This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A featherweight battle will headline UFC Fight Night in Salt Lake City — the first event of its kind hosted in Utah.
No. 13 ranked Yair Rodriguez, 23, faces off against 28-year-old challenger Alex Caceres in the main event on Aug. 6. Rodriguez will carry a six-fight win streak into Vivint SmartHome Arena.
Rodriguez, described as a "dynamic striker," will clash with Caceres' submission specialties to gain a foothold and move up in one of the deepest divisions in the sport.
In another featherweight bout, veterans Cub Swanson (No. 6) and Tatsuya Kawajiri (No. 14) will fight in a balanced battle of both jiu-jitsu and striking skill — both combining for 23 knockout wins.
Utah native Court McGee, fighting out of Orem, adds local flavor to the event. He'll face Dominique Steele in a welterweight contest that pits McGee's endurance game against Steele's hard-hitting striking.
Two European heavyweights bring some heft to the proceedings when Czech Republic's Viktor Pesta faces off with Poland's Marcin Tybura.
Other fights include: No. 9 featherweight Dennis Bermudez vs. Rony Jason, Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Zak Cummings (welterweight), and No. 12 middleweight Thales Leites vs. Chris Camozzi.
Tickets go on sale for the event on Thursday starting at 10 a.m. MT with prices from $50 to $150.
bsmith@sltrib.com Twitter: @BrennanJSmith