UFC on ESPN 70 is scheduled to take place in Nashville, Tennessee, featuring a lineup of mixed martial arts contests. While the heavyweight clash between Derrick Lewis and Tallison Teixeira occupies the main event slot, the undercard presents a notable welterweight encounter: Australia`s Jake `The Celtic Kid` Matthews is set to face the striking acumen of Chidi `Chidi Bang Bang` Njokuani.
Matthews enters the bout with a substantial professional background spanning two decades and 28 total fights. He recently secured a victory via unanimous decision against Francisco Prado. Njokuani, known for his powerful striking, particularly within the middleweight division, registered his last win with a TKO over Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos. His transition down to the welterweight class for this bout introduces a technical variable. Competing at a potentially lower body weight and against opponents who are naturally acclimated to this division presents a distinct tactical challenge that Njokuani must navigate.
Event Date and Approximate Fight Time
The UFC on ESPN 70 event is set for Saturday, July 12, 2025, at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The main card broadcast is scheduled to commence at 06:00 PM EST. The walkouts for the Jake Matthews vs. Chidi Njokuani fight are currently estimated to occur around 07:20 PM EST. It is important to note that the actual start time for this specific fight may fluctuate based on the duration of the preceding bouts on the card, a standard contingency in live event programming.
For viewers located in different regions, consult the following table for approximated main card start times:
| Region | Date | Main Card Start Time | Jake Matthews vs Chidi Njokuani Ring Walks (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA and Canada (EST) | Saturday, July 12, 2025 | 06:00 PM | 07:20 PM |
| USA and Canada (PT) | Saturday, July 12, 2025 | 03:00 PM | 04:20 PM |
| UK and Ireland (GMT) | Saturday, July 12, 2025 | 10:00 PM | 11:20 PM |
| Australia (AEDT) | Sunday, July 13, 2025 | 09:00 AM | 10:20 AM |
Broadcast Information
The Jake Matthews vs. Chidi Njokuani fight, as part of the UFC on ESPN 70 card, is available for viewing in the United States via ESPN+.
Fighter Details
Key statistics for the two welterweight competitors:
Jake Matthews
- Nationality: Australia
- Height: 180 cm
- Weight: 77.1 kg
- Total Fights: 28
- Record: 21 / 7 / 0
Chidi Njokuani
- Nationality: United States
- Height: 190 cm
- Weight: 78.5 kg
- Total Fights: 35
- Record: 25 / 10 / 0
UFC on ESPN 70 Full Fight Card
The scheduled bouts for the event include:
- Derrick Lewis vs Tallison Teixeira (Heavyweight Main Event)
- Stephen Thompson vs Gabriel Bonfim (Welterweight)
- Calvin Kattar vs Steve Garcia (Featherweight)
- Nate Landwehr vs Morgan Charriere (Featherweight)
- Vitor Petrino vs Austen Lane (Light Heavyweight)
- Junior Tafa vs George Tokkos (Heavyweight)
- Max Griffin vs Chris Curtis (Welterweight)
- Jake Matthews vs Chidi Njokuani (Welterweight)
- Lauren Murphy vs Eduarda Moura (Women`s Flyweight)
- Kennedy Nzechukwu vs Valter Walker (Light Heavyweight)
- Mitch Ramirez vs Mike Davis (Lightweight)
- Fatima Kline vs Melissa Martinez (Women`s Strawweight)
The Matthews vs. Njokuani bout represents an interesting stylistic clash and a test of Njokuani`s adaptation to the welterweight division. Mixed martial arts enthusiasts can anticipate a full card of action from Nashville on July 12th.
Rupert Hartwell