UFC Long Island adds Selden’s Brian Kelleher to fight card
Brian Kelleher, of United States celebrates after defeating Iuri Alcantara, of Brazil, during their UFC bantamweight mixed martial arts bout in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Jun. 3, 2017. Credit: AP / Leo Correa
Shortly after submitting his opponent in his promotional debut at UFC 212 in Brazil last Saturday, Selden’s Brian Kelleher jumped on to the campaign trail.
Kelleher wanted his next fight to be a little closer to home, say, Nassau Coliseum.
On Wednesday, the bantamweight nicknamed “Boom” received his wish.
Kelleher will face Marlon “Chito” Vera at UFC Long Island on July 22 at the renovated Coliseum. The card will air on Fox and includes six Long Island-based UFC fighters.
Kelleher (17-7) submitted Iuri Alcantara, the 13th-ranked UFC bantamweight, in the first round with a guillotine choke off a scramble.
Vera (9-3-1, 3-2 UFC) has won his last two fights. He won a unanimous decision over Ning Guangyou last November, then followed it up with a third-round TKO of Brad Pickett last March.
Latest UFC Long Island fight card
Middleweight: Chris Weidman vs. Kelvin Gastelum
Featherweight: Dennis Bermudez vs. Darren Elkins
Light heavyweight: Gian Villante vs. Patrick Cummins
Bantamweight: Jimmie Rivera vs. Thomas Almeida
Welterweight: Ryan LaFlare vs. Alex Oliveira
Welterweight: Lyman Good vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos
Lightweight: Chris Wade vs. Frankie Perez
Featherweight: Shane Burgos vs. Godofredo Pepey
Featherweight: Kyle Bochniak vs. Jeremy Kennedy
Heavyweight: Damian Grabowski vs. Christian Colombo
Middleweight: Rafael Natal vs. Alessio Di Chirico
Bantamweight: Brian Kelleher vs. Marlon Vera
Heavyweight: Timothy Johnson vs. Junior Albini
Mark La Monica is a deputy sports editor at Newsday. He also covers mixed martial arts.
