Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani to make his UFC debut on February 21 in Houston

26-year-old fighter of Armenian descent Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani (9-2) will make his UFC debut on February 21 at an event in Houston.

The Dana White’s Contender Series winner will begin his career in the world’s premier MMA organization against experienced Austin Vanderford (13-3). This bout will mark Vanderford’s third appearance in the UFC, where his current record stands at 1-1. The 35-year-old American is well known to Armenian fans for his time in Bellator, where he defeated Grachik Bozinian and later challenged legendary Gegard Mousasi for the title, losing via first-round technical knockout.

The Lebosnoyani vs. Vanderford matchup will take place in the welterweight division and represents a serious test for the debutant.

It should be noted that Lebosnoyani earned his UFC contract following an impressive performance on the Contender Series, where he stopped Jack Congdon via first-round technical knockout. The fighter has Armenian roots through his father, as well as Romanian and American heritage, making his UFC debut particularly intriguing for a wide audience of fans.