Quentin Pasley will make his UFC debut against Junior Tafa in a light heavyweight bout at UFC 335, according to the promotion's official event listing. The pairing is one of two bouts added to the December 12 card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Sherdog reported on October 15.
Pasley is unbeaten at 4-0 and has finished every opponent he has faced. He earned his UFC contract in September by knocking out Arlind Berisha with a series of elbows at 4:41 of the first round, headlining Week 5 of Dana White's Contender Series Season 10, according to Sherdog's record of that event. After that performance, UFC CEO Dana White compared the 24-year-old to Jon Jones, Sherdog reported.
Tafa, nicknamed The Juggernaut, enters at 7-6 overall and 3-6 in the UFC, where he has fought at both heavyweight and light heavyweight since joining the roster. The matchup gives Pasley a considerably more experienced opponent than anyone he has faced as a professional.
Why it matters
The UFC has leaned heavily on the Contender Series to restock its roster this year, and Pasley's addition to a pay-per-view card barely three months after signing shows how quickly a standout finish on the show can turn into a marquee opportunity. UFC 335 is headlined by a BMF championship bout between Charles Oliveira and Diego Lopes. No broadcast assignment for the Pasley-Tafa bout has been announced.
Reporting & references
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