Sam Sicilia meets newcomer Doo Ho Choi at UFC 173 in May
The UFC’s annual Memorial Day weekend card continues to take shape with the addition of a new featherweight contest.
Doo Ho Choi (11-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has signed with the promotion and will make his debut in May against Sam Sicilia (12-4 MMA, 2-3 UFC). UFC officials announced the new booking overnight.
UFC 173 takes place May 24 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The main is a middleweight title fight between champion Chris Weidman and Vitor Belfort. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.
Choi, from South Korea, comes to the UFC on the strength of a nine-fight winning streak dating back more than three and a half years. For Japan’s Deep promotion, he has won five straight fights by knockout or TKO, which is how he has finished eight of his 11 career victories. The bout against Sicilia will be the 22-year-old’s first fight outside of Asia.
Sicilia, a veteran of Season 15 of “The Ultimate Fighter,†will be looking to get back on track after a January submission loss to Cole Miller at UFC Fight Night 35. This past November, the Washington native snapped a two fight skid when he stopped Godofredo Pepey in the first round at UFC Fight Night 32 in Brazil.
After appearing on “TUF 15,†he won his seventh straight fight when he knocked out fellow castmate Cristiano Marcello at the TUF 15 Finale. But then he suffered setbacks against Rony Jason at UFC 153 and Maximo Blanco at the TUF 17 Finale.
