Canadians Randa Markos, Malcolm Gordon to fight on UFC cards this month in Las Vegas

Nov 3, 2020 | 10:07 AM

TORONTO — Canadian strawweight Randa (Quiet Storm) Markos will make her 16th UFC appearance when she takes on Japan’s Kanako Murata on a Nov. 14 Fight Night card in Las Vegas.

Markos (10-9-1) is replacing the injured Livinha (The Brazilian Gangster) Souza.

The 35-year-old from Windsor, Ont., is coming off a Sept. 19 submission loss to grappling ace Mackenzie Dern. Markos has lost three of her last four outings and is 6-8-1 since making her debut in the UFC in 2014.

Murata, who is making her UFC debut, won the vacant Invicta strawweight title last time out with a split decision over Emily Ducote in November 2019.

Rafael Dos Anjos takes on Islam Makhachev in the main event at the UFC’s Apex production facility. The two were slated to meet at UFC 254 last month but Dos Anjos tested positive for COVID-19.

A former lightweight champion, the 36-year-old Dos Anjos is returning to the 155-pound weight class after losing four of his last five fights at welterweight (170 pounds).

Canadian flyweight Malcolm (X) Gordon, meanwhile, will face China’s Su (Tibetan Eagle) Mudaerji on a Nov. 28 Fight Night card in Las Vegas.

Gordon, a 30-year-old from Calgary who now calls Toronto home, lost his UFC debut by first-round submission to Sweden’s Amir (The Prince) Albazi in July. Gordon (12-4-0) and Albazi were both fighting on short notice.

Gordon was the first Canadian to compete on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.

The 24-year-old Mudaerji (12-4-0) is coming off a decision win over Andre (The Asian Sensation) Soukhamthath in August. He is 1-1-0 in the UFC.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 3, 2020

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press