The MMAjunkie Report: McCrory-Gono set for UFC 78
Tamdan "Barn Cat" McCrory (8-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC), a 20-year-old mixed-martial-arts prodigy, will likely return to the octagon to face PRIDE veteran Akihiro Gono (27-12-7 MMA, 0-0 UFC) at UFC 78.
The event takes place in the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. on Nov. 17.
MMAjunkie.com learned of the fight from McCrory's manager, Ryan Ciotoli, who said the bout is all but finalized.
"He'll (be at) UFC 78 if he accepts the fight, which I assume he will considering he has fought top guys his whole career," Ciotoli said.
The 6-foot-4, 170-pound McCory, a Cage Fury Fighting Championships vet who began competing professionally in June of last year, entered the UFC and was pitted against Pete Spratt, an opponent nearly twice his age. McCrory, though, used a second-round triangle choke to defeat "The Ultimate Fighter 4" cast member on the UFC Fight Night 10 undercard.
Prior to joining the UFC, McCrory had racked up six of his seven victories via knockout – four of them in the first round.
"(The UFC's been) trying to get me on that card, being that I'm from the area and have a strong fan base in New Jersey," McCory told us last month. The fighter lives in Cortland, N.Y.
Gono, a 13-year MMA veteran, had a long career fighting for Shooto, Pancrase and PRIDE.
Gono last competed at PRIDE Shockwave 2006 in December 2006 for a split-decision victory over Yuki Kondo.
The Japanese fighter, who's known for elaborate ring entrances, has wins over notable Ivan Salaverry and Crosley Gracie, and losses to former UFC champ Matt Hughes, Mauricio Rua and recent PRIDE champ Dan Henderson.
He'll make his UFC debut at UFC 78 if he signs on for the event.
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