#WeRunNewYork: Seven Local Fighters Featured at UFC 205

Sorry McGregor, but these seven fighters run New York Saturday night.

In times of battle, there is no one stronger than a New Yorker. When a New Yorker turns to see who has their backs, they look to their surrounding areas. New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania. You can try to break us, but we always come back stronger than ever.

Saturday night at the World’s Most Famous Arena will be no different. These seven fighters will be stepping into the UFC octagon with the city on their backs, but with a sense of home most haven’t experienced in their professional careers.

The final days of their fight camps weren’t spent in foreign cities or training in hotel conference rooms. Most had their main training facility within walking distance from Madison Square Garden and their loved ones and teammates surrounding them.

For them, this is dream come true after a 10-year long battle to get professional mixed martial arts legalized in the Empire State.

Today is that day.

Making history as the first female fight and the first fighter to enter the octagon tonight, is UFC Women’s Bantamweight and New Jersey’s own Katlyn “Blonde Fighter” Chookagian. Chookagian faces UFC vet Liz Carmouche in a 3-round 135-pound bout.

Lauren Murphy (red gloves) fights against Katlyn Chookagian (blue gloves). (Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports)

Following Chookagian is UFC veteran and Sparta, New Jersey’s Jim Miller. The man needs no introduction. After having an interesting weigh in yesterday, Miller headlines the UFC Early Fight Pass prelims against attempted-lightweight Thiago Alves at a 3-round 163-pound catch-weight bout.

The second bout on the Fox Sports 1’s Prelims features a UFC Middleweight bout between NYC’s Rafael Natal and Sunbury, Pennsylvania’s own Tim Boetsch. Coming off a loss against Robert Whittaker at UFC 197 in April, Natal, a Renzo Gracie black belt faces Tim Boetsch, whose last win was over the late-Josh Samman in July at UFC Fight Night 91. The two will face off in a 3-round 185-pound bout.

Above – Natal Below – Boetsch Photo Credits: MMAJunkie.com

When you think of New Jersey and UFC fighter, the first name that should come to mind is former UFC lightweight champion Frankie “The Answer” Edgar. Edgar will be facing featherweight Jeremy Stephen’s as the headlining bout for the biggest FS1 prelim card in UFC history. The Tom’s River native was on a 5-fight win streak before coming up short to UFC Interim Featherweight champion Jose Aldo at UFC 200.

Frankie Edgar (MMA Junkie)

It doesn’t get more Long Island than this former champion. Baldwin native and former UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman is living a life-long dream Saturday as he steps into the octagon as the second bout on the mega-PPV main card against Yoel Romero in a 3-round 185-pound bout. This is the first time since 2013 that Weidman is not featured in a title bout. A win over Romero however, puts him in line for a shot at the Middleweight gold next. *cough* UFC Brooklyn in February? *cough*

Chris Weidman (Las Vegas Weekly)

Last, but certainly not least, is the biggest fight of his career so far, and it takes place on the biggest stage in front of a record breaking audience. UFC Lightweight Champion and Philly’s native Eddie Alvarez faces the UFC Featherweight Champion Conor McGregor in a 5-round lightweight championship main event. Alvarez won the 155-pound gold over former champion Rafael Dos Anjos in July. Alvarez has public stated that Saturday night’s main event will prove to the world their ‘is no Santa Clause’, confidently stating he will retain the gold and prevent McGregor from becoming the first UFC champion to hold two belts in two weight divisions at the same time.

(Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

This is without a doubt a fight card that you do not want to miss a minute of. The UFC Early Fight Pass Prelims kick off at 6:30pm EST streaming live on UFC Fight Pass, followed by the UFC 205: Prelims airing live on FOX Sports 1 at 8pm with the main card to follow live on Pay-Per-View at 10pm.

Good luck to our New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania fighters tonight. #WeRunNewYork

Tune into Double G Sport’s new MMA/Professional Wrestling radio show “The Main Event” Sunday morning at 11am on blogtalkradio.com to recap the UFC 205 results and talk what is next.