Fight Nights Global 87: Maldonado vs. Krylov - May 5 (OFFICIAL DISCUSSION)

On April 14, the promotion will travel to Brazil for Fight Nights Global 86. Fabio Maldonado will defend his title against Nikita Krylov in a light heavyweight championship contest.

Fabio Maldonado (24-11) had a rough start to his Fight Nights Global career after a 5-6 run in the UFC. After signing with Fight Nights, Maldonado lost two-straight at heavyweight. Losing to the legendary Fedor Emelianenko in his debut and then dropping yet another decision to up-and-comer Mikhail Mokhnatkin. In 2017, however, he opened up the year with a first-round TKO win at 220-pounds vs. Abdul-Khamid Davlatov at Fight Nights Global 60 in Tajikistan. The Brazilian was then given a title fight down at light heavyweight, the striker surprisingly won the title via submission in the third round against hard-hitting Kurban Omarov.

Along with becoming the Fight Nights Global LHW Champion at 37-years-old, Maldonado is currently the #1 ranked heavyweight boxer in all of Brazil, with a record of 25-0 w/ 24KO.

Nikita Krylov (23-5) surprisingly walked away from the UFC last year following a loss to Misha Cirkunov in Toronto at UFC 206. Despite the loss, Krylov had won four-straight prior to the defeat, all via finish, and was a highly-ranked light heavyweight at the time of leaving the company.

In this case, the UFC’s loss was absolutely the gain of FNG. The 24-year-old made his promotional debut in June of 2017, submitting Stjepan Bekavac in 53-seconds. Then, this past October, Krylov took on former Bellator titleholder Emanuel Newton in the Fight Nights Global 77 main event. The Ukrainian won by knockout in 43-seconds. Meaning so far, two fights into his Fight Nights Global career, he has been inside the cage for a staggering one minute thirty-six seconds.

Diego Brandao is being targeted for a return to the FNG cage against Nova Uniao newcomer Felipe Froes. The bout will take place at FNG 86 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on April 14.

Diego Brandao (22-12) had a turbulent career with the UFC and would eventually be released from the promotion in 2016 after accumulating a respectable 6-4 record. Brandao managed notable wins over Katsunori Kikuno and Dennis Bermudez, while he was most famously remembered for his loss to then rising star, Conor McGregor. Brandao is currently 2-1 in FNG losing to current lightweight champion Akhmet Aliev. He now drops to featherweight to take on fellow Brazilian Froes.

Felipe Froes (16-3-1) is a well regarded Nova Uniao prospect who, before a contentious featherweight title loss to Salman Zhamaldaev at WFCA 43, had racked up an enviable 10-fight unbeaten streak just prior. This will be Froes debut for FNG after signing in February.