Fight News: Chris Padilla and Nasrat Haqparast set to Battle in Sacramento
The UFC has added an enticing lightweight clash to its August 22 card in Sacramento, California, as Chris “Taco” Padilla will take on Nasrat Haqparast in a 155-pound bout.
Chris Padilla
For Chris Padilla, this will be a hometown fight. The Lynwood, California native has built a massive fanbase on the West Coast and competed extensively in California before joining the UFC, including several appearances for Tuff-N-Uff. During an interview I conducted with Padilla earlier this month, “Taco” said he hoped to compete either in his home state on August 22 or at UFC Noche in September. His wish has been granted with this matchup. Check out the full interview here:
Chris Padilla remains undefeated in the UFC at 4-0-1 and owns an overall professional record of 17-6-1. He most recently fought MarQuel Mederos to a draw at UFC 327 in Miami. Padilla was initially announced as the winner inside the cage before officials informed him that the judges had made a scoring error and that the bout had actually ended in a draw, costing him half of his paycheck. Prior to that, Padilla earned three stoppage victories over James Llontop, Rongzhu, and Ismael Bonfim, along with a decision win over Jai Herbert. Needless to say, “Taco” will be looking to keep his unbeaten UFC record intact next month.
Nasrat Haqparast:
Nasrat Haqparast returns to action following a nine-month layoff after suffering a devastating head-kick knockout loss to Quillan Salkilld last October. Before that setback, Haqparast had built impressive momentum, rattling off five consecutive victories over John Makdessi, Landon Quinones, Jamie Mullarkey, Jared Gordon, and Esteban Ribovics.
This will mark Haqparast’s 16th walk to the Octagon since making his UFC debut in October 2017. The longtime lightweight owns a 10-5 promotional record and an overall professional mark of 18-6. He will also be searching for his first finish since December 2023.
UFC Sacramento is shaping up to be an excellent card, and Chris Padilla vs. Nasrat Haqparast only adds to the excitement. Anthony Hernandez and Gregory Rodrigues are set to headline the event, which currently features 10 confirmed bouts.
Confirmed bouts for UFC Sacramento (August 22):
- Main Event: Anthony Hernandez vs. Gregory Rodrigues (Middleweight)
- Co-Main Event: Reinier de Ridder vs. Roman Dolidze (Middleweight)
- Serghei Spivac vs. Vitor Petrino (Heavyweight)
- Jackson McVey vs. Wes Schultz (Heavyweight)
- Carli Judice vs. Jeisla Chaves (W Flyweight)
- MarQuel Mederos vs. Mason Jones (Lightweight)
- Shamil Gaziev vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu (Heavyweight)
- Shanelle Dyer vs. Elise Reed (W Strawweight)
- Kody Steele vs. Gauge Young (Lightweight)
- Chris Padilla vs. Nasrat Haqparast (Lightweight)
The UFC is expected to announce at least two more fights for the August 22 event before the card is finalized.
