UFC 217: Randy Brown to face Mickey Gall at Madison Square Garden
Welterweight Randy Brown prepares to fight Belal Muhammed at UFC 208 on Feb. 11, 2017 at Barclays Center Credit: Newsday / Jeffrey Basinger
Randy Brown and Mickey Gall always will be linked as two of the first UFC fighters signed from the promotion’s “Lookin’ for a Fight” web show.
Now they’ll have a better connection.
Brown and Gall will meet in a welterweight bout at UFC 217 on Nov. 4 at Madison Square Garden, the UFC said Tuesday.
Queens’ Brown (9-2, 3-2 UFC) was the first fighter signed by UFC president Dana White from the Season 1 premiere of “Lookin’ for a Fight,” which features White and others scouting talent around the country.
Brown will fight in his home city for the second time this year. His last bout came at UFC 208 in Brooklyn, where he lost to Belal Muhammad in a unanimous decision. Before the loss, Brown began to establish himself in the UFC’s welterweight division, finishing Erick Montaña and Brian Camozzi.
Gall (4-0, 3-0 UFC) gets his first fight on the East Coast since joining the UFC in 2016. The New Jersey native exploded on the scene after calling out wrestler-turned-fighter CM Punk following his pro debut with White in attendance.
He beat Mike Jackson in his UFC with a quick rear-naked choke before doing the same thing to CM Punk later that year. He last fought in December 2016, defeating another “Lookin’ for a Fight” alumnus, Sage Northcutt, via rear-naked choke.
UFC 217 will mark the promotion’s second trip to Madison Square Garden. The event is scheduled to feature the return of former welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre in a middleweight title bout against champion Michael Bisping. Bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt also is expected to defend his belt against former champion T.J. Dillashaw, while strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk will defend her title against Rose Namajunas.
