Northern Ireland’s Norman Parke (22-4-1) has been added to the UFC card in Dublin on October 24th. He will welcome back Sweden’s Reza Madadi (13-3) after his stint in prison.
Parke is coming into this fight having lost his past two fights. Three of his past four fights were against Brazilians, two of them happening in Brazil, and he has been very unlucky with some very suspect judging. He drew with Leonardo Santos in a fight he won and then he was on the wrong side of a split decision against Francisco Trinaldo. Two fights that should be registered as wins on his record in my opinion.
Reza Madadi has had a crazy past two years. In his last fight he registered the biggest win of his career when he defeated Michael Johnson and earned submission of the night awards in front of a home crowd in Sweden. A few months later he was sentenced to prison for his apparent involvement in an aggravated burglary. He always maintained his innocence. In the end he served 14 months in prison and upon his release the UFC signed him back.
Now 37-years-old the man known as ‘Mad Dog’ will be raring to go. But Parke will be looking to rain on his parade. Both fighters need a win here and this fight will boil down to who wants it more. Medadi’s time away and age could also have an effect on the Swedish-Iranian fighter.
UFC Dublin also features Cathal Pendred vs. Tom Breese and Joseph Duffy vs.Dustin Poirier in the main event.