Las Vegan Punahele Soriano to make UFC debut in December

By Adam Hill

Las Vegas Review-Journal

5 years ago

Punahele Soriano, right, kicks Jamie Pickett in the second round of their middleweight bout on ... — Punahele Soriano, right, kicks Jamie Pickett in the second round of their middleweight bout on the opening week of the third season of “Dana White’s Contender Series” at the new UFC Apex in Las Vegas Tuesday, June 18, 2019. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto

Punahele Soriano, left, elbows Jamie Pickett in the third round of their middleweight bout on the opening week of the third season of “Dana White’s Contender Series” at the new UFC Apex in Las Vegas Tuesday, June 18, 2019. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto

Punahele Soriano, left, punches Jamie Pickett in the first round of their middleweight bout on the opening week of the third season of “Dana White’s Contender Series” at the new UFC Apex in Las Vegas Tuesday, June 18, 2019. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto

Punahele Soriano kicks Jamie Pickett in the first round of their middleweight bout on the opening week of the third season of “Dana White’s Contender Series” at the new UFC Apex in Las Vegas Tuesday, June 18, 2019. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto

Undefeated Las Vegan Punahele Soriano will make his UFC debut at UFC 245 on Dec. 14 at T-Mobile Arena, the Review-Journal has learned.

Soriano, awarded a contract after a win on Dana White’s Contender Series in June, will fight Oskar Piechota in a middleweight bout.

Soriano is 6-0 as a pro with three knockouts and two submissions. His only fight to go the distance was a unanimous decision over Jamie Pickett on the show that earned him a spot on the roster.

A flyweight bout between Sergio Pettis and Kai Kara-France also has been added to the pay-per-view card.

Pettis snapped a two-fight losing streak with a decision over Tyson Nam in Mexico City last week.

Kara-France has won eight straight fights, including three since joining the UFC. All three have gone the distance.

A featherweight title bout between Alexander Volkanovski and champion Max Holloway also was confirmed this week, joining a previously announced women’s bantamweight title bout between former featherweight champion Germaine de Randamie and two-division champ Amanda Nunes.

Sources indicate a third title fight could be added.

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Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.