LAS VEGAS – LFA CEO Ed Soares announced last month that the promotion will return to Oklahoma in February. LFA 152 will feature an explosive middleweight showdown between two of the division’s top international stars when the promotion returns to the Sooner State. LFA 152 will be the 14th LFA event to take place in the state.
“LFA 152: Valente vs. Bekoev” takes place Friday, February 10 at the Grand Event Center inside the Grand Casino Hotel & Resort in Shawnee, Oklahoma, which is an exurb of Oklahoma City. The main event will feature a middleweight showdown between Brazilian powerhouse Renato “Índio” Valente and Russian kingpin Azamat Bekoev. The entire main card will be available worldwide on UFC Fight Pass at 9 p.m. ET.
“Renato Valente and Azamat Bekoev are international stars and two of the most exciting middleweight prospects in the sport,” stated Soares. “Valente returns to the venue where he became the first man to defeat Chibwikem Onyenegecha, while Bekoev makes his highly-anticipated debut in the United States. The world will be watching when they meet in the main event of LFA 152.”
Valente (9-5) is the next exciting LFA middleweight prospect to hail from Brazil by following in the footsteps of LFA greats Alex “Poatan” Pereira and Gregory “Robocop” Rodrigues. Pereira is now the reigning UFC middleweight champion, while Rodrigues is the former LFA middleweight champion that also competes in the UFC. Valente has dreams of joining his countrymen in the UFC and has the perfect opportunity to prove that he belongs in his fifth appearance for the LFA in what will also be his second main event for the promotion. “Índio” earned this opportunity by knocking out former LFA title challenger Jared Revel at LFA 144. He is also the only man to defeat LFA star and Dana White’s Contender Series alum Onyenegecha. The win came in the co-main event of LFA 110 in the same venue he will return to at LFA 152.
Bekoev (14-3) is excited to make his long-awaited North American debut after winning multiple regional titles in his home country of Russia. The Russian fighter hails from Vladikavkaz, which is the capital city of Republic of North Ossetia-Alania in Russia. The city is located on the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains in Eastern Europe and is a region famous for producing world-class athletes across all combat sports. Bekoev made his professional debut in 2015 when he was 19 years old and made an immediate impact by finishing his first eight opponents. This included winning two fights on the night he made his professional debut and another two fights in one night two years later. The Grand Prix of the Cities of Military Glory (2017) and Russian MMA Cup (2017) are two of the titles belonging to the decorated Russian. Bekoev now looks to become the first fighter from his proud fighting nation to win an LFA main event in an always entertaining rivalry between Brazil and Russia.
The latest LFA 152 lineup currently includes:
- Renato Valente vs. Azamat Bekoev
- Alden Coria vs. Aaron La Farge
- David Wright vs. Cody Jerabek
- Caleb Jensen vs. Justin Budd
- Ryan Fathi vs. Triston Gwaltney
- Jayde Sheeley vs. Nejra Repp
- Jessica Middleton vs. Dione Barbosa
