WSOF 33: Gaethje vs. Dugulubgov' set for Oct. 7 in Kansas City

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WSOF’s next event will take place on Oct. 7, when undefeated lightweight champion Justin Gaethje (16-0) takes on six-time WSOF veteran Ozzy Dugulubgov (8-2).

The co-main event features another key lightweight matchup with Luiz Firmino (19-6) taking on Brian Foster (25-9).

WSOF 33 takes place at Kansas City Memorial Auditorium in Kansas City, Kan. A special three-hour main card airs on NBCSN. An official announcement from the promotion is expected soon.

WSOF 33 was initially expected to take place on Sept. 2 in New Town, North Dakota, but promotion officials elected to make the switch when NBSCN offered up a three-hour broadcast slot on Oct. 7 rather than the promotion’s typical two-hour window.

Gaethje remains WSOF’s first and only lightweight champ to date. “The Highlight” has posted an impressive 9-0 record in the WSOF decagon, including eight wins by knockout. Gaethje has defended his title four consecutive times, a run that also includes a victory in a scheduled defense that switched to a non-title fight when challenger Melvin Guillard missed weight.

Dugulubgov debuted for WSOF in the promotion’s second event and has built a 5-1 record competing for the organization. He enters the title fight with a three-fight winning streak after notching wins over Nic Herron-Webb, Lucas Montoya and Keon Caldwell.

“Buscape” Firmino hasn’t received much fanfare in his WSOF run but has quietly built a 3-0 mark in the promotion after notching wins over MMA notables Caros Fodor, Tyson Griffin and Jacob Volkmann. Overall, he boasts a six-fight winning streak, including Championship Fighting Alliance victories over Luis Palomino, Toby Imada and Johnavan Vistante.

Foster gets back to action after suffering a disappointing first-round loss to champ Gaethje at March’s WSOF 29 event. Foster earned his way into the title fight by claiming a victory in WSOF’s one-night, eight-man lightweight tournament at this past November’s WSOF 25 event.

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With 3-hour broadcast, 6-bout WSOF 33 main card complete with Nurmagomedov-Howard

The lineup is set for WSOF’s first three-hour main-card broadcast.

Officials today confirmed with MMAjunkie two new and final main-card additions for WSOF 33.

They include welterweights John Howard (24-12) vs. Abubakar Nurmagomedov (12-1) and heavyweights Shawn Jordan (18-7) vs. Ashley Gooch (10-4).

WSOF 33, which features two title fights, takes place Oct. 7 at Kansas City Memorial Auditorium in Kansas City, Kan. The main card airs on NBCSN following prelims on MMAjunkie.

After a three-fight skid, UFC vet Howard has won two of his past three bouts, including his WSOF debut against Michael Arrant (unanimous decision) in June. The 33-year-old now meets Nurmagomedov, a 26-year-old Russian who’s riding a four-fight winning streak. His past three fights have come under the WSOF banner and resulted in decision wins over Jorge Moreno and Danny Davis Jr., as well as a TKO victory over Matthew Frincu in April.

In heavyweight action, Jordan, who recently concluded a 6-4 run in the UFC, makes his WSOF debut. Most recently, the 31-year-old suffered a unanimous-decision loss to Ruslan Magomedov, which snapped a three-fight winning streak. He meets Gooch, a 41-year-old promotional newcomer who’s won eight consecutive fights. He recently scored a stunning TKO win over Greg Rebello at CES MMA 37.

MAIN CARD (NBCSN, 10 p.m. ET)
Champ Justin Gaethje vs. Ozzy Dugulubgov – for lightweight title
Champ David Branch vs. Vinny Magalhaes – for light heavyweight title
Jason High vs. Joao Zeferino
Luiz Firmino vs. Brian Foster
John Howard vs. Abubakar Nurmagomedov
Ashley Gooch vs. Shawn Jordan

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WSOF 33 card finalized with addition of seven preliminary bouts

The card for WSOF 33 is complete with the promotion’s announcement of a seven-fight preliminary card.

The promotion today announced the bouts in a press release.

WSOF 33 takes place at Kansas City Memorial Auditorium in Kansas City, Kan. A special three-hour main card airs on NBCSN. An official announcement from the promotion is expected soon.

A bantamweight rematch between Chris Gutierrez (9-1-1) and Timur Valiev (10-2) headlines the preliminary card. Also at Bantamweight, Jesse Brock (22-8) battles Bekbulat Magomedov (16-1).

Rounding out the preliminary card, Abu Azaitar (12-1-1) faces Mike Arrant (15-11) at welterweight, lightweights Islam Mamedov (13-1) and Alonzo Martinez (40-19) clash, Magomed Magomedkerimov (17-5) faces Bobby Cooper (12-6) at welterweight, Bryce Mitchell (6-0) and Brandon Phillips (6-1) battle at featherweight and Bruno Santos (14-2) and Clinton Williams (11-4) open the card in a middleweight bout.

Valiev had a 10-fight winning streak snapped in his most recent outing, a split decision loss to Gutierrez at WSOF 28. Gutierrez ran his unbeaten streak to eight with the victory.

Brock, a multi-fight Bellator veteran, enters the card riding a six-fight winning streak. Three of those six victories have come via stoppage. In Magmomedov, he faces a fighter coming off his first career defeat, a split decision loss to Josh Hill at WSOF 26.

The only blemish in Azaitar’s previous eight bouts is a draw against Piotr Strus at KSW 27. He’ll look to keep that run of success going when he faces Arrant, a fighter coming off back-to-back losses.

With the additions, WSOF 33 now includes:

MAIN CARD
Champ Justin Gaethje vs. Ozzy Dugulubgov – for lightweight title
Champ David Branch vs. Vinny Magalhaes – for light heavyweight title
Jason High vs. Joao Zeferino
Luiz Firmino vs. Brian Foster
Abubakar Nurmagomedov vs. John Howard
Shawn Jordan vs. Ashley Gooch

PRELIMINARY CARD
Chris Gutierrez vs. Timur Valiev
Jesse Brock vs. Bekbulat Magomedov
Mike Arrant vs. Abu Azaitar
Islam Mamedov vs. Alonzo Martinez
Bobby Cooper vs. Magomed Magomedkerimov
Bryce Mitchell vs. Brandon Phillips
Bruno Santos vs. Clinton Williams