The UFC’s quick turnaround return to London continues to build with the addition of a featherweight bout.
Charles Rosa (14-7 MMA, 5-7 UFC) will make the trip to the U.K. from the States to take on London’s own Nathaniel Wood (17-5 MMA, 4-2 UFC). Rosa’s management team at Iridium Sports announced the matchup Thursday following an initial report from Al Zullino. The UFC has not yet formally announced the matchup.
The UFC’s return to London takes place July 23 at The O2. The card is expected to air on ESPN and stream on ESPN+.
Rosa will be looking to get back on track after back-to-back decision losses to Ddamon Jackson and T.J. Brown. Prior to that, he had alternated wins and losses for 11 straight fights, most of which came in the UFC. His most recent win came in June 2021 with a split decision over Justin Jaynes.
Wood needs to bounce back, as well. He’ll be fighting for the first time since an October 2020 decision loss to Casey Kenney in Abu Dhabi. The former Cage Warriors bantamweight champion brought a five-fight winning streak to the UFC and won his first three bouts in the promotion by submission. A third-round TKO loss to John Dodson in February 2020 snapped an eight-fight winning streak.
With the addition, the UFC London lineup now includes:
- Curtis Blaydes vs. Tom Aspinall
- Jack Hermansson vs. Darren Till
- Alexander Gustafsson vs. Nikita Krylov
- Charles Johnson vs. Muhammad Mokaev
- Mandy Bohm vs. Victoria Leonardo
- Paul Craig vs. Volkan Oezdemir
- Marc Diakiese vs. Damir Hadzovic
- Jordan Leavitt vs. Paddy Pimblett
- Jai Herbert vs. Kyle Nelson
- Charles Rosa vs. Nathaniel Wood
Charles Rosa vs. Nathaniel Wood teed up for UFC’s July return to London