The WSOF returns on Saturday as the promotion will be holding a fight card at the Foxwoods Casino Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.
The event will kick off with the online preliminary card on WSOF.com at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT with seven fights and the main card will begin at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT on NBCSN.
The event will be headlined by a welterweight title eliminator fight as former UFC title challengers meet as Jon Fitch meets Yushin Okami. Along with the title eliminator fight, the fight card will feature a two title fights as Blagoy Ivanov defends the heavyweight title against Derrick Mehman and the inaugural flyweight champion will be crowned as Magomed Bibulatov meets Donavon Frelow.
Below is a pre-fight statistical breakdown of the five fights that will take place on the main card broadcast on NBCSN.
Jon Fitch (26-7-1, 1NC) vs. Yushin Okami (30-9)
This will be the first fight for Fitch since coming off suspension from the California State Athletic Commission and he is 2-2 in the WSOF. Both of his wins in WSOF have come by decision and his last stoppage win came in 2007 against Roan Carneiro.
- Since 2011, Fitch is 3-4-1 and the victories came against Erick Silva, Marcelo Alfaya, and Dennis Hallman.
- Both of his defeats in the WSOF have come by submission in the first round.
- Has 3rd most takedowns landed in UFC welterweight competition.
Okami is making his welterweight debut and this will be his first fight in eleven months, which was a TKO defeat against current WSOF middleweight champion David Branch. Since the beginning of 2012, Okami is 4-2 and two of those victories came by stoppage in the second round.
- Has the best takedown defense in UFC middleweight division history.
- Ten career victories by TKO/KO.
- Holds a disqualification victory over former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.
Blagoy Ivanov (12-1, 1NC) vs. Derrick Mehmen (19-6)
Ivanov won the WSOF heavyweight title in June when he defeated Smealinho Rama by submission at WSOF 21. It was his sixth career win to come by submission and the second to come by guillotine choke.
- Ten career wins by stoppage.
- Bellator MMA Season Ten Heavyweight tournament finalist.
- Holds a submission win over Lavar Johnson.
This will be the second WSOF heavyweight title fight for Mehmen as he lost to Rama last year by TKO in 51 seconds at WSOF 14. He is coming off a decision win against Brett Rogers in March and is 7-1 in his last eight fights.
- 3-1 in the WSOF competition.
- Eleven wins by TKO/KO.
- Two of his three wins in the WSOF have come by unanimous decision.
Nick Newell (12-1) vs. Tom Marcellino (7-3)
Newell will be looking for his second straight win as he is coming off a decision win against Joe Condon at WSOF 20 in April. He is 3-1 in the WSOF and two of those victories came bu first round guillotine choke submission.
- All of his stoppage victories (10) have come in the first round.
- Only career defeat came against current WSOF lightweight champion Justin Gaethje.
- His eight submission wins have come via rear-naked choke, armbar, heel hook, and guillotine choke.
Marcellino will be stepping into the WSOF cage for a third time and he lost both of his previous appearances in the promotion. He enters this fight following a lost to Frankie Perez at WSOF 13 and the defeat snapped a three fight winning streak.
- All of his stoppage victories (4) have come by submission.
- Won his pro debut by armbar and his other three submission wins have come by rear-naked choke.
- After starting 4-0, he is 3-3 in his last six fights.
Vinny Magalhaes (12-7, 1NC) vs. Matt Hamill (11-5)
Magalhaes is making his WSOF debut and was previously the Titan FC light heavyweight champion. This will be his first fight since winning the Titan FC title nearly 13 months ago and is currently on a two fight winning streak.
- Ten of his twelve wins have come by submission.
- When the fight goes to a decision, he is 0-4.
- Ultimate Fighter 8 Finalist.
Hamill enters this fight with only one win in his last four fights and was scheduled to return to competition earlier this year. However, he was pulled from his WSOF 19 bout in March on the day of the fight due to a medical reason.
- First fight in 738 days (2 years, 8 days).
- Last victory came in 2012 against Roger Hollett at UFC 152.
- Won a Fight Night bonus three times in the UFC.
Magomed Bibulatov (9-0) vs. Donavon Frelow (5-0)
Bibulatov is making his WSOF debut and is coming off a 90-second knockout victory in March against Eduardo Felipe. It was his first victory by TKO/KO and all of his stoppage wins have come in the first round.
- Holds a victory over current UFC bantamweight Taylor Lapilus.
- His four submission victories have come by armbar (3) and triangle choke.
- Four of his last six fights have gone to the decision.
Frelow made his WSOF debut at the beginning of the year and has won both of his fights in the promotion. His most recent victory came by submission at WSOF 22 as he used a guillotine choke to defeat Carlos Garcia.
- Four of his five wins have come by submission.
- Only fighter to take him the distance came at WSOF 17 against Taylor McCorriston.
- Holds victories in 25 and 68 seconds.
The WSOF 24: Fitch vs. Okami fight card is below.
Main Card: (NBCSN – 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT)
Jon Fitch (26-7-1, 1NC) vs. Yushin Okami (30-9)
Blagoy Ivanov (12-1, 1NC) vs. Derrick Mehmen (19-6)
Nick Newell (12-1) vs. Tom Marcellino (7-3)
Vinny Magalhaes (12-7, 1NC) vs. Matt Hamill (11-5)
Magomed Bibulatov (9-0) vs. Donavon Frelow (5-0)
Preliminary Card: (WSOF.com – 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT)
Rick Glenn (15-3-1) vs. Adam Ward (15-7)
Alexandre Almeida (16-5) vs. Saul Almeida (18-5)
Rodrigo Almeida (12-2) vs. Bruce Boyington (10-8)
Washington Nunes da Silva (5-1) vs. Colton Smith (5-4)
Rex Harris (7-2) vs. Justin Torrey (7-1)
Nicolai Salchow (5-0) vs. Louis Taylor (11-3)
Tyler King (9-3) vs. Patrick Walsh (6-2)