Artem Lobov vs. Andre Fili booked for UFC Gdansk

Artem Lobov will meet Andre Fili at UFC Fight Night 118 in Gdansk, Poland at the Ergo Arena on Oct. 21. The UFC announced the fight this morning through the European team’s social media accounts.

“The Russian Hammer” is currently helping his SBG teammate Conor McGregor prepare for his boxing bout with Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas, and has purposely kept his schedule clear to assist “The Notorious”. Lobov turned down a fight with Fili at UFC 214, as the July 29 date fell too close to the polarizing boxing date.

The SBG featherweight is coming off his main event loss in Nashville at UFC Fight Night 108 to perennial contender Cub Swanson.

Many expected the Jackson-Wink fighter to finish Lobov, but he made a very fast start, taking the first round of the contest, with Swanson assuming control of the bout for the remaining four rounds.

Lobov brought a two-fight win streak into his main event debut, having beaten Teruto Ishihara and Chris Avila in back-to-back decisions.

After showing his patent for stoppage victories on The Ultimate Fighter 22, Lobov got off to a bad start with the promotion losing to jiu-jitsu specialist Ryan Hall in the season’s finale. Following his initial loss, he suffered another defeat at the hands of Alex White.

Team Alpha Male has lauded the potential of Andre Fili since his emergence under the UFC banner in October 2013. However, he has yet to string two consecutive wins together with the promotion.

In his last outing, Fili came up short against debutant Calvin Kattar, who scored a decision over the 27 year old. The TAM fighter scored his most impressive UFC win before that fight, when he took a decision over then ranked Hacran Dias at UFC Fight Night 96.

Fili’s other UFC wins have come against Gabriel Benitez, who he stopped with a spectacular head kick at UFC Fight Night 78, and Felipe Arantes, who he beat via unanimous decision at UFC 179.

His other losses have come against some of the most impressive featherweights on the UFC’s roster.

Featherweight champion Max Holloway submitted Fili with a guillotine choke at in the third round of their bout at UFC 172. Godofredo Pepey caught the TAM fighter in a first-round flying triangle at UFC Fight Night 62. And spectacular striker Yair Rodriguez scored a second-round head kick knockout over Fili at UFC 197.