Big fights for South Florida fighters on main card of UFC Fight Night on ESPN+
Three fighters with South Florida ties are featured on the main card of UFC Fight Night on ESPN+ on Saturday from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Aleksander Rakic of (Coconut Creek) American Top Team is in the main event, and Robbie Lawler of (Deerfield Beach) Sanford MMA is in the co-main event. Ricardo Lamas of (Miami) Masters MMA is also on the main card.
They participated in a UFC Virtual Media Day Q&A on Wednesday, Aug. 26.
Rakic (12-2) fights Anthony Smith (33-15) in a light heavyweight contest.
Originally from Vienna, Austria, the 28-year-old Rakic lost a split decision in December to Volkan Oezdemir in his last fight, after winning 12 consecutive. Smith, 32, is from Corpus Christi, Texas and fights out of Omaha, Nebraska for Factory X. He lost his last fight to Glover Teixeira in May in Jacksonville.
In the co-main event, Lawler (28-14-0, 1 NC) battles Neil Magny (23-8) of Elevation Fight Team and Easton Training Center in Arvada, Colorado in a welterweight bout.
Originally from San Diego and Bettendorf, Iowa, the 38-year-old Lawler is a former UFC welterweight champion. Currently residing in (South Florida) Parkland, he trained previously with American Top Team in nearby Coconut Creek. Sanford MMA under the guidance of the respected Henri Hooft is formerly Hard Knocks 365.
Lamas (19-8) versus Bill Algeo (13-4) of Algeo MMA & Kickboxing in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania is a featherweight challenge on the main card.
The 38-year-old Lamas is originally from Chicago. His father is Cuban, and his mother is Mexican. The flags of those two countries are often displayed on his clothing during his fights.
Lamas graduated in 2005 with a degree in exercise science from Elmhurst College in in Elmhurst, Illinois, where he was a member of the men’s wrestling team. During his collegiate career (2001–05), he totaled more than 100 wins and earned All-American honors at the NCAA Division III level.
UFC Fight Night on ESPN+
UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+ SMITH vs. RAKIC will occur Saturday at UFC Apex in Las Vegas with all fights carried exclusively on ESPN+ in English and Spanish.
The main card begins at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, with the prelims kicking off at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT.
The event will be closed to the public and will be produced with only essential personnel in attendance pursuant to a Health, Safety and Operations plan approved by the Nevada Athletic Commission.
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