The UFC is staging two events on Saturday, November 19th, and it looks as if they’ve already found their main event for the first one. Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting reported on Wednesday night that a welterweight matchup between Gunnar Nelson and Dong Hyun Kim is set to headline the promotion’s first event in Belfast, Northern Ireland since 2007. UFC officials haven’t officially announced the bout.
Nelson (15-2-1) looked terrific at UFC Rotterdam in May, submitting dangerous striker Albert Tumenov with neck crank in the 2nd round. The native of Iceland is 6-2 in the UFC, with 5 of his wins coming by submission. Nelson’s only main event spot in his UFC career was a split decision loss to Rick Story at UFC Stockholm in October 2014.
Kim (21-3-1, 1 NC) has yet to fight in 2016, having previously withdrawn from a UFC 202 bout vs. Neil Magny with an injury. “Stun Gun’s” last appearance inside the Octagon was a 1st round TKO win over Dominic Waters in his home country of South Korea back in November 2015. Kim’s only UFC main event ended in a sensational spinning elbow KO of John Hathaway at UFC Macau in March 2014.
UFC Fight Night in Belfast will air live on UFC Fight Pass. There will be a Fox Sports 1 card later that evening from Brasilia, Brazil.