Fans anticipating the middleweight clash between unbeaten Edmen Shahbazyan and veteran Derek Brunson, orginally scheduled for March, will have to wait a little longer.
The middleweight scrap between rising prospect Edmen Shahbazyan and Derek Brunson, originally booked for UFC 248 in March, has been moved. Shahbazyan revealed the news Thursday on social media, though he did not provide a reason for the switch. The bout will now take place as part of the UFC Portland card in April.
Fight got moved to April. Was excited to be on the big #UFC248 card but it’s all good. I’ll light up the show on the other card. I’m in killer shape now, I can’t imagine what kind of crazy shape I’ll be by April!! I’m ready anytime, anywhere! The young killer is coming!!!
— Edmen Shahbazyan (@edmenshahbazyan) February 20, 2020
While the March event was set for the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the Fight Night card goes down at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon on April 11. The card is headlined by heavyweights Alistair Overeem and Walt Harris.
Shahbazyan (11-0) is currently sitting at 9th in the UFC’s middleweight division. He’s run up a 4-0 record inside the octagon since winning a UFC deal on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2018. Notably, Shahbazyan trains with Glendale Fighting Club, Ronda Rousey’s old haunt, and is managed by Rousey’s One Fight Management. In his teens, he actually served as a training partner for ‘Rowdy.’
In his most recent performance, Shahbazyan put away Brad Tavares with a head kick at UFC 244 last November.
Brunson (20-7) is the winner of two straight, with victories over Elias Theodorou and Ian Heinisch. Brunson is now a 10-year vet, and the Strikeforce alum marks the toughest test yet for Shahbazyan.
