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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sport
Alex Pattle

UFC London 2022: Tom Aspinall, Alexander Volkov, Paddy Pimblett and Dan Hooker speak to media

The Independent
Paddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria in hotel bust-up before UFC London

The UFC returns to London on Saturday after a three-year absence caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 2020 edition of the event was cancelled at the last moment as the pandemic took hold in the UK, and no card was staged in 2021. Finally, UFC London returns to the promotion’s calendar, however, with Wigan’s Tom Aspinall headlining at the O2 Arena against veteran Alexander Volkov of Russia in a heavyweight bout. In the co-main event, fan favourite Dan Hooker drops from lightweight back to featherweight to take on Suffolk’s Dan Hooker, while Liverpool’s Paddy Pimblett – one of the UFC’s rising stars – is also in action, facing Rodrigo Vargas.

Pimblett was involved in a scuffle with Ilia Topuria, who is also on the card at the O2 Arena this weekend, at the fighter hotel on Tuesday evening, so it will be interesting to see whether tempers flair again as the week progresses.

Follow live updates as UFC London fighters address the media ahead of this Saturday’s card at the O2 Arena.

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