Jimmie Rivera vs. Thomas Almeida booked for UFC on Fox 25 on Long Island
Jimmie Rivera prepares to face Urijah Faber at UFC 203 at Quicken Loans Arena on September 10, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. Credit: Getty Images / Rey Del Rio
A pair of top-10 UFC bantamweights are headed to the new Nassau Coliseum this summer.
Jimmie Rivera and Thomas Almeida will clash at UFC Long Island on July 22.
The main card, the UFC’s first on Long Island and fifth in New York State since the ban was overturned last year, will air on Fox.
Rivera (20-1), ranked fifth in the UFC’s 135-pound division, has won all four of his fights since joining the top mixed martial arts promotion in 2015. The New Jersey-bred fighter is coming off a unanimous decision over Urijah Faber at UFC 203 last September.
Almeida (21-1), now the No. 9 ranked bantamweight in the UFC, once was considered the hottest prospect at 135 pounds until he was knocked out by Cody Garbrandt in May of 2016. In his next fight in November, the Brazilian-raised Almeida beat Albert Morales by second-round TKO.
Mark La Monica is a deputy sports editor at Newsday. He also covers mixed martial arts.
