This morning (May 12) it was announced that a welterweight bout between Gunnar Nelson and Santiago Ponzinibbio will headline UFC Fight Night 113 in Glasgow, Scotland on Sunday, July 16. Additionally, a fascinating women’s strawweight battle between home hero Joanne Calderwood and rising star Cynthia Calvillo will also take place on the card, the UFC confirmed.
Iceland’s Nelson, 28, has become something of a staple of British and Irish UFC cards in recent times, appearing on no fewer than five of them since joining the UFC in 2012. This, however, will mark the first time Scottish fans have had the chance to witness his unique blend of relaxed, composed striking and devastating grappling skills.
It’s a great time to catch Nelson in action, too. Fresh from back-to-back wins over Albert Tumenov and Alan Jouban, both of whom were submitted in the second round, ‘Gunni’ has got his groove back and is once again on the march towards a 170-pound title shot.
His July 16 opponent, meanwhile, Santiago Ponzinibbio, is a 30-year-old from Argentina who has won his last four UFC bouts – a run which includes wins against Zak Cummings and Court McGee – and will be making his very first appearance on British soil. A regular on UFC Fight Night events, Ponzinibbio knows a win over Nelson will represent his biggest scalp to date and allow him to progress to the next level.
Finally, the women’s strawweight clash between Calderwood and Calvillo threatens to steal the show. Calderwood, 30, is one of the premier strikers in the division – a point proven in UFC wins against the likes of Valérie Létourneau and Courtney Casey – while Calvillo is a 29-year-old unbeaten in five who claimed her first two UFC wins – versus Amanda Cooper and Pearl Gonzalez – within a month of each other. A meeting of intense, high-octane scrappers, Calvillo will look to continue her rise and Calderwood, still smarting from a defeat to Jessica Andrade last time out, will attempt to get back on track. Whatever the outcome, fans at UFC Glasgow should be in for a treat.
