James Vick has pulled the trigger on a move up in weight, as he’ll face Niko Price at 170lbs when they meet at UFC Tampa.
A towering lightweight, James Vick always had the height (and often reach) advantage over opponents. Now, however, the ‘Texicutioner’ is heading up to welterweight, where… well, where he’ll likely retain that reach advantage, frankly.
FloCombat’s Mike Heck was first to report Monday that Vick would move up a weight class and take on Niko Price at UFC Tampa (UFC on ESPN+ 19 / UFC Fight Night 161). The bout will see Vick in desperate need of a win following a trio of losses, all at lightweight, to Justin Gaethje, Paul Felder, and Dan Hooker. Two of the three bouts in that skid saw Vick finished.
A towering 6″3, Vick (13-4) started his career on a 9-0 run that saw him collect five straight wins under the UFC banner. After being knocked out by Beneil Dariush at UFC 199 in 2016, he bounced back with another four straight wins, before hitting his current slump.
Niko Price (13–3 (1)) has been trading wins and losses of late, and most recently was finished at the hands of Geoff Neal at UFC 240 back in July. Overall, he’s 5-3 (1NC) in the UFC to date. The no contest came after an original win against Alex Morono was overturned when Price tested positive for Marijuana.
UFC Tampa takes place October 12, 2019 at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. Michelle Waterson faces former strawweight champ Joanna Jedrzejczyk in the main event.
