Zachrich vs. Fioravanti Set for UVC 27 on Feb. 8th

[keithlewis]

Zachrich vs. Fioravanti Set for UVC 27 on Feb. 8th


Ultimate Victory Challenge will kick off a massive 2014 schedule on February 8, as UVC 27 is set with the biggest main event in organizational history. Columbus native Luke Zachrich will return to the UVC cage for the third time, and he'll welcome 9-time UFC veteran Luigi Fioravanti in the night's middleweight headliner.

Entitled "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet," UVC 27 is set to go down on February 8, 2014 at the beautiful Aladdin Shrine Center near the world-famous Easton Shopping Center in Columbus. A deep undercard and amateur preliminary card will also be in toe for the event.

"Not only are we excited to bring fans a colossal main event like Zachrich vs. Fioravanti, but we're also putting together a great overall card for UVC 27," UVC co-owner Rick Pyles stated. "This will be the best fight card to hit Columbus in years."

Zachrich (13-2 / fighting out of Columbus, OH) looks to go 3-0 inside the UVC cage, as the Ronin Training Center co-owner has already amassed victories over Nick Kraus and Marcus Finch in previous outings. Most recently, he submitted Justin Gamble in the first round earlier in 2013. A brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Zachrich recently traveled to New York City for the Pan-Am Games where he became the 2013 Brown Belt Masters Open Class Champion.

With an impressive record and a new management group, Zachrich knows that he is just one step away from the next level of his career. A win over a fighter like Fioravanti could put the "Ultimate Fighter 7" and Bellator veteran inside the Octagon.

"I can't explain how excited I am for an opportunity to fight a guy like Luigi," Zachrich said. "He's fought a who's who of the top guys in the sport and I can't wait to test myself against someone of his caliber."

"I feel like I belong in the UFC and at this point I don't think there's a better way for me than by beating a crafty veteran like Luigi Fioravanti."

A longtime staple of American Top Team, Fioravanti (23-11 / fighting out of St. Louis, MO) now lives and trains in the Gateway to the West at Finney's MMA, where he is also an instructor. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, "The Italian Tank" competed in the UFC nine times from 2006-2009, where he racked up four wins against some of the best fighters in the world. Along with stepping in with the likes of Chris Leben, Jon Fitch, Diego Sanchez, and Anthony Johnson, Fioravanti posted victories over Solomon Hutcherson, Dave Menne, Luke Cummo, and Brodie Farber.

A former United States Marine, Fioravanti has posted a 10-6 record since his time in the UFC, including a 2-0 record with two stoppage victories in 2013. He has earned 15 of his career victories via stoppage, and is known for his massive punching power and slick submissions.

Along with the main event bout, two experienced veterans will compete in the night's co-headliner, as Strikeforce veteran Marc Cofer (9-7 / fighting out of Westerville, OH) will return to take on Marcus Finch (8-7 / fighting out of Cincinnati, OH) in a middleweight bout.

The 41-year-old Cofer recently picked up his first win under the UVC banner with a unanimous decision over Tyson Triplett at UVC 23. Riding a three-fight winning streak, Cofer has already said that this will be his last MMA bout. He will be retiring to focus on coaching wrestling and training young fighters.

Finch, who dropped a decision to Zachrich in the UVC 23 main event, returned to action in October, where he earned a TKO stoppage victory. The 31-year-old is 4-2 in his last six bouts and returns looking to earn his first UVC victory.