The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season seven castmember, Matt Riddle (3-0), will likely do battle against TUF season nine semifinalist and British native, “Slick” Nick Osipczak (4-0), on the UFC 105 undercard from the Manchester Evening News (MEN) Arena in Manchester, England, on Nov. 21.
Riddle has won all three of his fights inside the Octagon since his professional debut at TUF 7 Finale, which was a unanimous decision win over rival house member Dante Rivera.
While on the show, Riddle stood out as the guy who company president Dana White said scored the biggest knockout in the show’s history when he won his preliminary fight against Dan Simmler in devastating fashion. However, his inexperience showed in the next round when he was submitted late in a close fight by eventual finalist, Tim Credeur.
The Arizona Combat Sports product’s overall game seems to be improving each time out, however, and that has certainly shown in his two wins in 2009 against Steve Bruno and Dan Cramer.
Osipczak was right in the hunt to win this past season of the reality show until he was derailed by eventual runner-up, Demarcus Johnson, in the semifinals.
The 24-year-old Nottingham native won his debut by first round rear naked choke over Frank Lester back in June at TUF 9 Finale. While Riddle has never finished a fight, “Slick” is the exact opposite in that he’s never been out of the first round. In fact, each of his four foes have either been submitted or knocked out within the first few minutes of the fight.
UFC 105 will also feature hometown favorites Michael “The Count” Bisping and Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy in separate bouts against Pride FC standout Denis Kang and four-fight UFC veteran Dong Hyun “Stun Gun” Kim, respectively. The promotion has not yet named a main event.
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