A grappler’s delight is the latest addition to the UFC on ESPN 22 later this month.
Juan Espino (10-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) will take on Alexandr Romanov (13-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) at the event, which takes place April 17 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card airs on ESPN.
Both Espino and Romanov announced the booking on their social media accounts.
Espino returned from a layoff of nearly two years this past September and picked up a rare scarf hold submission of Jeff Hughes at UFC 253. The Season 28 winner of “The Ultimate Fighter” winner has finished eight of his 10 pro fights, including seven by submission.
Moldova’s Romanov is unbeaten in his pro MMA career and has yet to go the distance. He is 2-0 since joining the UFC roster in September 2020. He submitted Roque Martinez at UFC Fight Night 177, then Marcos Rogerio de Lima less than two months later at UFC on ESPN 17.
With the addition, the UFC on ESPN 22 lineup now includes:
- Robert Whittaker vs. Kelvin Gastelum
- Bartosz Fabinski vs. Gerald Meerschaert
- Parker Porter vs. Chase Sherman
- Tracy Cortez vs. Justine Kish
- Anthony Birchak vs. Tony Gravely
- Austin Hubbard vs. Natan Levy
- Drakkar Klose vs. Jeremy Stephens
- Bill Algeo vs. Ricardo Ramos
- Lupita Godinez vs. Jessica Penne
- Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Jacob Malkoun
- Zarah Fairn vs. Josiane Nunes
- Juan Espino vs. Alexandr Romanov
