UFC Confirms Bader vs. OSP, Tate vs. Nakai Targeted For Japan

More big bout news has come out of the UFC this week!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeliHTtZoqo According to a post on UFC.com, the promotion has slated Ryan Bader (17-4), coming off a win over former Strikeforce champ Rafael Cavalcante at UFC 174, against Ovince Saint Preux (16-5), who picked up a stoppage win also at UFC 174, over Ryan Jimmo. The light heavyweight bout sees the 8th ranked Bader and 10th ranked OSP headling the UFC's Fight Night event in Bangor, Maine on August 16th. One man's march towards possible title contention will continue that night, while the other will go to the back of the line. Other fights announced for the card include Tim Boetsch vs. Brad Tavares, Shawn Jordan vs. Jack May, and Tom Watson vs. Sam Alvey. Meanwhile, FOX Sports is reporting that Miesha "Cupcake" Tate (14-5), former Strikeforce women's bantamweight champ and UFC title contender, will meet undefeated UFC newcomer Rin Nakai (16-0-1) in September in Japan. That card will be headlined by a heavyweight clash fans have been anticipating for years - the hard hitting Mark Hunt versus the indestructible, also hard-hitting Roy "Big Country" Nelson. Both fighters are fan favourites. Tate, for her part, remains extremely popular among UFC fans after a run on the Ultimate Fighter that culminated in a title shot loss against Ronda Rousey. She picked up her first UFC win against Liz Carmouche in April. Nikai, should her signing and bout be confirmed, enters the UFC with 16 wins and a lone draw. Extremely popular in Japan and fighting in Pancrase (where she's considered the Queen of Pancrase), the bout gives her a massive opportunity to explode onto the international scene. Nakai, in addition to being dominant thus far in her in-cage career, is also known for extremely suggestive (and sometimes downright weird) videos and photo shoots, and interesting weigh-in appearances - an example of which you can see below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6X4dsbnWxM Fun and games aside, this should be an interesting fight, giving Tate a chance at her first UFC win streak, and Nakai a chance to prove that she can beat a high-level fighter such as Cupcake.

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Primarily covering the sport of MMA from Ontario, Canada, Jay Anderson has been writing for various publications covering sports, technology, and pop culture since 2001. Jay holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Guelph, and a Certificate in Leadership Skills from Humber College.