Just days ago, bantamweight Da’Mon Blackshear turned heads (and spines) with his Twister submission over Jose Johnson at UFC Vegas 78.
Now, with a fight at this coming Saturday’s UFC 292 in need of saving, Blackshear (14-5-1) will tie the modern record for quickest UFC turnaround by stepping in against Mario Bautista (12-2).
BJPenn.com was first to report news of the match-up, which has Blackshear competing on consecutive weekends. Outside of single-night tournaments in the early days of the UFC, no fighter has ever competed less than a week apart. Lupita “Loopy” Godinez holds the existing record, which Blackshear will tie assuming he makes it to the fight in Boston without issue.
Bautista had originally been scheduled to face former 135lb champ Cody Garbrandt. However, during Saturday’s UFC Vegas 78 broadcast, it was revealed that “No Love” had been forced to withdraw from the fight.
A 30-year old Nevada native, Bautista has picked up victories in his last four fights. He earned a Performance of the Night bonus for an arm-triangle submission of Benito Lopez last November, and more recently subbed Guido Cannetti.
Blackshear told media outlets including Cageside Press following UFC Vegas 78 that he had been aiming to make history — and did so by becoming just the third fighter to ever pull off a Twister inside the octagon. It appears he has a taste for making history now, and will look to put his name in the record books again this weekend.
Taking place at the TD Garden in Boston, MA on August 19, 2023, UFC 292 currently has the following fights scheduled:
- Aljamain Sterling (c) vs. Sean O’Malley — for the UFC bantamweight championship
- Zhang Weili (c) vs. Amanda Lemos — for the UFC women’s strawweight championship
- Ian Machado Garry vs. Neil Magny
- Marlon Vera vs. Pedro Munhoz
- Chris Weidman vs. Brad Tavares
- Gregory Rodrigues vs. Denis Tiuliulin
- Austin Hubbard vs. Kurt Holobaugh — The Ultimate Fighter 31 lightweight final
- Andre Petroski vs. Gerald Meerschaert
- Andrea Lee vs. Natália Silva
- Karine Silva vs. Maryna Moroz
- Mario Bautista vs. Da’Mon Blackshear
