Canadian Tanner (The Bulldozer) Boser is moving down to light-heavyweight to fight Moldova's Ion (The Hulk) Cutelaba on an April 15 UFC card in Kansas City.
The 31-year-old from Bonnyville, Alta., who now makes his home in Edmonton, fought as a heavyweight in all eight of his previous UFC bouts.
The light-heavyweight limit for non-title fights is 206 pounds, compared to 266 for heavyweight.
The six-foot-two Boser (20-9-1) weighed in at 229 pounds last time out in September against Rodrigo Nascimento who tipped the scales at 261 pounds. The Brazilian won a split decision, dropping Boser's UFC record to 4-4-0. Boser, 31, has lost three of his last four outings.
"UFC light-heavyweight debut," Boser said in a social media post. "Exciting matchup. Violence guaranteed. Someone’s lights are getting shut off, just gotta make sure it’s his."
Cutelaba (16-9-1 with one no-decision) is 5-8-1 in the UFC and has won just one of his last seven bouts (1-5-1). But he has faced elite opposition in the 205-pound ranks against the likes of Glover Teixeira, Jared (The Killa Gorilla) Cannonier, Johnny Walker and Magomed Ankalaev.
Cutelaba, 29, has won fans by painting himself green and ripping his T-shirts for UFC weigh-ins, living up to his nickname.
He lost his UFC debut to Canadian Misha Cirkunov in June 2016. .
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 19, 2023.
The Canadian Press
