Fan favourite fighter Kris Moutinho is getting a second shot on the UFC.
Following a quick two-fight stint with the promotion between 2021 and 2022 that included a memorable scrap with Sean O’Malley, the now 32-year-old bantamweight returns to compete at UFC Atlanta on June 14 when he takes on native favourite Malcolm Wellmaker.
A number of folks with data of the promotion’s plans confirmed the information to MMA Preventing on Wednesday following an preliminary report from MMA Mania.
Whereas his UFC run ended with an 0-2 document, Moutinho nonetheless made fairly an impression together with his sturdiness and never-say-die perspective within the cage. He went to warfare with O’Malley again in 2021, however in the end suffered a late third-round stoppage loss earlier than falling to Guido Cannetti previous to his UFC launch.
Within the aftermath of these losses, Moutinho bounced again with 5 straight wins on the regional struggle scene with none of these bouts going to a call.
He will get welcomed again to the UFC whereas dealing with one of many promotion’s up-and-coming stars after Wellmaker made fairly a splash with a devastating knockout to earn his contract on the Contender Collection.
Undefeated via 9 skilled fights, Wellmaker delivered a jaw-dropping end in his octagon debut, demolishing Cameron Saaiman in lower than two minutes after they met again in April. Afterwards, Wellmaker requested for the possibility to struggle at UFC Atlanta as a result of he hails from Georgia, but it surely seemed like his want was going to go unfilled.
That’s all modified now with Wellmaker vs. Moutinho being a late addition to UFC Atlanta, the place former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman faces Joaquin Buckley within the five-round essential occasion.
Mike Heck contributed to this report.
