Calgary featherweight Hakeem Dawodu to fight on UFC 257 card featuring Conor McGregor

TORONTO — Calgary featherweight (Mean) Hakeem Dawodu will face Shane (Hurricane) Burgos at UFC 257 on Jan. 23.

It's a high-profile card given it marks the return of Conor McGregor, the former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion. The Irish star takes on Dustin (The Diamond) Poirier in a rematch of the September 2014 fight that McGregor won by first-round knockout.

The UFC 257 location has yet to be announced.

Dawodu (12-1-1) has won five straight since losing his UFC debut by first-round submission to to Danny (The Hatchet) Henry in March 2018. The 29-year-old Canadian is coming off a split-decision victory over Zubaira (Warrior) Tukhugov at UFC 253 in September.

Burgos (13-2-0) had his three-fight win streak snapped last June in a decision loss to Josh Emmett. Burgos, ranked 12th among 145-pound contenders, is 6-2-0 in the UFC.

In other Canadian UFC news, light-heavyweight Misha Cirkunov has suffered an undisclosed injury in training. His Dec. 19 bout against Ryan (Superman) Spann will now take place early in 2021.

Cirkunov, a Toronto native who trains in Las Vegas, is ranked 10th among 205-pound contenders while Spann is No. 12.

 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 4, 2020

The Canadian Press

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