We're only a few days into the UFC Christmas break, but that doesn't mean the promotion isn't busy behind the scenes organizing fights.
Just a few hours ago, the promotion revealed that two new fights had been added to the first card of 2025, UFC Vegas 101: Dern vs Ribas 2, including one that was already labeled as a “banger.”
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Two new fights officially announced for the first UFC event of 2025
As confirmed earlier this morning, popular middleweight Chris 'Action Man' Curtis will now face rising Russian contender Roman Kopylov on the first UFC card of 2025.
That fight is scheduled for the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Dern vs Ribas 2 and will take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday, January 11, 2025.
There is a joke within the MMA community that Curtis is a lookalike of Curtis Blaydes, while Kopylov is a doppelgänger of Chase Hooper – with several fans even arguing that this fight should be titled 'Clone Wars'.
“Hahahaha, I'm begging Dana White, please fly out Curtis Blaydes and Chase Hooper as guest corners,” the 'Action Man' wrote on Instagram in response.
Curtis had a lackluster 2024, picking up a split-decision win over Marc-Andre Barriault in January before dropping a split-decision to Brendan Allen in April – then suffering a broken foot before his UFC 307 bout with Kevin Holland.
It's also been a similar stop-start over the past 12 months for Kopylov, who was knocked out by Anthony Hernandez in February before earning a split-decision win over Cesar Almeida at UFC 302 in the summer.
The second newly announced fight for UFC Vegas 101 is a lightweight bout between undefeated Tajikistani fighter Nurullo Aliev and 8-1 Israeli Yanal 'Red Fox' Ashmouz.
Aliev is 9-0 as a professional and after earning a UFC contract via DWCS in 2022, he defeated Rafael Alves in early 2023 – he hasn't competed in the octagon since.
Ashmouz has fought three times in that period; wins over Sam Petterson and Trevor Peek, sandwiched between a loss to Chris Duncan.
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UFC Vegas 101: Dern vs Ribas 2 is taking shape with 14 fights now confirmed
With the addition of Curtis vs Kopylov and Aliev vs Ashmouz, UFC Vegas 101: Dern vs Ribas 2 is taking shape with a total of 14 fights confirmed for the event.
- Mackenzie Dern (#6) vs. Amanda Ribas (#8)
- Chris Curtis vs. Roman Kopylov
- Marco Tulio vs. Ihor Potieria
- Thiago Moises vs. Trey Ogden
- Magomed Gajiasulov vs. Bruno Lopes
- Cesar Almeida vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan
- Christian Rodriguez vs. Austin Bashi
- Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Carlston Harris
- Punahele Soriano vs. Uros Medic
- Jose Johnson vs. Felipe Bunes
- Nurullo Aliev vs. Yanal Ashmouz
- Ernesta Kareckaite vs. Nicolle Caliari
- Preston Parsons vs. Andras Gustafsson
- Fatima Kline vs. Viktoriia Dudakova
The combat order has not yet been officially confirmed.
UFC Fight Night: Dern vs Ribas 2 will air live from The Apex on Saturday, January 11, 2025.
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