UFC Fight Roundup: Tim Means and Alex Morono set for welterweight showdown on May 13

Tim Means | Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Fights come together fast these days, and if you blink, you can easily miss them. In Fight Roundup, we bring you the latest reported matchups to keep you up to date with what’s on the horizon.

All bouts featured have been officially announced or confirmed with MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz, Mike Heck, and Damon Martin via sources with knowledge of the matchups.

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Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Alex Morono

Tim Means vs. Alex Morono

Tim Means and Alex Morono are set to throw down in May.

The welterweight veterans have been booked to fight on the May 13 UFC Fight Night event, with a location still to be determined. MMA Junkie was first to report the matchup.

Means (32-14-1, 1 NC) is currently on a two-fight skid after going win-less in his 2022 campaign. He lost by second-round submission Kevin Holland last June and then dropped a split decision to Max Griffin the following October. Overall, Means is 14-11 with one no contest in the UFC.

Morono (22-8, 1 NC) saw a four-fight win streak snapped at UFC 282 when he was stopped by Santiago Ponzinibbio in the third round. “The Great White” is 11-5 with one no contest since debuting with the UFC in January 2016.

Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Tim Elliott

Tim Elliott vs. Allan Nascimento

One-time UFC flyweight title challenger Tim Elliott looks to continue his winning ways this summer.

Elliott (18-12-1) fights Allan Nascimento (20-6) on an upcoming June 3 card, with a location still to be determined. The bout was first reported by Ag. Fight.

Both flyweights have fared well in recent fights, with Elliott having won three of his past four and Nascimento on a two-fight win streak. Elliott defeated Tagir Ulanbekov by unanimous decision in his most recent outing at UFC 272, while Nascimento is coming off of a first-round submission of Carlos Hernandez this past January.

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Jinh Yu Frey

Jinh Yu Frey vs. Elise Reed

Also booked for June 3, former Invicta FC atomweight champion Jinh Yu Frey (11-8) meets Elise Reed (6-3) in a strawweight bout. The matchup was first reported by Eurosport.

Frey is in need of a win after dropping two straight, including a 47-second knockout loss to Polyana Viana this past November. She has struggled to replicate the success she had in the Invicta cage with just two wins in six UFC appearances since joining the promotion in 2020.

Reed also looks to get back on the winning track after alternating wins and losses in her first five UFC fights. The former Cage Fury FC strawweight champion most recently fought at UFC 284, where she was submitted by Loma Lookboonmee.

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Jimmy Flick

Jimmy Flick vs. Alessandro Costa
Tereza Bleda vs. Gabriella Fernandes

The Jimmy Flick comeback tour continues in June.

Flick (16-6) fights Alessandro Costa (12-3) in a flyweight bout at a UFC Fight Night event on June 17, with a location still to be determined.

This marks Flick’s second fight since coming out of retirement this year. The submission specialist made his UFC debut in December 2020 and immediately wowed fans with a flying triangle choke submission of Cody Durden. Soon after, he announced a surprising retirement, which lasted two years before he returned to fight Charles Johnson this past January. Johnson defeated Flick via first-round TKO.

Costa seeks his first UFC win after losing by third-round knockout to Amir Albazi in his debut this past December. That snapped a seven-fight win streak for the Brazilian flyweight.

Costa’s management was first to announce his bout with Flick.

Also added to the June 17 card is a flyweight bout between Tereza Bleda (6-1) and Gabriella Fernandes (8-2).

A 21-year-old prospect out of the Czech Republic, Bleda — who goes by the nickname “Ronda” — fell short in her UFC debut this past November, losing by third-round TKO to Natalia Silva.

Fernandes is also 0-1 in the UFC so far. The former interim LFA flyweight champion faced Jasmine Jasduvicius this past February and lost by unanimous decision.

Eurosport was first to report the Bleda-Fernandes matchup.

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Tatsuro Taira

Tatsuro Taira vs. Kleydson Rodrigues

Also in June, undefeated flyweight prospect Tatsuro Taira (13-0) makes his fourth UFC appearance when he takes on Kleydson Rodrigues (8-2).

Taira’s management was first to announce the bout, which takes place on June 24 at a location still to be determined.

In three UFC fights, the 23-year-old Taira has lived up to the hype, knocking off Jesus Aguilar, CJ Vergara, and Carlos Candelario, with Aguilar and Vergara both being submitted by the rising Japanese star. Prior to joining the UFC, Taira was a standout in the Shooto promotion.

Rodrigues scored his first win in his second UFC appearance this past February when he defeated Shannon Ross by TKO in 59 seconds at UFC 284. “KR” was signed off of the Contender Series after earning a unanimous nod over Santo Curatolo in 2021.

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Rani Yahya

Rani Yahya vs. Montel Jackson
Mohammed Usman vs. Junior Tafa

Just around the corner, two more fights have been confirmed for UFC Vegas 71.

A bantamweight bout between veteran Rani Yahya (28-10-1, 1 NC) and Montel Jackson (12-2) and a heavyweight bout between The Ultimate Fighter 30 winner Mohammed Usman (8-2) and Junior Tafa (4-0) will take place at the April 22 UFC APEX event.

Yahya makes his first appearance since November 2021 after seeing a pair of bookings against Cody Garbrandt fall through last year. He is undefeated in his past three fights with two wins and a draw, which have boosted his UFC record to 13-4-1 with one no contest.

Jackson’s career has also been on the upswing, with wins in his past three fights and in six of his past seven. “Quik” was victorious in his lone appearance of 2022, defeating Julio Arce by unanimous decision at UFC 281.

The Yahya-Jackson bout was first announced by Jackson’s management.

Usman vs. Tafa was officially announced by the UFC.

When Usman steps into the cage in April, it will be his first fight since winning TUF 30 with a stunning second-round knockout of Zac Pauga this past August. The one-time PFL competitor and brother of welterweight star Kamaru Usman defeated Pauga, Eduardo Perez, and Mitchell Sipe to claim the reality show crown.

Tafa — the brother of UFC heavyweight Justin Tafa — looks to make his UFC debut after seeing pair of bookings against Austen Lane and then Waldo Cortes-Acosta fall through for at UFC 284. “The Juggernaut” has previously competed for RIZIN and Brave CF, with all of his wins coming by way of KO/TKO.