Kellie
05-07-2009, 04:22 AM
A heavyweight bout between former contender Gabriel Gonzaga and newcomer Chris Tuchscherer is likely for UFC 102 on August 29.
MMAWeekly.com learned of the match-up Wednesday through multiple sources close to the fight, confirming both parties have agreed to the contest. It’s unknown, however, if bout agreements have been signed.
Though not announced by the UFC, sources say a venue agreement with the Rose Quarter arena is close to finished and an official announcement is expected soon.
The 29 year-old Gonzaga came up short against heavyweight prospect Shane Carwin at UFC 96, dominating the fight’s first round before catching a straight right that dropped him.
The Team Link fighter has seen mixed results inside the Octagon since a meteoric rise to the top of the division, culminating in a title shot against Randy Couture at UFC 74, when a shattered nose led to a TKO stoppage. Best known for his devastating head kick knockout of Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, Gonzaga will look to rebound against Tuchscherer.
Tuchscherer is a primary training partner for heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar and trains out of the Minnesota Mixed Martial Arts Academy. Scouts for the tenth season of “The Ultimate Fighter” earmarked him for a UFC debut when they saw his extensive professional record and training background. A five-year veteran of the sport, he is 17-1 as a professional and holds victories over UFC vets Krzysztof Soszynski, Travis Fulton, and Brandon Lee Hinkle, with a sole defeat at the hands of Travis Wiuff in last April’s one-and-done Yamma Pit Fighting Championships.
A long awaited heavyweight fight between former champions Couture and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira headlines the card.
MMAWeekly.com learned of the match-up Wednesday through multiple sources close to the fight, confirming both parties have agreed to the contest. It’s unknown, however, if bout agreements have been signed.
Though not announced by the UFC, sources say a venue agreement with the Rose Quarter arena is close to finished and an official announcement is expected soon.
The 29 year-old Gonzaga came up short against heavyweight prospect Shane Carwin at UFC 96, dominating the fight’s first round before catching a straight right that dropped him.
The Team Link fighter has seen mixed results inside the Octagon since a meteoric rise to the top of the division, culminating in a title shot against Randy Couture at UFC 74, when a shattered nose led to a TKO stoppage. Best known for his devastating head kick knockout of Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, Gonzaga will look to rebound against Tuchscherer.
Tuchscherer is a primary training partner for heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar and trains out of the Minnesota Mixed Martial Arts Academy. Scouts for the tenth season of “The Ultimate Fighter” earmarked him for a UFC debut when they saw his extensive professional record and training background. A five-year veteran of the sport, he is 17-1 as a professional and holds victories over UFC vets Krzysztof Soszynski, Travis Fulton, and Brandon Lee Hinkle, with a sole defeat at the hands of Travis Wiuff in last April’s one-and-done Yamma Pit Fighting Championships.
A long awaited heavyweight fight between former champions Couture and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira headlines the card.