Jimy Hettes-Dennis Bermudez, Julianna Pena-Jessica Andrade booked for UFC 171
The UFC’s return to Dallas continues to grow with the addition of two more fights.
Dennis Bermudez (12-3 MMA, 5-1 UFC) will take on Jimy Hettes (11-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) in a featherweight bout, while the first “Ultimate Fighter†women’s winner, Julianna Pena (5-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC), will meet Jessica Andrade (10-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) at bantamweight.
UFC officials announced the fight bookings on Monday night.
UFC 171 takes place March 15 at Dallas’ American Airlines Center. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and the UFC’s Fight Pass digital network.
Bermudez has won five straight fights since losing the “TUF 14†featherweight final to Diego Brandao a little more than two years ago. Since then, he has wins over Pablo Garza, Tommy Hayden, Matt Grice, Max Holloway and Steven Siler. The win over Grice, a split call, was considered one of 2013’s best fights and picked up “Fight of the Night†honors, while the guillotine choke of Hayden earned him a “Submission of the Night†bonus.
Hettes got back on track in October in England when he choked out Rob Whiteford with a triangle. That was Hettes’ return after more than a year away due to injuries following an upset loss to Marcus Brimage at UFC 152, which was the first setback of his professional career. He started his UFC career 2-0 with ins over Alex Caceres and Nam Phan.
Pena was dominant on Season 18 of “The Ultimate Fighter,†stopping Shayna Baszler with an upset submission in the house, then Sarah Moras with a guillotine choke to avenge the first pro loss of her MMA career. Although Pena didn’t make many friends in the “TUF†house, she went on to stop Jessica Rakoczy with just one second left in the first round at the TUF 18 Finale in late November with a TKO to become the first women’s winner in “TUF†history.
Andrade dropped her UFC debut in July with a second-round TKO at the hands of former title challenger Liz Carmouche. But she rebounded nicely with a dominant win over veteran Brit Rosi Sexton in front of Sexton’s home crowd in Manchester, England, in October. The Brazilian now has won three of her past four fights and looks to make it two straight.
With the additions, the latest UFC 171 card now includes:
Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler – for vacant welterweight title
Carlos Condit vs. Tyron Woodley
Hector Lombard vs. Jake Shields
Myles Jury vs. Diego Sanchez
Kelvin Gastelum vs. Rick Story
Ovince St. Preux vs. Thiago Silva
Robert McDaniel vs. Tor Troeng
Alex Garcia vs. Sean Spencer
Will Campuzano vs. Darrell Montague
Dennis Bermudez vs. Jimy Hettes
Jessica Andrade vs. Julianna Pena
