Utah MMA Pioneer faces fellow UFC veteran in the Co-Main Event of LFA 66

April 19, 2019 4:25 pm.

“THE PEOPLE’S WARRIOR”
JOSH BURKMAN
vs.
“PATOLINO”
WILLIAM MACÁRIO

WELTERWEIGHT SHOWDOWN

FRIDAY, MAY 10th LIVE on AXS TV
MAVERIK CENTER
in WEST VALLEY CITY, UTAH

TICKETS on sale NOW through SmithsTix.com

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – LFA CEO Ed Soares announced earlier this month that the promotion will make its first trip to Utah in May. He has now announced that a high-profile fight between two popular UFC veterans will serve as the penultimate bout of LFA 66.

The co-main event of LFA 66 will bring a welterweight showdown to the Salt Lake City metro area when Utah MMA pioneer Josh “The People’s Warrior” Burkman returns to his hometown to battle fellow UFC veteran William “Patolino” Macário. LFA 66 – Diamond vs. Neal takes place Friday, May 10th at the Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.

“I am excited to announce that Utah MMA pioneer and longtime UFC star Josh Burkman will return to action in the co-main event of LFA 66,” stated Soares. “Burkman made his pro debut in Utah over 16 years ago and has gone on to become one of the most successful and respected fighters in the state’s impressive combat sports history. He will face fellow UFC veteran William “Patolino” Macário in the co-main event of LFA 66, which will be the first LFA event in the state of Utah.”

Tickets for LFA 66 – Diamond vs. Neal are available for purchase through SmithsTix.com.

Burkman (28-17) is one of the longest tenured fighters in UFC welterweight history. 19 of his 45 career bouts have come inside the famed UFC Octagon and that is not including his win over Melvin Guillard on the second season of the UFC’s hit reality television show The Ultimate Fighter. Burkman will now return to his hometown on Friday, May 10th in the co-main event of LFA 66. This will be his first fight in his home state of Utah in nearly 7 years and his first fight in his hometown Salt Lake City area in more than 14 years. The man known as “The People’s Warrior” made his pro MMA debut all the way back in 2003 and is widely considered one of the most influential fighters in Utah’s long and storied MMA history.

Macário (9-4) will be the man tasked with fighting Burkman in his highly-anticipated return to Utah. The man known as “Patolino” (Daffy Duck in Brazilian-Portuguese) is 12 years younger with less than a third of the pro MMA experience than his veteran American opponent, but they still share some interesting similarities. While Burkman was a cast member on the second season of The Ultimate Fighter, Patolino was a cast member on the second season of The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil. Patolino picked up wins over Thiago Santos, Tiago Alves, and Viscardi Andrade on the show to reach The Finale. He would fight for the UFC four times. He then picked up a pair of wins in his native Brazil before signing with LFA last summer.

The previously announced main event of LFA 66 will feature a high-stakes featherweight showdown when UFC veteran Tyler Diamond (9-1) squares off with top undefeated prospect Jon Neal (10-0). Diamond made his UFC debut last summer after reaching the semi-finals on the twenty-seventh season of The Ultimate Fighter. The Team Alpha Male standout will meet Utah’s top prospect in the marquee bout of LFA 66. Neal holds a flawless 10-0 record in MMA after competing against the top competition in his home state for more than a decade. The One Hit MMA product is a decorated multi-division champion who is eager to showcase his skills in front of a nationally televised audience for the first time.

Main Card (Televised on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT):

Main Event | Featherweight Bout (145 lb)

Tyler Diamond (9-1) vs. Jon Neal (10-0)

Co-Main Event | Welterweight Bout (170 lb)

Josh Burkman (28-17) vs. William “Patolino” Macário (9-4)

Featherweight Bout (145 lb)

Andrew Tenneson (7-1) vs. Westin Wilson (7-3)

Light-Heavyweight Bout (205 lb)

Emillio Trevino (4-0) vs. Joe Rodriguez (8-5)

Lightweight Bout (155 lb)

Bobby King (6-2) vs. Fabio Serrão (9-6)

Women’s Flyweight Bout (125 lb)

Kaytlin Neil (4-3) vs. Lisa Mauldin (2-0)

Bantamweight Bout (135 lb)

Hunter Azure (5-0) vs. L.J. Schulz (6-4)

In 2017, RFA and Legacy FC merged to form LFA, the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts. The combined forces of LFA launched the careers of over 150 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC. In May 2018, the promotion joined the London Trust Media Holdings group of companies.

LFA 66 will be the first LFA event to take place in the state of Utah. RFA visited the “Beehive State” once before the merger. LFA 66 will take place in the city of West Valley City, which is a suburb of the state capital Salt Lake City. The entire main card of LFA 66 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.

Please visit LFA.com for bout updates and information. LFA is on Facebook at Legacy Fighting Alliance. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and Twitter at @LFAfighting.

About LFA:
LFA is a professional Mixed Martial Arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. LFA was formed by the powerhouse merger between RFA and Legacy FC. LFA presents live Mixed Martial Arts events on a monthly basis around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver, Dallas, and Houston. LFA can be seen live in over 53 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Las Vegas, NV, LFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).

About AXS TV FIGHTS:
AXS TV FIGHTS presents more LIVE mixed martial arts and kickboxing events than any other television network every Friday night at 9pE/6pP. Events taking place on the west coast will be televised at 10pE/7pP. UFC Hall of Famer Pat Miletich, and veteran broadcaster Ron Kruck call all the action and Phoenix Carnevale reports from cageside as champions, challengers, and top prospects take center stage. AXS TV Fights can be found online, on Facebook, and on Twitter. AXS TV is widely distributed in the U.S. via AT&T U-verse, Charter, Comcast/Xfinity, DIRECTV, DISH, Sling TV, Suddenlink, Verizon FiOS, and other cable, satellite, telco and streaming providers. The network is also carried in Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

About LONDON TRUST MEDIA:
London Trust Media is a diversified business focused on the Internet and media industries – bringing the Internet back to its original state and bringing power back to the people. London Trust Media runs the leading no-log VPN service provider in the world Private Internet Access (PIA) as well as Kore Asian Media, Linux Journal, freenode, Snoonet, JOG, BlockExplorer, and Provocateur. Please visit their website at www.londontrustmedia.com for more information.

About the MAVERIK CENTER:
Maverik Center opened its doors to the Salt Lake Valley September 22, 1997. Designed by the world’s premiere arena architect, Populous (formerly HOK Sport), Maverik Center is the home of the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies. Maverik Center gained international acclaim and exposure as the host venue for the Ice Hockey Championships at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Maverik Center combines the modern amenities of a large arena with the service and intimacy of a small theater. Please visit their website at www.maverikcenter.com for more information.

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This post was written by Ryan Bevins