester, defeated Brandon Davis. Matt Bessette, a native of Connecticut, was also on the card although he suffered defeat.
It is not unusual to see the UFC load cards with some hometown fighters to rile up the crowd and get fans to their seats early. Big stars have appeared as well. Conor McGregor defeated Max Holloway in Boston back in 2013. The TD Garden has been home to some significant moments in the UFC. Not only did McGregor start his road to glory in Boston, but on that same card, Chael Sonnen defeated Shogun Rua in the first round. Daniel Cormier defeated Volkan Oezdemir to regain the title he never lost due to a Jon Jones no contest, but it was a win he felt he needed. Stipe Miocic defended his title against his toughest challenge at the time, Francis Ngannou, all at the Garden.
Now it’s time to make some new memories in the home of some of the most successful moments in sports history. Calvin Kattar has continued his rightful hype train and it seems only fitting that a big fight in Boston is the next stop; maybe Jeremy Stephens would be a suitable foe? Randy Costa was in the building at UFC 220 for his teammates, now could the young man fulfill another dream of fighting for the UFC in his backyard? Could UFC veteran, and pioneer of New England MMA, Joe Lauzon make a comeback appearance? Nothing can be considered shocking in the city of Boston, from a 28-3 Super Bowl deficit to a down 0-3 to the hated Yankees in 04′, this city has seen it all.
No fights have yet been confirmed for UFC Boston as of yet. Ideally the main and co-main event of this card should feature contenders such as Rob Font and Calvin Kattar, also both Massachusetts residents. Bostonians love their sports, whether hockey, baseball or mixed martial arts, after all. That’ll be no different come Friday, October 18.
The UFC Boston card will air on ESPN, and is numerically UFC on ESPN 6.
