"Let’s go I’m ready" - Bare Knuckle fighter throws his name into the mix as Josh Emmett continues to search for replacement
It appears as though a BKFC fighter is throwing his name into the mix as Josh Emmett continues to search for a replacement opponent.
Emmett has been searching for another opponent for UFC 296 after Giga Chikadze was forced to pull out of their fight due to an injury. He took to his X account, where he asked if anybody else is available to step up to fight him on short notice.
He wrote:
"Giga’s Out - Who’s ready Dec 16th? #UFC296"
The tweet caught the attention of bare knuckle fighter Jeremy Stephens, who responded to his former foe's call for a replacement opponent. He mentioned that he would be interested in replacing Chikadze on short notice and running it back with the No.6 ranked UFC featherweight, writing:
"Let’s go I’m ready"
It remains to be seen whether the UFC will sign Jeremy Stephens to serve as the replacement opponent as the bout is less than two weeks away and Josh Emmett has expressed interest in remaining on the card.
When did Josh Emmett and Jeremy Stephens fight each other?
Josh Emmett and Jeremy Stephens are no strangers to each other as they have already fought in the octagon once before.
The talented featherweights competed in the main event of UFC on Fox 28 in 2018. The bout didn't last very long as 'Lil Heathen' earned a second-round knockout win after dropping Emmett with a left-hook before finishing him with devastating elbows.
The knockout win extended Stephens' winning streak to three consecutive wins, which also included wins over Choi Doo-ho and former Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez. In addition, he also earned a Performance of the Night bonus, which was his third consecutive post-fight bonus.
Despite the result, 'Lil Heathen' and Emmett's careers went in different directions. Stephens never won another bout in the UFC, while Emmett bounced back by winning five consecutive fights before eventually challenging for the interim featherweight championship.