Newer UFC fans might tune in to the main card on May 3, see a 38-year-old man making the walk to the Octagon and think: Who the f*** is this guy?
The answer: Jeremy Stephens — a 34-fight UFC veteran, a man who is tied with Anderson Silva for the 2nd-most knockdowns landed in the promotion’s history and a longtime fan-favorite who shared the Octagon with everyone from Din Thomas and Frankie Edgar to José Aldo and Mateusz Gamrot.
In short: the “Lil’ Heathen” is back.
The Des Moines native makes his first walk to the Octagon since July 2021, seeking his first UFC win since February 2018, so fans who came to the sport in the last few years could be forgiven for not having an awareness of Stephens’ time in the promotion.