Nelson vs. Ponzinibbio to headline UFC Glasgow; Calderwood returns
Gunnar Nelson is going to close out the show in Scotland and one of the country's favorite daughters is coming home.
On Friday, the UFC announced Nelson will fight Santiago Ponzinbbio in the welterweight main event of UFC Fight Night 113 on July 16 in Glasgow. Also added was a bout between Scotland's own Joanne Calderwood and fast-rising strawweight Cynthia Calvillo.
The No. 9-ranked Nelson has won three of his past four fights by submission, including a dominant second-round finish of Alan Jouban in March. The Icelandic grappling specialist owns a 7-2 record in the UFC and he draws the streaking Ponzinibbio after calling for more high-profile bouts with Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson and Robbie Lawler.
A semifinalist on the second season of "The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil," Ponzinibbio is unbeaten in his last four contests. He outpointed Nordine Taleb in his most recent outing in February and owns a gaudy 24-3 professional record.
Calderwood has been campaigning on social media for a fight ever since she suffered a first-round submission loss to Jessica Andrade in September. The soft-spoken strawweight is 3-2 in the UFC with a TKO win over one-time title challenger Valerie Letourneau on her resume.
The 29-year-old Calvillo looks to continue her rapid ascent up the UFC ranks, booking her third fight in 2017. In her first two Octagon outings, Calvillo submitted Pearl Gonzalez and Amanda Cooper. She is 5-0 since making her pro debut in August.